Adapting Agriculture to Extreme Weather
The following information comes from a USDA-SARE grant on Midwest weather and climate. Extreme weather events may change your future farming operation. During wet springs, farmers often use larger equipment and additional hired help to plant in a shorter time period. Cover crops through evapotranspiration may dry the soil quicker. Controlled traffic also promote firmer soils for timely planting. The Ohio State University (OSU) is experimenting with autosteer and self- propelled robots which may allow equipment to get smaller. Smaller lighter equipment (3-4 rows) operated remotely using robotics decreases the weight and compaction factor and operate 24 hours per day. In 20 to 30 years (maybe sooner); planting, spraying and harvesting operations may be vastly different than it is today. With a longer growing season expected, farmers will plant earlier and use longer season crops hybrids that they harvest later. However, OSU research shows that longer crop maturities do not necessarily pr...