{"id":4841,"date":"2013-10-03T12:09:39","date_gmt":"2013-10-03T19:09:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/plantingseedsblog.cdfa.ca.gov\/wordpress\/?p=4841"},"modified":"2013-10-03T12:09:39","modified_gmt":"2013-10-03T19:09:39","slug":"news-release-climate-change-coalition-for-specialty-crops-releases-final-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/plantingseedsblog.cdfa.ca.gov\/wordpress\/index.php\/2013\/10\/03\/news-release-climate-change-coalition-for-specialty-crops-releases-final-report\/","title":{"rendered":"News Release – Climate Change Coalition for Specialty Crops releases final report"},"content":{"rendered":"

http:\/\/www.cdfa.ca.gov\/egov\/Press_Releases\/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=13-032<\/a><\/p>\n

As part of the ongoing effort to ensure that California is prepared for the impacts of climate change, the Climate Change Consortium for Specialty Crops has produced a report,\u00a0Climate Change Consortium for Specialty Crops\u00a0–\u00a0Impacts and Strategies for Resilience<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/i>which\u00a0<\/i>identifies recommendations to address the challenges posed by climate change to producers of specialty crops.\u00a0 As a member of the Governor\u2019s Climate Action Team, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) convened the Consortium to prepare the report. Climate change is expected to have significant and widespread impacts on California\u2019s economy and environment.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis is essential work as we prepare for a future that will require significantly greater food production while using fewer natural resources,\u201d said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. \u201cI commend the Consortium for its efforts to clearly identify the challenges we\u2019ll face and strategies to address them.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Consortium,\u00a0a diverse group of individuals involved in California specialty crop agriculture, addressed climate change impacts in the areas of temperature, water resources, pests, and pollination, with the understanding that growers will face changes in environmental averages, trends, variability, and extremes.\u00a0 Impacts to agriculture from changes in weather will be felt differently in different parts of California. Rainfall, humidity, and wind are some other common weather variables.<\/p>\n

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There was a general consensus within the Consortium that growers are already managing their lands in consideration of dynamic environmental variables. However, for specialty crop agriculture in California to adapt and be prepared for the effects of climate change, growers will require technological innovation,\u00a0 scientific answers to fundamental climate change impact questions, investment in planning and preparedness, and agricultural support services.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAlthough California specialty crop growers are exceptionally innovative, there are valuable lessons to learn by looking at climate patterns over time,\u201d said Jocelyn Gretz, a Consortium member and director of environmental sciences and resources at Rio Farms in King City. \u201cThis document provides growers, policy makers and researchers with a summary of already-observed climate impacts on agriculture and an outline of potential solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n

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California\u00a0is the nation\u2019s largest specialty crop producer.\u00a0Funding for the\u00a0report\u00a0was provided by the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which is funded by the USDA and administered by CDFA. Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops including floriculture.\u00a0 California is the United States\u2019 sole producer of several crops such as Clingstone peaches, olives, pistachios, walnuts, almonds and artichokes. The state\u2019s unique environmental zones and Mediterranean climate allow for a diversity of crops to be produced throughout the year for local, national, and global distribution.<\/p>\n

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This report and the efforts of the Climate Change Consortium are an extension of\u00a0Ag Vision<\/i><\/span><\/a>,<\/i>\u00a0a blueprint for sustainability developed by the California State Board of Food and Agriculture in 2010. One of Ag Vision\u2019s key strategies is to assure agricultural adaptation to climate change.\u00a0 The Climate Change Consortium report is also part of a broader body of research about the impacts of climate change in California and how the state can prepare for them. Other recent reports include:<\/p>\n

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