Climate, Weather, Data: Protecting Our Crops and Landscapes will be held August 15, 2016 at the Albany County Cornell Cooperative Extension Office, 24 Martin Rd., Voorheesville, NY 12186. Because space is limited, pre-register on the Registration page. Pre-registration closes on August 10. The Climate, Weather, Data portal has maps, an agenda and registration details. If you have questions, call Amanda Grace at arw245@cornell.edu or 315-787-2208. The program will run from 9:00-4:15 and costs $45 – which includes lunch, breaks and materials. Yes, get NYS DEC credits, too!
With all the talk about climate change you might be wondering how it will affect food production, pests, and even landscapes—and what you can do about it. This is definitely a year when weather changes have affected our crops in the Northeast – from the Valentine’s Day massacre winter freeze to plant life gasping for water. Come and learn how gathering information on weather and climate can help growers, gardeners and landscapers plan for changes. Find details on The Climate and Weather Conference webpage.
We are honored that Richard Ball, the Commissioner of the New York State (NYS) Department of Agriculture and Markets, will kick off the conference with opening remarks. A wide variety of speakers from NYS and the Northeast will provide background information on the current state of knowledge on climate change and changes in our weather patterns, and how collecting climate and weather data can help us predict and manage pests. Open discussion sessions are included so you can ask your own questions. Join us to learn and discuss!
Agenda -- access it on the Climate and Weather Conference webpage!
The morning session features information on Collecting weather data and predicting pests culminating with a discussion session with the speakers. The afternoon session covers Climate change and its impact on pests, also punctuated with an open floor when you can discuss your questions with the afternoon's speakers.
Changing climates will affect our farms, from the crops we grow and the yields we can expect to the pests, weeds, plant and human pathogens, and other biological stressors we face. Nor are our landscapes, forests and wildlife, our homes and gardens, or our cities and roads exempt. What we can do about it? We have choices. Speakers from New York and across the Northeast offer their expertise. You’ll learn
- how “mesonets,” “Ag-Radar”, and “NEWA” help predict pest or disease outbreaks — in turn preventing infestations while reducing or eliminating sprays, whether on the farm or in our communities
- how growers in environmentally sensitive areas use data to their advantage
- how growers can lessen greenhouse gas emissions while improving their resiliency to drought or storms — and their productivity too
- what changing climate patterns could mean for where crop pests will show up next and what new tools can address the needs
- farmer-friendly tools that help people make climate-savvy decisions
- diseases and us: how changing climates could change where we find vectors — the critters new and old that carry diseases to our communities
- how a real-world simulation of crop growth in 2050 teaches us about which crops are at risk and which others might fill that niche
And especially — what you can do.
Experts from New York and the Northeast include: Richard Ball, commissioner of NYS Ag and Markets; Jerry Brotzge: NYS Mesonet; Becky Wiseman and Laurie McBride: Suffolk County Extension; Julie Carroll, NEWA and NYSIPM; Katie Campbell-Nelson, UMass Extension; Glen Koehler, UMaine Extension; Mike Hoffman and Allison Chatrchyan, Cornell Institute for Climate Change and Agriculture; Steve Young, NE IPM Center; David Hollinger, USDA NE Regional Climate Hub; Bryon Backenson, NY Bureau of Communicable Disease Control; Elizabeth Lamb, NYSIPM.
Portions of this post contributed by Mary Woodsen, Science Writer, NYS IPM Program