The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the grants Thursday. One grant focuses on ways to lessen the harmful effects of heat on corn, while the other funds the development of extension programs to help farmers cope with climate change.
The latter project was awarded a two-year, $1.9 million grant and is eligible for three years of additional funding. The project's aim is to use seasonal variations in the climate as a starting point in a discussion with farmers about climate change, said principal investigator Clyde Fraisse, an assistant professor in agricultural and biological engineering at UF.
The goal is moving the discussion beyond the politically charged elements of whether farmers believe that man is causing climate change. A focus on past observations of climate variations, such as droughts, provides a way to talk with farmers about future projections and adapting to possible changes, Fraisse said.
"Then I'm pretty convinced we can start discussing the long-term trends in a very objective way," he said. Read the full report here.
Source: by Nathan Crabbe, Staff Writer, The Gainesville Sun.
