Farmers are an Important Part of Solving the Climate Crisis

Jan 11, 2021

By Pam Knox

Rising temperatures from increased greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane are affecting many aspects of life, including sea level rise, rising costs of utilities, and production management for agriculture. Agriculture is often blamed for the increase in greenhouse gases, although in reality there are other factors that contribute just as much. But agriculture has not been provided with as many tools to help curb the production of greenhouse gases as other industries like power production, leaving them to be attacked for their practices.

In reality, farmers have a lot to contribute to the conversation about how to reduce greenhouse gases and slow the rise in temperatures, and they will be an essential part of the process to solve the climate crisis. This blog post from my colleague Dr. Jonathan Foley from 2019 describes a number of ways that farmers can help sequester carbon in the soil and trees as well as reduce emissions from livestock.

Source : uga.edu

Video: Residue Management

Residue Management conservation practice manages the amount, orientation, and distribution of crop and other plant residue on the soil surface year-round while limiting soil-disturbing activities used to grow and harvest crops in systems where the field surface is tilled prior to planting. This video explores how Ryan McKenzie implemented this conservation practice on his farm in Samson, Alabama.

Practice benefits:

• Increases organic matter

• Improves air quality

• Decreases energy costs

• Reduces erosion

• Improves soil health

The Conservation at Work video series was created to increase producer awareness of common conservation practices and was filmed at various locations throughout the country. Because conservation plans are specific to the unique resource needs on each farm and also soil type, weather conditions, etc., these videos were designed to serve as a general guide to the benefits of soil and water conservation and landowners should contact their local USDA office for individual consultation.