Food and Extreme Weather: It's the Soil, Stupid

[xchrom]

Last edited Mon Jul 9, 2012, 11:28 AM - Edit history (1)

http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2012/07/what-organic-ag-teaches-us-about-feeding-ourselves-while-planet-heats




As the climate warms up and "extreme" events like heat waves and droughts become more common, what will become of food production? I started to examine that question in my last post, published Wednesday. A front-page article in Thursday's New York Times brought a stark reminder of why the topic is crucial. Reports The Times' Monica Davey :

Already, some farmers in Illinois and Missouri have given up on parched and stunted fields, mowing them over. National experts say parts of five corn-growing states, including Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, are experiencing severe or extreme drought conditions. And in at least nine states, conditions in one-fifth to one-half of cornfields have been deemed poor or very poor, federal authorities reported this week, a notable shift from the high expectations of just a month ago.

The message from the Midwest is clear: Chemical-intensive, industrial-scale farming is vulnerable to spells of hot, dry weather—some of the very conditions we can expect to become common as the climate warms. In my last post, I argued that the solution to this problem favored by US policymakers—to keep industrial agriculture humming along with novel seeds engineered for "drought tolerance"—probably won't work.

What might? I think the answer lies outside of some Monsanto-funded university lab and right beneath our feet: in the dirt. Or, more, accurately, in how farmers manage their dirt.

[newfie11]

1. I agree with all you said but

In my area the corn is irrigated but temps of 105-110 for 2 weeks have stopped the growth.
I am hoping the growth starts again now that it is only to be in the 80's and 90's at least for this week.

[Sirveri]

4. Yep, temps above ~105F shut down plant photosynthesis.

Then they die and release carbon into the atmosphere...

[XemaSab]

2. Can you edit this down?

DU copyright policy generally allows for four paragraphs.

Thanks.

[limpyhobbler]

3. So here is a benefit to organic farming besides the boutique commodity value.

And in addition to any other benefit we may already know about (whether it tastes better or is healthier, etc.)

In this case we see the organic fields are more drought resistant.

In general organic crops and methods could help protect some biological diversity and diversity of techniques.

So when a big problem like a drought or disease hits and affects all the non-organic crops, some of the organic crops might survive better.

Maybe a reason to expand the organic piece of agricultural production.