Adaptation to climate change: changes in farmland use and stocking rate in the U.S.
Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change
By: Jianhong E. Mu, Bruce A. McCarl, and Anne M. Wein
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Abstract
This paper examines possible adaptations to climate change in terms of pasture and crop land use and stocking rate in the United States (U.S.). Using Agricultural Census and climate data in a statistical model, we find that as temperature and precipitation increases agricultural commodity producers respond by reducing crop land and increasing pasture land. In addition, cattle stocking rate decreases as the summer Temperature-humidity Index (THI) increases and summer precipitation decreases. Using the statistical model with climate data from four General Circulation Models (GCMs), we project that land use shifts from cropping to grazing and the stocking rate declines, and these adaptations are more pronounced in the central and the southeast regions of the U.S. Controlling for other farm production variables, crop land decreases by 6 % and pasture land increases by 33 % from the baseline. Correspondingly, the associated economic impact due to adaptation is around -14 and 29 million dollars to crop producers and pasture producers by the end of this century, respectively. The national and regional results have implications for farm programs and subsidy policies.
Suggested Citation
Mu, J.E., McCarl, B.A., Wein, A., 2013, Adaptation to climate change: changes in farmland use and stocking rate in the U.S.: Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, v. 18, no. 6, p. 713-730, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-012-9384-4.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Adaptation to climate change: changes in farmland use and stocking rate in the U.S. |
| Series title | Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11027-012-9384-4 |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Publication Date | May 24, 2012 |
| Year Published | 2013 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Contributing office(s) | Western Geographic Science Center |
| Description | 18 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change |
| First page | 713 |
| Last page | 730 |
| Country | United States |