Climate Fact: Cool Crops
About 17 percent of America’s total land area is devoted to agriculture and agricultural activities. Half of America’s domestically consumed produce is grown in California, where fruits and nuts are economically important crops. Fruits and nuts require periods each year of cold temperatures (below 45 degrees Fahrenheit) in order to properly develop. Since the 1950′s, the number of cool days has been declining in many parts of California. This decline leads to low yields and a decrease in the quality of these crops. Although the decline in cool days adversely affects fruit and nut crops, in some parts of the State it has aided crops such as oranges and wine grapes.
(Sources: US National Assessment of the Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change Sector: Agriculture. US Global Change Research Program. Web. 30 Sept. 2009
