Climate-Smart Agriculture

Climate Smart Agriculture at Colorado State University

The Climate Smart Agriculture initiative is a collaboration through the CSU Office of Engagement to provide research-based information for agricultural producers. The goal is to improve the resiliency of farms and ranches, and the overall food system, in a changing climate. Climate Smart tackles three main objectives: sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and incomes; adapting and building resilience to climate change; and reducing and/or removing greenhouse gas emissions.

The recent Colorado Climate Report focuses on seven main sectors including water, public health, energy, transportation, agriculture, tourism and recreation, and ecosystems.

Climate Smart Agriculture Partners at CSU

The Office of Engagement includes the Colorado Water Center, Colorado State Extension, Colorado State University Online, the Office of Community and Economic Development and the Northeast Regional Engagement Center. These units offer a diverse opportunity for reaching across the state to deliver information on climate and other issues.

The Colorado Water Center (CWC) is a key contributor to climate smart agriculture. CWI, an affiliate of Colorado State University, exists for the express purpose of focusing the water expertise of higher education on the evolving water concerns and problems being faced by Colorado citizens in the 21st century.

CSU Extension is a local community connection for university research, information, education, expertise and youth programs. Extension delivers research and local education designed to assist and inform Coloradans living in both urban and rural communities.

Climate Smart Initiatives & Stories

http://source.colostate.edu/climate-smart-ag-efforts-gain-momentum/

http://source.colostate.edu/ag-secretary-vilsack-supports-initiative-on-climate-smart-agriculture/

http://source.colostate.edu/colorado-river-flows-will-keep-shrinking-climate-warms/

Plus, full report on Colorado River study - http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2016WR019638/pdf

Tom and Christie Vilsack join CSU to head up water, climate smart ag, and education efforts

Colorado State University Professor of Atmospheric Science Scott Denning and Denver7 Chief Meteorologist Mike Nelson discuss climate change and global warming, from how long we have been talking about global warming to what could be done to stop it.

Key CSU Climate Smart Contacts

Scott Denning, College of Engineering
scott.denning@colostate.edu
(970) 491-8359
http://www.atmos.colostate.edu/faculty/denning.php

Rajiv Khosla, College of Agriculture
raj.khosla@colostate.edu
(970) 491-1920
http://www.precisionag.colostate.edu/index.html

Dennis Ojima, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory
dennis.ojima@colostate.edu
(970) 491-1976
http://www.nrel.colostate.edu/ojima-lab/

Keith Paustian,  Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory
keith.paustain@colostate.edu
(970) 491-1547

Brad Udall, Colorado Water Center
brad.udall@colostate.edu
(720) 984-2723
http://www.cwi.colostate.edu/

Reagan Waskom, Colorado Water Center
reagan.waskom@colostate.edu
(970) 491-6308
http://www.cwi.colostate.edu/

More Climate Smart Agriculture Links and Resources

Climate Change and Agricultural Extension (University of Iowa Extension, 2016)

“Understanding and Assessing Climate Change: Implications for Nebraska” (University of Nebraska, 2014)’

North American Climate Smart Agriculture

Global Climate Smart Agriculture

USDA Climate Hub

USDA Results: How Food and Forestry Are Adapting to a Changing Climate

Resources from the American Meteorological Society

AMS Statements

AMS Climate Change statement

AMS' Policy Program

AMS Summer Policy Colloquium