02/06/08 Global warming brings ag changes

University of Idaho extension agronomist Juliet Windes says there will be changes to Idaho agriculture in the next 20 to 25 years because of global warming. Windes says her conclusions are drawn on scientific knowledge but she realizes that many people chose to ignore that. WINDES "Ignore it all you want to but we still have to come up with a way to make our land produce more and more people want housing and with more farm land covered up. We're going to be producing more on less land with less water and more fights for that water. It just makes sense to address a sustainable future." Windes says humans and plants are adaptable, than can change but she says Idaho needs to have the capability to make those adaptations. WINDES "That means research dollars. That means plant breeding. That means focusing whatever energy resources that we can utilize that are sustainable, that are green." And water is a key element in Idaho's agricultural future and for its growing population with their green grass lawns and European type gardens. WINDES "We have no metering. We don't pay for our water on a per usage basis. In a desert it doesn't make any sense so I think we're going to have to address conservation issues across the board and its going to hit us hard." Learn more about Windes' work online at http://www.ag.uidaho.edu/scseidaho/. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott