Transcript:

As the climate warms, farmers in the Midwest are struggling with more extreme weather – from floods to droughts, heat waves, and wildfires.

Hoidal: “It kind of feels like every year is a new unexpected challenge.”

And Natalie Hoidal, an extension educator at the University of Minnesota, says small vegetable farms – like those that sell produce at farmers markets – are among the most vulnerable.

These businesses operate on narrow profit margins. Many farmers work second jobs to afford health insurance and make ends meet. And they have less access to crop insurance and other supports than many big industrial farms.

Hoidal: “They don’t have these safety nets that a lot of other farmers do.”

So even in good times, it’s a hard business. And a bad year can be devastating.

She says farmers are trying to adapt – for example, by relying more on crops that grow in the spring or fall, when warming can be an advantage.

But she says they need support, too.

Hoidal: “Having better crop insurance options, having funding to implement resilience measures … even like bigger societal changes like affordable health care … that would really influence the viability of a lot of farms.”

So they can keep growing food for their communities, even as the climate warms.

Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media / Thanks to the Midwest Climate Resilience Conference for logistical support.