If you keep up with the weather news, you know by now that the folks with the meteorological crystal ball have been saying since mid-summer that we were in for a La Nina pattern this winter. This typically leads to higher-than-normal temperatures and lower-than-normal rates of precipitation on the Southern Plains of the U.S.

Fires can happen almost any time on the Southern Plains. Dry conditions and high winds always help spur the risk of out-of-control blazes, but from November to March when plants are largely dormant, we face especially high wildfire danger.

This week, I'm focusing on another area of USDA activity — rural development. I recently came across an interesting article that discussed the concept of “managed retreat” from climate change and what it could mean for rural communities throughout the country.

The USDA is seeking input from farmers about its new Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry Initiative, a plan that will allocate $3 billion to support drought resilience and response, animal disease prevention, market disruption relief and purchase of food for school nutrition programs. The deadline to submit comments is Nov. 1, 2021. 

A map created in 2020 by ProPublica offers some food for thought, as it shows projected yield changes in the U.S. for the years 2040-2060 due to increased heat and drought. Spoiler Alert: The southern states, including large parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and even Missouri, could be facing massive yield drops.