Weather is a critical component to the success of any growing season. But Jon Davis, chief meteorologist at Everstream Analytics, says it’s going play an even bigger role from start to finish - eventually changing where specific crops are grown and how they are transported after harvest.
“The climate has absolutely changed things. Agriculturally, there are winners and losers,” Davis says. “For example, the Dakotas have gotten wetter over time. They’re able to support corn and bean development further north up in the prairies. You have a longer growing season and there’s less worry about spring and fall freezes.”
Davis recently joined an episode of the Top Producer podcast to discuss overall weather trends he’s seeing and what the long term impact could be for agriculture.
“There are areas that will be more vulnerable with a higher risk for heat or wetness. Others may actually see an improvement in the overall weather condition for better yields across those areas,” he says.
Beyond the growing season, he shares climate change and the uptick in extreme weather events will have a significant impact on the agriculture supply chain.
“How do extreme weather events affect how we ship and how we move commodities? How does it affect ports, rail lines and trucking overall?” he says. “When moving finished crops with wetter conditions and higher humidity levels, the overall time frame food products can last is shortened up a bit.”
What’s In Front Of Us
As for the 2024 growing season, Davis says he has been tracking a system that could be the key to the overall quality of this year’s crops.
“There’s a ridge of high pressure that has quite a history associated with it. Anywhere it’s gone, it’s produced very hot and extremely dry conditions,” he says. “That ridge is starting to move across the lower 48.”
He’s anticipating unfavorable conditions to strike at the worst possible place and time.
“Places like the prairies will have a lesser impact, but there’s higher risk for corn and soybeans across the Midwest - especially going into July with corn pollinating across those areas.”
