Changes in climate impact agriculture and water quality in the North Central Region. Extreme weather events can drastically impact our waterways and crop productivity. Climate variability creates shifts in crops, cropping seasons, and plant hardiness zones. Moreover, the management practices used to adapt to these changes greatly influence water quality and supply making climate education and outreach critical.
To help address this issue, the Network supports a team of extension professionals across the Midwest who are working to increase the flow and usability of climate information for Extension, farmers, natural resource managers, and communities. The team, called the North Central Climate Collaborative or NC3, is working to increase the adoption of climate-smart practices, improving water management, while maintaining profitability.
NC3 has a point of contact with each state/land-grant university in the North Central Region who provides climate-related professional develop opportunities to extension personnel in their states. The group hosts bimonthly webinar on climate and water related topics, hosts climate change trainings for extension staff and other front-line professionals who work with farmers and communities on climate change and creates state-based climate resources.
For more information on the North Central Climate Collaborative and to attend one of their upcoming webinars, visit their website.
Project Contact:
Laura Edwards
State Climatologist
South Dakota State University Extension
laura.edwards@sdstate.edu