PORTLAND, OREGON — Over the past few years, officials say there has been a direct link between climate change and what Oregon harvests. Oregon’s crops are affected by weather events such as drought, wildfires, snowfall, and heat waves.
Jim Johnson of the Oregon Department of Agriculture described the biggest problem facing Oregon farmers right now: water scarcity. He said, “The impact of water storage and water availability for irrigation in certain areas of the state. People who did not have water were forced to change their crops, fallow, and have reduced yields.”
Farmers are seeing less water on their landscapes to support their crops. Officials say more irrigation is needed to keep crops and livestock alive.
According to Oregon State Climatologist Larry O’Neill, one thing is for sure: climate change is impacting the quality and quantity of what we produce.
O’Neill says crops planted early in the growing season have not fared well. Lower precipitation during the rainy season and summer temperatures evaporates more water from the soil and increases water loss from vegetation.
“For example, in Crook County and Jefferson County over the last few years. In Jefferson County, we grow a lot of carrots and wheat and things like that. We’ve seen the negative effects of lack of irrigation,” O’Neill said.
Both O’Neal and Johnson explained that while drought is the biggest impact on Oregon farms, there are other causes of agricultural problems.
Johnson said that while occasional heat waves or heat domes have had a very dramatic impact on certain products, they haven’t occurred to the extent that they would have the impact of a multi-year drought.
Wildfires are another related climate phenomenon. O’Neill explained that some grapes grow a little differently when exposed to smoke, and the taste can change as well. Berry crops may also be affected.
Changes in snow cover also have a big impact. 2015-2016 was a year with very little snowfall. These effects can limit the amount of irrigation water available.
“We’re increasingly seeing crops that used to grow well in our climate here that aren’t doing so well now. We’re now switching to crops that may have previously grown in warmer, drier places.” says O’Neill.
Johnson said these challenges are impacting yield, food quality and quantity. Ultimately, this impacts crop availability and cost. As for the future, Johnson explains that he wouldn’t be surprised to see a variety of crops grown in Oregon.