By DOUG GRAVES Ohio Correspondent LONDON, Ohio — Ohio State University extension climate specialist Aaron Wilson will share insights into local climate trends at the upcoming 56th annual Farm Science Review (FSR) at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London on Sept. 18-20, giving farmers a look back at climate conditions as well as a forecast of things to come. “Climate change triggers images of polar bears falling off melting slabs of Arctic ice or the sudden rise in coastal waters, but the changes are relevant for Ohio farmers, too,” he said. “Winters in Ohio and adjacent states are warming quicker than summers are, while summer nighttime lows are increasing faster than daytime highs. “With changing climate, farmers should prepare.” Visitors to the FSR, a premier outdoor agricultural education and industry trade show, will walk away with advice they can use to improve their farm operation, large or small. There will be 700 exhibitors and attendance is expected to reach 130,000. Field demonstrations are a big part of this three-day show, as are the interesting educational talks. Wilson will address climate change, something that still puzzles growers. “I speak with a lot of farmers and soil and water experts, and I tell them as climate changes, it impacts what’s been grown – and we’re starting to take notice of all this,” he explained. “The important thing to realize is that climate change means different things to different regions around the world, and will be different during different eras. “Although it is warmer now on average, daytime highs in the summer are not as extreme as they were in the 1930s and 1950s when Ohio experienced prolonged droughts. The amount of rainfall in Ohio, for example, has increased, and extreme rain events are far more common.” Wilson, a senior research associate with OSU’s Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, has studied the past 120 years of weather patterns in Ohio and worldwide. He says temperatures have increased by roughly 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit across the globe this past century. “With more water in the atmosphere and rising temperatures, weather prediction models anticipate Ohio’s climate by the end of the century to be 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit warmer year-round, with more humidity and less snowfall,” he said. “Our winters could very well be like those in coastal Virginia, except we won‘t have the ocean breezes.” Wilson said folks in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky yearning for milder winters may not mind the prediction of warmer winters to come, but any shift in climate patterns has implications for what farmers can plant and sustain. “A warmer winter means that some insects or diseases that used to be killed off by frigid temperatures can survive winter, and their populations increase,” he pointed out. “Also, warmer summer nights can affect the growth of corn, which temporarily shuts down growth at 86 degrees. With warmer nights, daytime temperatures can climb to 86 degrees earlier in the day, potentially leaving more hours when corn has temporarily stopped growing.” This year farmers in Ohio and Indiana witnessed an unusually warm February, a colder March and an unusually wet late April into early May. Early June was hot and dry, leaving some corn impacted by dry, crusted soils. “It’s been a very challenging spring planting season,” Wilson said. “If farmers are prepared to adapt to climate changes, they can become more resilient, able to prosper despite the challenges.” This is Wilson’s fourth year at the FSR. He enjoys studying issues related to climate change and sharing information with the public. He will appear in the Small Farms section at this year’s show. “The more that climate scientists can work with farmers, the more we can make connections so that farmers can make informed decisions about the future,” he said. “One of my goals is not to alienate people; it’s to help highlight the science of climate change and get rid of the political baggage that comes along with it.” For more information about the show and an agenda or presentations, visit https://fsr.osu.edu
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