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Agriculture
Crop Yield Shrinking Due to Climate Change
Brutal heat is now roiling the main growing regions for corn, soy, and wheat, the biggest US crops. Bloomberg states that, 71 percent of the Midwest is experiencing "drier-than-normal conditions," and temperatures are projected to be above 90 degrees. Market projections are that this year's corn yields will come in 7.5 percent below the USDA's projection of 166 bushels an acre.
Read it at Mother Jones
1 comments on "Crop Yield Shrinking Due to Climate Change"
July 04, 2012 11:29am
If you actually go read this article, it is talking about the failure of drought resistant crops along with the fact that this growing season is not optimal.
If you actually read about the high yield GMO's their yields fall off after about 3 years even in prime growning conditions. We also see that what works in the lab gardens doesn't always work the same way in the real fields (think BT). So it is really a surprise that the drought resistant crops are not working as planned. Frankly, no.
Now here is the biggest inconvenient truth that AWG alarmists do not want to admit, we live on a dynamic planet. The climate is always changing. There have been hot dry growing seasons that have covered large areas of farmlands not just here in the US but around the world. This is not new and has concerned farmers for thousands of years. Mr Philpott whines about how a paper by pair of unnamed researchers received no media attention that contained findings that plant yields are in part limited by temperatures. Really, anyone who has ever grown anything knows that there is a narrow range of sun, water, and temperature that constitute optimal growing conditions. You get outside of this range in any or all areas and you will see lowered yield/growth. This is why it was not spread in the media. Apparently Mr. Philpott did not know this.
Now add to it the old fashioned crop rotations have been deemed no longer needed. Chemistry and genetic modifications can handle it. Well no they cannot. We are seeing BT resistant cut worms and other resistant pests along with insects that only used to feed on soy now feed on corn and vice-versa. We are killing off the bees that pollinate our food by using these "safe" organic approved insecticides and fertilizers. Between the experts that don't understand the climate systems and the experts that willfully ignore integrated water, soil, and pest management we are doomed to be a hungrier world.
This growing season is what it is. It is not due to global warming any more than last year's cooler season was due to global warming. CO2 is not the cause of the heat. It is much bigger than something that only makes up 380 ppm of our atmosphere (less than .000001%) and can only absorb IR in a very limited wavelength. As always follow the money and you will find a stinkpot of lies making people rich whilst endangering our lives.