Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment » Soil, Water & Air Resources Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #366451
Research Project: Managing Energy and Carbon Fluxes to Optimize Agroecosystem Productivity and Resilience

Location: Soil, Water & Air Resources Research

Title: Developing climate services for agriculture in a changing climate - USDA Climate Hubs

Author
item Todey, Dennis
item Felkley, Charlene
item Kistner-Thomas, Erica

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/30/2019
Publication Date: 12/13/2019
Citation: Todey, D.P., Felkley, C.R., Kistner-Thomas, E.J. 2019. Developing climate services for agriculture in a changing climate - USDA Climate Hubs. [Abstract] American Geophysical Union.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In the broader climate services sector, agricultural climate services are a large need in the Midwest as well as nationally to support decision-making at various time scales. Many climate services are provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and associated groups, who create and archive various climate products, but have limited ability to apply their information to agricultural applications because of mission and expertise. Various state climatologists, particularly in the Midwest do provide in-state climate services, but are limited in regional scope. The USDA Climate Hubs (founded in 2014) have developed an ability to help provide regional climate services working with various partners. The Midwest Climate Hub specifically has adopted a role of developing and coordinating specific services for the broader agricultural sector in the Midwest/Northern Plains, including regular outlook discussions and specific special products to deal with potential high impact issues. The Climate Hubs (along with other USDA line offices) also help translate, interpret and offer back to NOAA the context for decision-support in agriculture at a more local level. These are all developed in cooperation with other regional partners including NOAA, regional climate centers, state climatologists and others. These efforts have provided a wider array of regional outlooks and tools for agricultural purposes. We will discuss the development process in the products, delivery and impact of the products for agriculture. Future directions and applicability to other regions will also be discussed.