Resiliency to Extreme Weather/Climate Variability in Nebraska

Rick Koelsch, UNL Extension, June 18, 2014

UNL Extension has recently invited 27 faculty and staff to be a part of an initiative targeting Resiliency to Extreme Weather/Climate Variability in Nebraska. Based upon the increasing role that weather events and climate variability is having on our Extension program efforts, UNL Extension’s leadership team saw a need for a faculty team to provide long-term guidance for educational efforts around climate and weather issues.  

We have all observed the excellent short term responses from faculty to events such as the drought in 2012 and the damaging weather events this spring.  It is our desire to have an Extension team that will guide continuously our engagement with weather and climate issues. With the IANR commissioned white paper on Climate Variability impact on Agriculture and Natural Resources soon to be released and opportunity to partner with newly established USDA ARS Climate Hub for the high plains, Extension needs a more sustained engagement with climate/weather issues and a team to guide that engagement. 

Below you will find a brief summary of a possible direction for this initiative.  Also you will find a listing of faculty initially invited to participate.  Several factors were used to identify these individuals including 1) expertise; 2) history of engagement in weather and climate issues; 3) connections to key action teams and administrative units; and 4) representation of both our campus and field faculty.    We hope that all action teams will discuss the relevancy of this issue to their areas of interest.  If an action team would like to include representatives on the this team, please feel free to nominate those individuals.  We anticipate that the faculty engaged in this team will evolve with time.

Extension Initiative:

Resiliency to Extreme Weather / Climate Variability in Nebraska

Outcome: Nebraskans will access research based information in decisions that improve the resiliency of agricultural businesses and communities affected by extreme weather events and increasing climate variability. Extension resources will be targeted to helping key audiences understanding available opportunities to improve resiliency.

Potential Roles:  An Extension work group for Resiliency for Extreme Weather/Climate Variability in Nebraska will be assembled to guide Extension investments and educational program planning as well as pursue funding opportunities. This work group may:

• Review IANR’s Climate Variability White Paper (led by Don Wilhite and released in September) and determine implications for future Extension investments and programming.
• Explore interactions with USDA ARS Climate Hub for High Plains in implementation of their educational mission.
• Draw upon the resources and experience of the U2U Regional NIFA CAP grant to explore application of those resources in Nebraska.
• Serve as a standing committee to guide Extension’s response to drought, flood, and other extreme events.

Faculty and Staff initially receiving an invitation:

Weather/climate -  Tapan Pathak, SNR Extension Educator; Tonya Bernadt, National Drought Mitigation Center; Martha Shulski, High Plains Regional Climate Center; Francisco Munoz-Arriola, Biological Systems Engineering
Risk management tools for crops, range and pasture - Monte VanDeVeer, Southeast Nebraska Extension Educator; Kate Brooks, Agricultural Economics; Jessica Johnson, Panhandle Extension Educator; Jay Parsons, Agricultural Economics
Grazing systems management –  Jerry Volesky, West Central R&E Center; Rick Rasby, Animal Science; Aaron Berger, Panhandle Extension Educator
Feedlot Systems – Matt Luebbe, Panhandle R&E Center; Rick Stowell, Biological Systems Engineering
Irrigation water management – Chuck Burr, West Central Extension Educator; Tim Shaver, West Central R&E Center ; Troy Ingram, Central Nebraska Extension Educator; Bill Kranz, Northeast R&E Center
Cropping Systems – Jeff Bradshaw, Panhandle R&E Center; Tyler Williams, West Central Nebraska Extension Educator; Tamra Ziems-Jackson, Plant Pathology; Roger Elmore, Agronomy
Urban Environments – Zac Reicher, Agronomy; Kelly Feehan,  Northeast Extension Educator; John Fech, Southeast Extension Educator
Rural community and individual water supplies – Sharon Skipton, Southeast
Forestry – Scott Josiah, Nebraska Forest Service (or his recommended NFS representative)
Media  - Lisa Jasa, Educational Media 

