Leaving many Americans to dig out from under the snow - including farmers as well - and more is on the way, with polar air expected to persist in some areas until at least Friday.
He also serves as the Vice President of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation's Board of Directors.
Farmers understand that the timing and volume of wintertime rain have a direct influence on farming conditions throughout the rest of the year. This is also a period for forward planning, a task which is becoming steadily more complicated due to the impacts of climate change, which are leading to an increased unpredictability in snowfall, rainfall, and other weather conditions that make a product's success or failure.
They're having to make those difficult decisions about which crops to grow this year, and how to manage their farms efficiently," Olson said. "It's a very stressful time for the agricultural industry at the moment.
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Severe winds and heavy snowdrifts equivalent to an entire year's worth of average snowfall in one go are impacting farmers in certain regions of Kansas, according to Chip Redmond, a meteorologist at Kansas State University and developer of an animal comfort tool. This tool incorporates an index of heat and cold to enable farmers to monitor, in conjunction with their knowledge of their animals' age, coat condition, and general health, situations where they might need to move animals from hazardous areas.
The danger is genuine: Calves, particularly, face the risk of death when temperatures drop below freezing. And excessive snowfall in rural areas can bar farmers from getting to their herds with food and water, added Redmond.
Preparing by relocating animals and having a protocols in place to care for them beforehand is crucial - a challenge made harder due to the uncertainty of climate change. And not being equipped with the necessary expertise or facilities to make preparations is "really, really stressful on farming teams", Redmond stated.
Reprieve for areas that usually experience snow.
The areas in states such as Minnesota that are accustomed to snow can benefit from it. Stu Swanson, president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, noted that it makes tasks like moving grain and working with livestock easier.
He noted that without snow cover, the ground is more likely to experience freezing and thawing in a way that could be beneficial for the soil. Two years of prolonged dry spells followed by heavy rainfall last spring led to the formation of tyre tracks and soil compaction in certain areas, he pointed out. He hopes that with less snow, the freeze-thaw cycle will alleviate the soil's compaction and farming may benefit from the added advantage of some pests being eradicated before spring.
"Not having any crops growing at present, temperature isn't really a factor, we're actually looking forward to a good frost," said Swanson.
‘Feast or starvation’: Severe fluctuations and unpredictability concern some farmers
A lack of snow is a greater cause for concern further north in certain regions of Minnesota, where there are farmers growing winter crops such as alfalfa or winter wheat.
Reliable snow cover is essential in those regions because it provides insulation to the soil from the cold. Several inches of snow on top of a field can help winter wheat's crown - which is still underground at this time of year - to withstand the winter at a temperature of 28 degrees Fahrenheit (-2 degrees Celsius), even if the air temperature drops as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 degrees Celsius), according to Jochum Wiersma, a professor of extension at the University of Minnesota.
“When it comes to ice damage to plant crowns, there's not a lot you can do, unfortunately,” observed Martin Larsen, who cultivates alfalfa alongside other crops such as corn in south-eastern Minnesota. He is evidently fretful about long-term trends too; he noted the likely record high temperatures seen last year, and he also drew attention to the fact that the region experienced minimal snow cover during that period as well.
"We were extremely dry going into last spring and we were in the field very nearly a month before we normally do. I would say that we are still concerned this year as well," Larsen said.
Gary Prescher, who has been running a small grain farm in south-central Minnesota for around 50 years, noticed that the last six to 10 years have seen much greater fluctuations than previously experienced. This has prompted him to reassess his long-term approach to farming. He mentioned that he wants to ensure his operation can cope with even more extreme weather events and that temperature extremes, drought, excess rain and strong winds have "forced some changes on me and my neighbours".
“Looking at averages can be very misleading, it's either all or nothing's the case.”
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