This year’s record rainfall and devastating flooding are forcing tough decisions about the future of farming in in the face of climate change. Farmers who lost billions of dollars in grain, livestock and equipment must decide whether to continue to gamble on fertile bottomlands, as federal officials determine how many damaged levees can and should be rebuilt.

Chart shows the percent change for the annual average number of days with at least one inch of rainfall for 2009-2018 compared to the annual average from 1950 to 2018

Many farmers now believe heavier rains are the new normal _ even those skeptical that human activity is a factor. With the ground still soggy heading into winter, experts say the stage is set for more flooding next spring.