For The Record: Sustainable agriculture and climate change

On this week’s For The Record, Dana Fulton dives into climate change and Wisconsin agriculture. In the wake of a Kansas heat wave that killed thousands of cattle, what are Wisconsin farmers doing to stay ‘ahead’ of the forecast? Additionally, what conversations are happening within academia to combat

Pam Jahnke, The Mid-West Farm Report, joins with a ‘boots on the ground’ look at current farming practices. Diane Mayerfeld, Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator with UW-Madison Extension, adds information on the research being done right now to improve climate change mitigation across agriculture.

Since 1970, average summer temperatures in Madison have risen by more than 2 degrees.

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While 2 degrees may not sound like much, it’s a troubling trend. Temperature extremes are the primary concern. Compared to 1970, Madison summers now average 13 more days with temperatures above average. Just a few extremely hot days can destroy an entire farming season.

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More information on sustainable agriculture can be found here.