The North Central Climate Collaborative (NC3) is working to increase the flow and usability of climate information for Extension, farmers, natural resource managers, and communities. As a part of this work, the team hosts bimonthly webinars for water and climate professionals on a range of climate, water, and agricultural topics.
Early Research and Extension on Agrivoltaics in the North Central Region
Monday, August 25th @ 1pm – Register Here
One of the most common concerns raised about large-scale solar power generation is that these projects are usually sited on prime farmland. This has sparked exploration of the feasibility and profitability of multi-use land management strategies. Agrivoltaics (the dual use of land for solar energy production and agriculture) offers one strategy to address the concern, but it is a new practice with many unknowns.
Extension and researchers in Wisconsin interviewed farmers, landowners, and other stakeholders about their views on and questions about agrivoltaics. Most interviewees were cautiously supportive of the practice, but all identified challenges and questions that need to be addressed. In this panel, Wisconsin Extension representatives Will Fulwider and Diane Mayerfeld will summarize what they learned from these interviews and briefly describe their experience to date with a small research project to assess forage growth and quality under different solar array configurations.
Extension and researchers in Ohio investigated the impact of site construction on productivity. The Ohio State University Extension agents Eric Romich and Braden Campbell will discuss their work testing three types of forage and cover crop trials on a 180 Megawatt capacity solar farm. In this panel, they will share preliminary results like ground cover, yield, and quality among the forage crop treatments to assess establishment success and develop management recommendations, as well as results on their six cover crop trials to determine their effectiveness for site remediation.
Most Recent Webinars:
Indigenous Perspectives on Environmental Health
Monday, June 23rd – View the Recording
Nebraska Indian Community College (NICC) is excited to launch a new degree program in fall 2025 – Indigenous Environmental Health. The program is rooted in Native value systems and provides space for learners to explore environmental issues with a blend of Indigenous and Western sciences. As importantly, the college also empowers learners to develop and implement community-based solutions. With a focus on food, water, and energy, and curriculum spanning the micro to macro scales, NICC works to improve the health and well-being of our common home. This conversation will provide an opportunity to learn about our TCU and our approach to caring for our environment.
The Economics of Climate Change for Agriculture
Monday, April 28th at 1:00 pm CT – Download the slides from our webinar archive
Climate change has the potential to impact crop yields and agricultural practices, thereby affecting the farmers and rural communities where they live. In this webinar, Dr. Sarah Sellars will discuss the potential yield effects of climate change and how this could impact Midwestern farmers economically. She will also consider the costs of adopting climate-smart agricultural practices and how to help farmers overcome economic barriers to adoption.
Turning Weather-Related Challenges into Agronomic Management Opportunities
Monday, February 24th – View the Recording
Recent growing seasons have presented both weather-related challenges and opportunities for field crop growers in Michigan and across the north-central region. Early-season drought, late-season rains, large rainfall events, and warmer winters are some of the challenges growers have dealt with. This webinar featured Maninder Singh, Associate Professor of Cropping Systems Agronomy, who highlighted management strategies in response to weather incidences that can lead to increased yield and reduced input costs while also minimizing production risks, ultimately resulting in consistent and improved farm profitability.
Integrating Climate into Extension Programming
Monday, December 16th – View the Recording
Illinois Extension has developed a short online course for all interested Extension educators and specialists who wish to incorporate climate change into their existing programming. The course started in early 2024 and has gone through two cohorts. Tune into this webinar where Climate Specialist Duane Friend will provide an update on the course, how it is being received, and talk about its use in other states.