National Water Quality Program RFA

Rick Koelsch, UNL Extension, May 15, 2014 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has released a request for proposals for the National Water Quality Program (NIWQP). The goal of NIWQP is to contribute to the improvement of the quality of surface water and groundwater resources through research, education, and extension activities. The 2014 RFA targets two types of projects. Farm, Landscape, and Watershed scale projects Projects that develop the science behind the most appropriate drought triggers and provide an understanding of the connection between trigger levels and drought management responses or decisions.  Projects that provide estimates of the economic value of water across different uses.  Economic valuation depends not only on quantity but other competing demands such as quality, location, reliability of access, and time of availability.  Applicants should identify how values of water affect water use decision-making and what are the implications for water availability from those decisions.  Projects should focus on biophysical, social, economic, and behavioral practices needed to improve both the adoption and maintenance of practices intended to improve water availability for agriculture. Total project budgets  may not exceed $660,000 for up to three year and total available funding is $3,250,000. Synthesis Project   Applications are being solicited for a project that will synthesize the scientific understanding and accomplishments made through NIFA’s portfolio of funded water projects over the last one and a half decades. The proposal should propose possible strategies moving forward for a program that is effective in solving water issues, including identification of key priority water topics for NIFA. Total project budgets  must not exceed $750,000 for up to three year and total available funding is $750,000. Additional Facts: Solicitation Date (Opening) May 2, 2014 Due Date (Closing) July 3, 2014 Estimated Total Program Funding $4,000,000.00 Percent of Applications Funded Last Fiscal Year 20% Cost Sharing Requirements If commodity-specific benefits, dollar-for-dollar match required. See RFA for details. For More Information Contact James P Dobrowolski

Additional Information can be found at: Request for Application (RFA) NIWQP Frequently Ask Questions (FAQ s

Extension Drought Response Plans - Winter 2012-13

Rick Koelsch

In late September, 30 faculty gathered to develop an educational plan for drought issues during this coming winter. Five work groups formed around Beef Systems (led by Jerry Volesky), Crop Systems (co-led by Jenny Rees and Robert Klein), Home and Horticulture (led by John Fech), Farm Business Management (led by Allan Vyhnalek) and Water Use in Agriculture (led by Gary Zoubek). In addition, district drought teams formed to discuss and plan for those issues should be adapted regionally.

Other drought focused groups are also getting started. Wanda Koszewski is assembling ideas for addressing “Consumer Food Costs”. Amy Timmerman would like to gather a group to discuss “Youth Impacts from Drought” at Fall Conference. Thanks to all faculty who are pro-actively assisting clientele with drought issues.

No clientele group that Extension serves is unscathed by this summer's disaster. With that in mind, we must recognize that all Extension faculty and staff member needs to be a part of our UNL Extension’s Drought Response team. You may not have been a part of the planning team that met in September, but every faculty member's expertise and connections with clientele are needed. Below are a few ways in which you can make a contribution to Extension’s Drought Response. 

1. Review the work group's winter plans found on our Extension Action Team page (http://www.extension.unl.edu/web/Extension/progfocus ). Contact the work group leaders and offer to contribute some of your expertise and energy to their proposed plans.
2. Review and become familiar with the breadth of resources found on http://droughtresources.unl.edu/ . Which of these resources might be a topic for your next news column or radio broadcast?
3. Promote linking by a local business or media web sites to our Drought Resources web page.
4. Build drought into your winter educational programs plans.
5.  Help clientele connect to the expertise that can answer their specific questions. Chuck Burr and Jerry Volesky ran our drought booth at Husker Harvest Day. They used Skype to video-conference with other specialist and educators and allow clientele to have a face-to-face meeting with our Extension Experts.

Please add your own suggestions through the Comment box for this blog.

At Fall Conference, Extension will have a booth with a banner "Drought: Ask an Extension Expert". Stop by and pick up business cards advertising our Drought Resources web site or schedule the Banner for use this winter. We would welcome hearing about your drought program plans or needs for this coming winter.

UNL Extension’s Drought Response

Rick Koelsch

Administration is very appreciative of the excellent educational response our faculty and staff are contributing to the drought related issues. The survey results from 96 faculty and staff provided an excellent snapshot of those educational initiatives to date.

A one-page summary of those efforts has been developed for Senator Johann’s and Nelson’s visits to IANR this week. You may want to share this summary with key decision makers and stakeholders with whom you interact. See Extension Drought Response Summary at: http://go.unl.edu/c3u.