Ag/Climate Blog
Climate Change, Drought and Agriculture Podcast

Intercropping
As part of her summer internship with the REACCH project at Oregon State University, Savannah Kisling developed an informative podcast about climate change, drought and their impacts on agriculture. For her project Savannah interviewed Dr. John Abatzoglou, Climate Scientist from the University of Idaho who discusses what it means to have a drought and Dr. Kristy Borrelli, REACCH Extension... more
Observations of Aphid Dynamics Provide Clues to Risks and Benefits under Climate Change

Bird cherry-oat aphid (photo by D. Schotzko)
Growers can anticipate future aphid-related risks by understanding current baselines and trends. – Sanford Eigenbrode
Possibly one of the most concerning factors associated with climate change is the uncertainty of its impacts on agricultural pests. Climate change can directly influence ranges and severity of pests and indirectly complicate the relationships among climate... more
REACCH Education Workshop

Teacher workshop 2012
MOSCOW, ID: About 20 high school teachers and community college instructors from across Idaho and Washington are participating in the Northwest Climate Education Resources workshop this week at the University of Idaho.
The workshop is a collaboration of NASA, U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Science Foundation projects that aim to engage teachers in climate change and... more
New aphid found on wheat in North America and the PNW!

Until now, Metopolophium festucae cerealium has not been reported on cereal crops in the US, but it is a pest of wheat and other cereal crops in the UK. Studies suggest that this aphid prefers wheat to other grasses. In June and July 2011, a survey of aphids in wheat was initiated in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. M. f. cerealium was found in nearly every sample collected from... more
REACCH scientists contribute to National Climate Assessment

REACCH scientists highlighted Northwest agriculture perspectives in the National Climate Assessment. Sanford Eigenbrode, project director and University of Idaho professor, and Susan Capalbo and Philip Mote of Oregon State University contributed to the report. The White House released this document Tuesday. A 1990 law stipulates the climate assessments be published every... more
The difference between weather and climate

If you were asked the question “What is the difference between weather and climate?” would you know how to answer it? Given the dependence of agriculture on weather and climate, it is important to clearly define both terms. Von Walden, professor specializing in meteorology and climatology, ... more
End-of-the-century climate and wheat production

Atmosphere composition affects wheat below
"Climate change may increase wheat productivity in the Pacific Northwest." —Claudio Stöckle
Though it is difficult to know exactly how predicted climate variables will impact agricultural production, Claudio Stöckle, Professor in the... more
Climate and Economics

The Economist recently covered the relationships among climate change, agriculture, and big data in "Digital disruption on the farm."
... moreNew aphid damages wheat more than crops

A new aphid has been found in North America! was pronounced in July 2013.
Precision Agriculture Offers Exciting Conservation Opportunities for Farmers

Palouse from Kamiak Butte —Roger Nelson
High-tech tools help us better understand natural and human-managed ecosystems. —Troy Magney
When I began working with REACCH last year, it was interesting that no matter where I went or who I spoke to, the topic of precision agriculture came up. Not only were researchers studying it but farmers were using it, professors were teaching it, regional businesses were selling... more