Farmers markets adjust as climate change extends growing season
Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirms 84% of United States cities now experience at least an additional week of warmer-than-normal spring days than they did in the 1970s. That’s good news for some warm weather crops, not so great for cool weather crops and areas dependent on snow-fed water. It also significantly impacts what kinds of produce farmers markets provide and when.
Across the globe, climate change is affecting water levels, insect populations and migration patterns, as well as growing conditions. Researchers with the International Food Policy Research Institute project suitable croplands for corn, potatoes, rice and wheat will shift radically within the next 25 years; in some cases, farmers will be forced to plant new crops. Closer to home, the effects are being felt in grocery stores and farmers markets. As seasons shift, farmers bring different foods to market, while grocers use industrial methods to extend seasonality.
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