Impact of weather changes on crop decisions in the US and Canada
PUBLISHED 16 JUNE 2022
In recent years, extreme weather events have become a growing topic in agricultural communities across North America.
To further understand the implications of these changes, Kynetec surveyed our online farmer panel, consisting of American and Canadian farmers, and focused on how weather changes have affected their row crop planting decisions. Almost 1000 farmers participated.
Results
Out of the responding farmers, nearly 70% highlighted that weather conditions had been less favorable for the preparation and sowing of row crops compared to the previous year; a clear disruption to traditional planting routines.
Significant crop planting adjustments
24% of farmers reported having changed their row crop planting decisions due to the recent impact of weather. A detailed look at the changes revealed that 13% of farmers adjusted their crop mix, while 5% modified their seed traits or brands, and 6% made changes to both aspects. This implies that many farmers are seeking innovative ways to adapt to the shifting climatic conditions.
On comparing the responses from both countries, it was found that Canadian farmers were slightly more inclined to change their row crop planting decisions due to the weather, with 30% reporting such changes, as opposed to 22% of US farmers.
