Midwest farmers are facing challenges growing an important crop, according to Yale Climate Connections. 

What's happening?

Garlic yields in Wisconsin are down dramatically, according to one farmer.

"What we've seen with excessive amounts of rain is we'll have more pests and disease in that crop, and in the last two years, I've only been able to make 400 pounds," said Josh Bryceson. Normally, he harvests 2,000 pounds each year. "It's very common to hear rain eroding ground to the point where it can't be planted anymore."

While wet weather has been a major problem for farmers fighting pests and fungal infections, droughts have been at least as damaging to crop yields worldwide. 

Why is garlic important?

The economic losses to farmers and the nutritional loss of falling agricultural yields are both big challenges, but they're not the only problems.  

Declining farm yields due to worsening weather patterns are a critical climate issue. Farmers across America are seeing important crops like apples, wheat, and corn fail at record rates. This contributes to rising prices at the grocery store and worsens food security, especially for low-income families. 

Atmospheric pollution is driving the wetter weather that's plaguing garlic crops. As pollution has trapped heat in the atmosphere, the severity of storms and flooding has increased. In addition to damaging farmland, these disasters also wreak havoc on housing, creating a spike in insurance rates. 

What's being done about garlic yields?

As director of grower support programs at local non-profit Good Acre, Bryceson had a wealth of advice for fellow farmers. For one, he suggested not relying too much on a single crop to avoid hardship should it fail. 

He promoted the use of cover crops between harvests to prevent soil erosion. Covered structures can also help to protect crops from harsh conditions. Other farmers have vouched for the benefits of no-till farming in an effort to support long-term soil health.

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