CLIMATE CHANGE: THE NEW NORMAL Whether this past year's chaotic weather events were isolated or a sign of what's to come, growers must be willing and able to adapt

摘要

BRING up topics like global warming and climate change, and more than likely you are going to raise a few eyebrows. There seems to be endless debate over whether or not global warming is real and a legitimate concern, and if it is, whether it's man-made or natural and if humans have any control over preventing it. However, if you cast aside this discussion and step into the reality of an apple orchard in Michigan or a vineyard in California, you're going to find some real and valid concerns. In 2012,the effects of an early heat wave followed by multiple spring freeze events in the Northeast brought devastation to many tree fruit farms, both in the crop and in the bank accounts of farm owners who were left without much of a product to sell. While 2013 is shaping up to be more of a "normal" year — if that word even applies anymore — the data presented by weather experts at grower meetings this past year indicates an overall trend of earlier bloom dates. The major question is, what does this mean for you, and is there anything you can do to counteract the effects of this trend?