Forages and Pastures Symposium: forage systems adaptable to dry conditions.

The record drought of 2012 brought the issue of climatic vulnerability to the agricultural enterprise front and center. The swings in the temperature patterns associated with higher frost and freeze risks, as well as the midseason heat stress and heavy rain/severe weather risks have brought about potentially newer climatic regimens to light. Several associated shifts are apparent in regional growing season length, cropping patterns and irrigation demands. Nonclimatic forcings such as regional landuse/cover patterns due to urbanization and regional policies have also contributed to newer vulnerabilities to the agricultural enterprise. This presentation will review the various climatic / weather processes and trends that have been observed and are expected in the coming decades. The potential effects from the traditional sensitivity approaches will be discussed, followed by a bottom-up vulnerability approach for understanding the climatic (and non-climatic) stresses on production systems. Efforts underway to link the different indices for identifying triggers and regimen shifts, societal issues, and decision making process with several data intensive /computational efforts will also be presented. The largest vulnerability appears to be in the availability of water resources within the regional setup. A clear need for adapting a newer mode of operation leaving the traditional “business as usual” view is starting to emerge.