A new article from Public News Service illustrates the impact of a changing climate to Montana farmers. Erik Somerfeld, a malt barley farmer, states that he and his neighbors have already seen declining crop yields and incomes in the past five years due to changing climate variables like increased temperatures. Although increased temperatures contribute to longer and earlier growing seasons, they can actually lead to greater crop vulnerability to extreme events according to Dr. Bruce Maxwell, lead author of the 2017 Montana Climate Assessment - Agriculture chapter. Somerfeld and others hope that certain actions, like continued research into crop genetics, can help farmers become more resilient to climate change in the future.
