(Radio Iowa) – State climatologist Justin Glisan says August 2020 was the driest in Iowa in 148 years. In a question-and-answer session with the Iowa Farmers Union, Glisan said other increasing extremes, such as cold spells and heavy rain events, are also affecting farmers and he advises them to adapt. “They see these impacts. And we’re trying to build a toolbox of tools that they can use to lock-in that soil in runoff events,” says.

Glisan says higher humidity has brought up the average overnight low temperature, which could begin to favor other crops such as hemp. “We are seeing an expanding growing window, expanding conditions that can allow us to diversify the types of crops we grow across the state,” he says. The same trends are also leading to a northward shift overall for the corn belt.

(By Amy Mayer, Iowa Public Radio)