U.S. Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service, Lincoln, Nebraska
Date of this Version
2011
Citation
S.D. Attri et al. (eds.), Challenges and Opportunities in Agrometeorology, DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-19360-6_30,
Abstract
The United States has sustained over 90 weather-related disasters in the past 30 years in which overall damages exceeded $1 billion. The total normalized losses for the 90-plus events exceeded $700 billion. Droughts, floods, hurricanes, severe storms, heat waves, freezes, and wildfires pose serious challenges for farmers and the agribusiness community. Socio-economic costs of some of these natural disasters are far-reaching and long-lasting. The enduring changes in climate, water supply, and soil moisture necessitate mitigation measures and adaptation strategies to cope with these changes in order to develop effective long-term risk management plans. The preparedness strategies should include alternatives to current agricultural management schemes in certain regions.