USDA Climate Hubs FY18 Priorities and Projects

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Climate Hubs Program

FY18 Priorities and Projects

Building Resilience After Disaster

Conclusion

https://www.climatehubs.oce.usda.gov/

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USDA Climate Hubs3

The Climate Hubs were established in 2014 to develop and

deliver science-based, region-specific information and

technology to enable climate-informed decisions.

FY18 Priorities and Projects

Build Resilience: The Hubs are considering mechanisms to learn lessons from recent climate and weather related disasters.

Improve Tools: The Hubs should consider expanding on tools and resources that enable farmers, ranchers, forest land managers, and rural residents to prepare for climate anomalies and extremes. Examples of such tools include: frost- and freeze-warnings, heat warnings, chilling hour calculators, crop disease/pest warnings, drought indices, etc.

Improving assessment of climate related risks and vulnerabilities to the delivery of USDA programs and initiatives at the regional level.

Collaborate on Drought Initiatives to develop and deliver on key actions.

https://www.climatehubs.oce.usda.gov/

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FY18 Priorities and Projects The Caribbean Hub is actively working to connect land managers

to USDA resources, understand the extent of the damage to working lands after Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and helping to identify lessons learned to build resilience after disaster.

The Southern Plains Hub is hosting a training tomorrow on the U.S. Drought Monitor to help USDA staff understand how it is produced and what the drought in their region means for land management. They are also working to identify lessons learned and build resilience after hurricane Harvey.

The Northern Plains is working on a rangeland forage forecasting tool “GrassCast” to help with cattle stocking rates and grassland management.

The Northwest is leading a Tribal Working Group and has put together a compiled list of resources for tribes who need support in a changing climate.

The Southwest is working on a drought indicators project to expand the CoCoRaHs network, build drought resilience, and develop wind erosion resources.

The Hubs overall are working to expand the Adaptation Workbookto include additional regions, expand tools such as Agroclimateand AgBiz Logic to make them more widely usable.

https://www.climatehubs.oce.usda.gov/

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Building Resilience After Disaster

Agriculture, forests, and rural communities are

affected by climate extremes & changes.

Droughts & Wildfires

Hurricanes & floods

Pests, diseases, and invasive species

USDA Role

Listen to farmers, ranchers, forest land managers

and rural communities

Learn from their experiences with extreme events

Provide practical and locally-informed

recommendations and solutions

https://www.climatehubs.oce.usda.gov/

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Climate Hub Approach Conduct Post-Disaster Resilience Assessments

Identify factors that…

Contributed to vulnerability

Built resilience

Inter-disciplinary and Multi-faceted

Involve multiple disciplines and programs

Get perspectives from: farmers/ranchers, conservation community, technology specialists, industry, states, policy, etc.

Cast the net wide and pull in expertise from USDA agencies: RMA, RD, FS, NRCS, FSA

Develop practical recommendations

Identify & raise awareness of programs, initiatives, technologies, and trends that enhance resilience

Highlight opportunities to improve program performance

Translate USDA research & policy into user-friendly formats

https://www.climatehubs.oce.usda.gov/

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Billion Dollar Disasters

As one example of the impacts of a changing climate, we can focus on the increase in extreme events that are occurring in the United States.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration produces a tally of climate and weather-related disasters that result in more than $1 billion in damages.

Most disasters have some impacts of agriculture; some are almost exclusively agricultural.

In 2017 there were 16 weather and climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion. The cumulative cost exceeds $300 billion, a new U.S. annual record.

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Wildfire Extent and Severity

https://www.climatehubs.oce.usda.gov/

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USDA Climate Hubs: Post-Disaster Resilience

AssessmentsNorth Dakota, South Dakota,

& Montana Drought & Wildfires

Spring-Fall 2017

California Wildfires

2017

Central Plains Wildfires

Spring 2017

Hurricane Harvey

August 25-31 Hurricane Irma

September 6-12

Hurricane Maria

September 19-21

https://www.climatehubs.oce.usda.gov/

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Next Steps

&

Opportunities for Input

Engage stakeholders and USDA program managers.

Continue to compile information, and direct land managers to USDA programs and resources.

Assess the impact of disaster on the Hub region’s working lands.

Identify best practices and opportunities to streamline the USDA response by bringing together a variety of stakeholders and experts.

Develop information to help land managers build resilience to climate risks as they rebuild.

Report back on key lessons learned to USDA research and program agencies on options to support resilient investments and to improve responses when disasters occur.

https://www.climatehubs.oce.usda.gov/

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Website: https://www.climatehubs.oce.usda.gov/

Fact sheet with POCS:

https://www.climatehubs.oce.usda.gov

/sites/default/files/USDA%20Regional%2

0Climate%20Hubs%20Factsheet%202016

.pdf

Newsletters: https://www.climatehubs.oce.usda.gov/newsletter-signup

Follow us on Twitter @USDAClimateHubs

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