Climate Change Could Affect Food Production in Northeast United States

Climate change can affect weather patterns, different ecosystems, mental health, and various other factors. Scientific researchers have urged that if the climate keeps changing, we are going to need to stay on top of important matters.

Researchers at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University specifically focused on farmland use and food production in the event that the climate begins to change more drastically. Their paper was published in the journal Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems.

They note that food production is concentrated in certain areas throughout the U.S. and that we must explore the possibility of producing food in as many regions as possible, especially since some areas experience harsher winters, longer droughts, and/or extreme weather conditions. The research, led by Tim Griffin, PhD, and Director of the Agriculture, Food and Environment Program at the Friedman School, analyzed agricultural land used between 2001 and 2010.

The northeastern region of the United States provides a lot of the food for the entire country, which Griffin believes could pose a serious issue if climate change persists. But he also notes that there are other areas throughout the U.S. that specialize in the production of various essential and demanded foods, and the situation needs to be analyzed at a nationwide standpoint.

"For example, most of the country's pork products come from Iowa and North Carolina, and most of the lettuce is grown in California's Salinas Valley. Looking ahead, there is the potential for climate change to disrupt food production in those key areas," Griffin said, in a news release.

Through the team's analysis of the agricultural land, they determined that the Northeast can successfully execute regional self-reliance and easily provide various foods to the residents of the twelve states. However, this is dependent on the population growth and dietary choices of the people in the coming years.

With climate change at the forefront of the Obama Administration's political agenda, Dr. Griffin and his researchers hope to conduct more studies on the issue and focus more on soil suitability, land use, and infrastructure, while documenting policy barriers to agricultural expansion in order to solidify their stance on regional self-reliance.