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Melissa WidhalmU2U Project Manager, Purdue University

USDA Agroclimatology PD Meeting – December 16-18, 2016

Useful to Usable: Transforming Climate Variability and Change Information for Cereal Crop Producers

About U2U

• Transform existing climate information into usable knowledge for agricultural decision making

• Give farmers the resources and training to more effectively manage variable climate conditions

• Increase Extension capacity to address agro-climate issues

Our Vision

More resilient and profitable farms in a variable and changing climate

U2U Team

climatologists, crop modelers, agronomists, IT specialists, economists, sociologists, Extension, and more

Pilot test tools, methods, and outreach

Project Objectives

Models and Data Stakeholder InputDecision Support

Tools

IA IN

NE

MI

Disseminate across 12 state region

We strive to transform useful information into usable tools that actually get used!

Stakeholder interaction, from the beginning and throughout the entire process, is essential!

Regular evaluation of our tools, and our team, to ensure we are meeting needs.

Photo credit: https://fromasecondstorywindow.wordpress.com/

5 D e c i s i o nS u p p o r tT o o l s

50Peer-Reviewed

P u b l i c a t i o n s

B y T h e N u m b e r s

TEN StudentsG r a d u a t e d

145

ScientificConferencePresentations

150+Outreach Events Web Users

37,000+

2011 – 2017

P r o j e c tP e r i o d

2015 College of AgTEAM Award

2015 USDA-NIFA Partnership AwardTrade &

Popular Press

150

Art ic les

Stakeholder Interactions for DST Development

• Surveys

• Focus groups

• Interviews

• User testing

• Hands-on training

Climate Needs Assessment Surveys

Data collect Feb-March 2012

n = 2,530n = 4,778

Questions:• Use of weather/climate information• Risk management strategies • Timing of on-farm decisions• Climate change concerns and beliefs• Influential information sources

Ag community is concerned about climate-related impacts

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80Producers Advisors

Perc

ent

Showing % concerned or very concerned

Farmers climate concerns vary across region: More frequent extreme rain events(percent concerned or very concerned)

Historical and future climate info is underutilized

Historic

al wea

ther tre

nds

Wea

ther da

ta for th

e past

12 m

onths

Current

weather c

onditio

ns

1-7 day

fore

casts

8-14 d

ay outl

ooks

Monthl

y or s

easona

l outl

ooks

Annual

or lo

nger te

rm ou

tlook

s 0

20

40

60

80

100

ProducersAdvisors

Perc

ent

Showing % who reported a “moderate” or “strong” influence on decisions/advice

Prokopy et al. 2013. “Agricultural Advisors: A Receptive Audience for Weather and Climate Information?” Weather, Climate, and Society, 5:162-167

Haigh et al. 2015. “Mapping the Decision Points and Climate Information use of Agricultural Producers across the U.S. Corn Belt.” Climate Risk Management

When can climate information influencea decision making process?

• Survey data revealed when different decisions made across the region.

• These can be “entry points” for climate information.

• Some decisions made in advance (e.g. seed purchase); some more tactical (e.g. cover crops)S

/O/N

J/J/

AM

/A/M

D/J

/F

Q: Please indicate how influential the following groups and individuals are when you make decisions about agricultural practices and strategies

Results from a 2012 survey of Midwestern corn producers conducted by Useful to Usable (U2U) and SustainableCorn.org

Family

Chemica

l dealer

Seed dealer

Consulta

nt

Landlord

Other farm

ersNRCS

Banker/l

awyer

FSA

Univ. Exte

nsion

Custom operator

Farm

organization

State

Ag Dept.

State

Climatologist

Non-farm

ing friend

Conservation staff

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Strong InfluenceModerate InfluenceSlight InfluenceNo InfluenceNo contact

Prokopy et al. 2014. “Adoption of Agricultural Conservation Practices: Insights from Research and Practice” Purdue Extension Publication FNR-488-W.

Who do non-Extension ag advisors trust for climate information?

Distrust Trust

Prokopy, L.S., et al.. 2015. “Extension's Role in Disseminating Information about Climate Change to Agricultural Stakeholders in the United States.” Climatic Change.

Climate change is occurring 66% 75%

Humans are at least partly responsible 41% 50%

Most farmers and advisors believe climate change is happening, but opinions differ on the role of human activity

Farmers AdvisorsClimate change beliefs significantly influence perceived climate risks, willingness to use climate info, risk management, adaptation/mitigation beliefs and trusted info sources.

Arbuckle et al. 2013. “Corn Belt Farmers and Climate Change: Beliefs, Perceived Risk, and Support for Action.” Climatic Change Letters,117(4): 943-950.

Prokopy et al. 2015. “Agricultural stakeholder views on climate change: Implications for conducting research and outreach.” BAMS 96(2): 181-190.

Percent Agree or Strongly Agree

Question: It is important for farmers to adapt to climate change to ensure the long-term success of U.S. agriculture

Survey Take Away Messages

• High concern for climate impacts, but climate information is underutilized in ag– Think critically about where climate information could be

beneficial in decision making• Reconsider the messenger…

– Farmers are greatly influenced by advisors, and advisors trust scientists and Extension for climate info. Leverage this trust!

• …And the message!– Need to recognize and respond to differences in climate change

beliefs in our tools, training, and communication

This tool provides easy-to-use historical climate and crop yield data for the Corn Belt

AgClimate ViewDST

Track real-time accumulations and learn about climate risks for corn development.

Corn GDDDST

Connect global climate conditions to local climate impacts.

Climate Patterns ViewerDST

Determine the feasibility and profitability of using post-planting nitrogen application for corn production.

Corn Split NDST

Explore the profitability of investing in irrigation equipment within the Corn Belt.

Irrigation InvestmentDST

AgCl imate4u.org

Thank you!

Follow Us on Twitter!@AgClimate4U

Melissa WidhalmU2U Project Managermwidhalm@purdue.edu 765-494-8191