Northwest Regional Climate Hub

Bea Van Horne, DirectorUS Forest Service

Pacific Northwest Research Station

Mike StrobelDirector, National Water and Climate Center

Natural Resource Conservation Service

Stuart HardegreePlant Physiologist

Agricultural Research Service

What are the Climate Hubs?Regional network that assists managers of working lands with managing for risks in a changing climate (drought, floods, changing growing seasons, wild fires, etc.)

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USDA Regional Climate Hubs will provide:

• Technical & Program Support

• Assessments and Forecasts

• Outreach and Education

“Tool Makers”Package & Develop

• Agriculture Experiment Stations• Agricultural Research Service• Forest Service R&D• NOAA RISAs• NIFA-funded Coordinated Agricultural Projects• NRCS• Climate Corporation• Others

The Weak Link

Dairy

Cattle/Calf

Grains Oilseeds Legumes

Veges potatoes melons

Fruits Nuts

Berries

NW Major Agricultural Products

Milk Production

Climate Risk Effect Adaptation Tools

+ heat stress

- fertilityGenetic selection for more heat tolerant breeds of livestock

Breed information

+ infectionsProvide heat abatement strategies for animals (e.g. shade structures)

Cost/benefit information, given climate projections

- growthChange timing of livestock rotation to reduce erosion and exposure to solar radiant energy.

Seasonal temperatureprojections

- milk production

Conduct selective breeding of plants Seed availability information

- snowpack- summer rainfall

- soil moisture Reduce soil erosion using accepted practices. NRCS information

+ erosionWork with municipalities to maintain consistent supplies of energy and water

water availability and demand projections

+ coverage of woody conifers

Irrigate pastures; reduce animals/acreSeasonal heat and rainfall projections

+ temperatures

- forage productivity

Change timing of livestock rotationSeasonal forage condition projections

-nutritional value of forage

Change forage management Forage nutritional information

Climate Risk Effect Adaptation Tools

- summer rainfall+ temperatures

- nutritional value of forage+ invasive weeds+ coverage of woody conifers

• Changes in timing and spatial distribution of grazing

• Changes in livestock breeds

• Shifts in grazing areas

• Seasonal rainfall projections

• Information about breeds

Cattle and calf production

Climate Risk Effect Adaptation Toolschanges in timing and amount of precipitation

Advanced growing degree days

• Changes in timing of farm operations

• Changes in varieties and crop systems

Cost/benefit analysis of alternatives,given climate projections

- water availability for irrigated farming operations

+ CO2 concentrations - water demands

heat stress- grain filling+ water demands

Grains, oilseed, dried beans, dried peas

Climate Risk Effects Adaptation Tools

+ heat and drought stressadvanced bud break+ water demands+ pests

change vine and tree varieties+ irrigation

Cost/benefit analysis of croppingsystems, given climate projections and varieties available

+ winter rainfall + fungal pathogens + spraying especially grape, cherry and apple-cold temperature and chilling

- fruit productiondelayed bud break

change vine and tree varieties- water availability for irrigation

-fruit production

+ CO2 concentrations + yields

Fruits, tree nuts and berries

Climate Risk Effects Adaptation Tools

- snowpack- availability of irrigation water

change cropping systems

Cost/benefit analysis of cropping systems, given climate projections and varieties available

earlier rainfall + water demand + irrigationSeasonal rainfall projections

+ temperature+ water demand + irrigation

Seasonal temperature projections

- potato yield develop and use later-maturing varieties (delayed leaf senescence)

Information on potato varieties+ CO2 + potato yield

Vegetables, melons, potatoes and sweet potatoes

AgBizLogic

Farm data• Acres• Yield• Crop

systems• Expenses

Options• Alternative

cropping systems

• Marketing• Irrigation

Site-specific climate projections

Evaluation of Options

Yields

5/21/2015

Needs include

• Better forecasting of seasonal climate

• Better forecasting of local conditions

• Better alert systems

A Loose Confederation of Climate Projects in the Northwest

AgWeatherNetBig WoodLong Term Agricultural Research SitesDataBasinNorthwest Knowledge NetworkWillalmette Water 2100REACCH

WWETACClimate Friendly FarmingDecisions support Tools for FruitAgBizLogicAnimal AgricultureKlamath Basin Decision Support

Hub Alchemy

Farmers, ranchers, and private forest owners are more successful at adaptation and mitigation

Research scientists

Extension specialists

Strategy

What is the Hub doing now?

• Convening research and extension for proposal development in range, forestry, and cropping systems.

• Stakeholder engagement team is assessing existing educational programs and tools to develop “tool kits” for extension.

• Supporting expansion of historical and forecasted climate information.

What is the Hub doing now?

• Funding development of a climate module for AgBizLogic decision software for farmers.

• Developing a collaboration around incised streams problem for ranchers that includes NW Climate Science Center Great Basin Landscape Conservation

Cooperative Desert Research Institute Pacific Northwest Research Station (USFS) USGS Pacific Science Center