Alabama farmers sounded the alarm after one of the wettest months of May on record left some crops rotting and others unplanted, Yellowhammer News reported. Experts warned that the disruptions were a sign of things to come as rising global temperatures alter weather patterns.
What's happening?
Record severe weather hit the state in May, causing widespread disruptions, including on farms, where farmers reported discarding gallons of rotting strawberries and delaying planting of fields full of tomatoes, per Yellowhammer.
"All kind of diseases comes from rain, and too much of it will just cause the plants to wilt and die and cause them to get bacterial and that kind of infection," Josh Sharp, a farmer from Priceville, told WHNT News 19.
Parts of Alabama received between 8 and 15 inches of precipitation in the month, and there were only three days when measurable rain was not reported, according to the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. In addition to rain, Alabama experienced tornadoes, hail, and extreme wind.
Many parts of the state received record rainfall for the month. Huntsville received 11.3 inches of rain, 6.5 inches more than in an average May (4.8 inches) and the most since at least 2000. In Tuscaloosa, over 14 inches of rain drenched residents compared to an average of 4.2 inches for the month, per the Alabama EMA.
"We had lots of rain in 1976, but this is the worst rain since then," said Wayne Gilliam, a longtime Alabama farmer, per CBS 42.
While it is not possible to tie any single weather event to human activity, researchers have established that heat-trapping pollution released by people has caused average global temperatures to increase.
These rising temperatures have resulted in unforeseen and unpredictable changes to climates around the world, with some areas becoming more dry and arid while others, like Alabama in May, get flooded.
Why is record-setting rainfall important?
The impact that May's rainfall had on farmers is just one example of how rising global temperatures will affect our food supply and local economies. With farmers discarding rotting crops while flooded fields sit unplanted, there will be less food to go around, resulting in price increases and, ultimately, food shortages.
"Climate change is likely to diminish continued progress on global food security through production disruptions that lead to local availability limitations and price increases, interrupted transportation conduits, and diminished food safety, among other causes," according to the Department of Agriculture.
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Not enough time ⏳ What's being done about record-setting rainfall?
Short of significantly reducing planet-warming pollution and avoiding the worst impacts of increasing global temperatures, the key to maintaining our food supply in the face of the changing environment will be to develop greater resiliency.
For example, the World Economic Forum advised that devising better water management systems can protect crops from floods while also conserving water during dry seasons and droughts. Establishing food storage systems that can withstand extreme weather events would similarly safeguard food supplies.
However, these changes won't come soon enough to help farmers in Alabama or the people who depend on their crops for food.
"We've got farmers posting some pictures of just whole fields under water," Rick Pate, the state Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, told CBS 42. "I think you're going to see smaller supplies at our farmers markets."
If you want to support farmers and help make your local food supply more resilient, there are several things you can do. First, by shopping at your local farmers market, you can help to make farming more financially sustainable for those who devote their lives to growing food. Second, by growing your own food at home, you can add to the food supply while saving money and helping the environment.
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