Maybe you notice springs have been wetter in your area lately. If you are considering upgrading your planter, you might be thinking about the next bigger size. Or, if you already have a 24-row planter, you may be considering a second planter. The goal is to get more acres of corn and soybeans planted in a timely fashion. When conditions are right, you want to plant as many acres as possible.

“That’s a year-to-year type of decision that you might make in response to how wet springs, like May 2024, impact your ability to get crops planted on time,” explains Trent Ford, Illinois state climatologist with the Illinois State Water Survey at the University of Illinois. “Lately, we’ve been hearing a lot about climate change and planning for changes in the future.

“When we think about adjusting due to climate change, we’re usually doing long-range planning, looking down the road five to 10 years, or maybe even 10 to 20 years. What will the climate be like where I farm then? What long-term changes should I be making in my operation based on how experts believe climate will change over time?”

Perhaps year-to-year tweaking and managing for the long term 20 years down the road sounds like a fine-line distinction. However, Ford believes it requires an important difference in mindset. To plan for climate change, take time out and look at big-picture shifts that experts believe will materialize over time.

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Long-term planning on farm

Try to imagine what types of changes could happen over time that might not appear next year but could be evident in 10 years or more, Ford explains. “Take weed control, for example,” he says. “What impact will a change in climate like earlier springs or hotter summers have on weed pressure? How could it affect which herbicides you use and how you apply them in the future? Will how you utilize and terminate cover crops need to shift over time?”

Circle back to how climate shifts could affect your approach to planting and spring fieldwork in the future. Perhaps now you are debating how big a planter you need to get the maximum number of acres in on time. As noted earlier, it’s a “next year” decision.

“Your goal in response to climate change over time might be figuring out how to be ready earlier each spring, period,” Ford says. “Maybe it involves other shifts over time, like with tillage or nutrient application, so that when the weather is right each spring, you are ready to plant and take advantage of available workdays.”

Continued changes in climate could impact disease and insect patterns, depending upon where you live. “Perhaps a decision you make after considering possible long-term shifts is that you will need to be ready to scout fields earlier in the future,” Ford says. Timing of when you look for specific insects and diseases may also shift.

“Contending with adjusting for climate change will be especially challenging for livestock producers,” he notes. “If you raise livestock, depending on the species, you may need to rethink what needs to be done to assure best performance at various times during the year.”