TOC Presents: Climate Change Update 2:00-3:15 P.M. Moderator: JESSICA SHADE

Transcription

1 TOC Presents: Climate Change Update 2:00-3:15 P.M. Moderator: JESSICA SHADE Director of Science Programs, The Organic Center JAKE SCHMITZ Ohio River Valley Regional Dairy Pool Manager, Organic Valley CROPP Cooperative MARK COACH SMALLWOOD Executive Director, Rodale Institute MARNI KARLIN Vice President & General Counsel, Organic Trade Association All Things Organic Conference presented by

2 Organic Valley and Climate Change Jake Schmitz

3 Some Simple Physics Matter cannot be created or destroyed. The Carbon Cycle. A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture. Environmental Lag Times.

4 The Weather is Weird 80% of Temperature Records being broken are attributed to Climate Change. By the 2040 s, it will be 11 out of every 12 Records broken will be attributed to Climate Change. Biological and Geological indicators demonstrate a warming planet. So do the weather stations.

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8 Higher Temperature and More Powerful Storms

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18 What is being done about it? Bill U. Miller in Horse Cave, KY took his fields from around 1% organic matter to 3-5% in 7 yrs. Mark Sheppard s Permaculture Designs. Climate Prediction Center maps and analysis. Organic Valley Feed Department. Northeast Procurement. International Relationships. Meetings like this one!

19 We ve Done This Before CFC s and the Ozone Layer. DDT and Large Birds.

20 Climate Change and Organic Dr. Jessica Shade Director of Science Programs The Organic Center center.org September 19, 2014

21 The Organic Center and the Organic Trade Association The Organic Center The Organic Trade Association

22 Climate Change Climate Change Carbon sequestration in soil Decreased energy use Less greenhouse gas release

23 Climate Change Carbon sequestration in soil We could remove 78 billion tons of carbon from the atmosphere We could off set 15% of the world s fossil fuel emissions Lal, R Soil Carbon Sequestration Impacts on Global Climate Change and Food Security. Science. 304 (5677):

24 Climate Change Carbon sequestration in soil Organic is the best method for sequestering carbon in the soil Gattinger, A., A. Muller, M. Haeni, C. Skinner, A. Fliessbach, N. Buchmann, P. Mäder, M. Stolze, P. Smith, N. E. Scialabba, and U. Niggli Enhanced top soil carbon stocks under organic farming. PNAS 109:

25 Climate Change Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emission Synthetic fertilizer manufacturing is energy intensive Haber-Bosch process Decreased NO2 emission Scialabba, N.E., M. Müller-Lindenlauf Organic agriculture and climate change. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems. 25(02):

26 Climate Change Resilience Organic management may allow plants to be more resilient to environmental stresses brought on by climate change. Letter, D.W., R. Seidel, W. Liebhardt The performance of organic and conventional cropping systems in an extreme climate year. American Journal of Alternative Agriculture. 18(3)

27 Thank you! Dr. Jessica Shade Director of Science Programs The Organic Center center.org September 19, 2014

28 Climate Change in Washington Lawmakers acknowledge that climate change is no longer a hypothetical concern. ORGANIC offers the best opportunity to ensure resilient American agriculture in the face of global climate change. Organic agriculture holds the potential to mitigate climate change. Federal policymakers should prioritize support for programs that enable farmers to adopt organic practices. This includes programs in the Farm Bill, as well as other pieces of legislation, and administrative agency actions.

29 Congress Response Farm Bill conservation programs and programs that incentivize transition to organic Senate Committee held a hearing on Farming, Fishing, Forestry, and Hunting in an Era of Changing Climate Many bills have been introduced including those that Require drought contingency plans to consider climate change Guarantee loans for small businesses that manufacture clean energy Encourage practices that mitigate climate change

30 USDA s Climate Change Initiative Regional Climate Hubs helping farmers develop adaptation strategies NRCS Soil Carbon Tools online platform for farmers to analyze their greenhouse gas footprints Cover Crops establishing science-based guidelines for cover crop management

31 President s Climate Action Plan Calls on agencies to identify and remove barriers to making climate-resilient investments identify and remove counterproductive policies that increase vulnerabilities support more resilient investments through grants and technical assistance Establish task force on climate preparedness.

32 TOC Presents: Climate Change Update 2:00-3:15 P.M. Questions? All Things Organic Conference presented by