Iowa State Study - Corn, Soy Farming Have Moved Rapidly Into Dakotas As 50-Yr Rainfall Avgs. Rise

[hatrack]

DES MOINES, Iowa — Warmer and wetter weather in large swaths of the country have helped farmers grow corn, soybeans and other crops in some regions that only a few decades ago were too dry or cold, experts who are studying the change said.

Bruce Babcock, an Iowa State University agriculture economist, said soybean production is expanding north and the cornbelt is expanding north and west because of earlier planting dates and later freezes in the fall. "The Dakotas are pretty big corn producers now and soybeans have dramatically increased in North and South Dakota," Babcock said.

The change is due in part to a 7 percent increase in average U.S. rainfall in the past 50 years, said Jay Lawrimore, chief of climatic analysis for the Asheville, N.C.-based National Climactic Data Center. "The storm tracks are moving northward as the climate warms," Lawrimore said.

The Earth's temperature has risen about 1.3 degrees since the late 1800s, according to data from the NCDC, with the warming greatest over North America, Europe and Asia. Seven of the eight warmest years on record have occurred since 2001, data from the center shows. Even areas that are wetter on average can have long dry spells, such as large areas of the eastern U.S. that have been abnormally dry this summer. Especially dry this year have been northern Louisiana, Arkansas and western Mississippi, Lawrimore said.

EDIT

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39569777/ns/us_news-environment/

[hobbit709]

1. I see a repeat of the Dust Bowl coming.

same conditions, same human reactions, and then the climate shifts again.

[Bitwit1234]

2. Well for example here in northern MN about 80-100 miles from

close to the Canadian border it is the 13 of October and today will be in the 60's for cast and Monday here in our city it got up to 89. So what does that tell you. Usually by the time of year we have out intermediate coats on and airing out all out winter stuff. Sometimes we even have a dusting of snow.