Media Advisory: CFAES Experts Can Address Climate Change Report

Nov 30, 2018

Experts from the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences are available to discuss with the media the effects of climate change on the environment in light of the recently released national climate report.

The Fourth National Climate Assessment, which the White House released Nov. 23, states Earth’s climate is “changing faster than at any point in the history of modern civilization” and that the primary cause is human activity.

For agriculture, the impact of rising temperatures is significant, according to the report.

“Increases in temperatures during the growing season in the Midwest are projected to be the largest contributing factor to declines in the productivity of U.S. agriculture,” the report states.

Climate change will continue to affect the health of livestock, crop yields and quality, and the economy of rural communities, according to the report.

It also states that “rising temperatures, extreme heat, drought, wildfire on rangelands, and heavy downpours are expected to increasingly disrupt agricultural productivity in the United States.”

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.