Published at: 1/2024
Like other regions in the United States, agricultural and forestry productivity in Minnesota is vulnerable to weather and climate variability. In recent decades, changes in Minnesota’s climate, including temperature and precipitation variability, have emerged, with continued change expected in the future. Although some of these shifts may appear minor now, agriculture is already being impacted by observed climate changes. Importantly, the impacts of climate change on the agricultural and forestry sectors extend beyond physical impacts to farms and forestlands but also bring direct and indirect impacts to the overall cultural, social, and economic resilience of Minnesota’s communities. In 2018, agricultural exports were the state’s primary industry and Minnesota was the 4th largest agricultural exporting state in the country. Therefore, when considering impacts on the agricultural and forestry sectors in Minnesota, climate change-driven stressors and disruptions can emerge well outside the geography of the state.