A FARM-LEVEL ANALYSIS OF ECONOMIC AND AGRONOMIC IMPACTS OF GRADUAL CLIMATE WARMING

The potential economic and agronomic impacts of gradual climate warmin g are examined at the farm level. Three models of the relevant climati c, agronomic, and economic processes are developed and linked to addre ss climate change impacts and agricultural adaptability. Several clima te warming scenarios are analyzed, which vary in severity. The results indicate that grain farmers in southern Minnesota can effectively ada pt to a gradually changing climate (wanner and either wetter or drier) by adopting later maturing cultivars, changing crop mix, and altering the timing of field operations to take advantage of a longer growing season resulting from climate warming.