Research at dairy farms in Vermont shows how management practices can affect water quality, economics, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Agriculture is a common land use for the well-drained and productive soils of Vermont’s Winooski floodplain. Intense rain and flooding events are increasing throughout the Northeast as the climate changes. If not managed, this trend will worsen nutrient loss, runoff, and erosion from farm fields. More nutrient loss and erosion leads to poorer water quality within watersheds.

Climate change poses both risks and opportunities for Northeast growers.

A trend toward shorter, milder winters leads to longer growing seasons and potential for new crops and varieties for local markets. However, these seasonal shifts may also benefit many insect pests and be harmful for some pollinator species. Researchers from the University of New Hampshire (UNH) are looking at ways that growers might adapt to and take advantage of current and expected climate conditions. Check out the research taking place at this New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station farm.

The Northeastern Regional Association of State Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (NERA) represents and promotes the research efforts of regional Land-grant universities and organizations.

NERA and its component Land Grant Universities are key Northeast Climate Hub partners.  They significantly contribute to the Hub mission of aiding the region’s farmers and foresters to confidently make climate-informed decisions.

The “Select Precipitation Variable’ dropdown control allows you to plot three variables: An average of the cumulative precipitation for the 5 nearest Mesonet stations calculated for the current year (plotted in white) and for each of the past 10 years.

The USDA Forest Service has published a new report, Mid-Atlantic Forest Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment and Synthesis: A report from the Mid-Atlantic Climate Change Response Framework Project.

This report summarizes how climate change is already affecting the forests across the Mid-Atlantic region, including increasing damage from heavy precipitation events, extreme heat, and salt water intrusion.

What do Vermonters who make a living from the land think about agroforestry?