Jeff Burbrink
Extension Educator

A common question I get when the temperatures dip below zero is “Will the extreme cold affect agriculture in any way?”  

Jeff Burbrink

Everyone’s first hope, it seems, is that insect numbers may be down as a result of some sub-zero temperatures.   As it turns out, insects are rugged little creatures. Insects that overwinter in our region often take shelter underground or inside plant materials that can moderate the extreme temperatures.  Others have adapted by laying eggs capable of surviving months of cold, wet, hot or dry conditions, only to hatch when conditions are favorable for survival.

Most plants we commonly use in agriculture have adapted well to our climate.  Annuals such as corn and soybeans produce their seeds before the winter temperatures set in.  Perennials such as alfalfa have been adapted to survive in our region.  In fact, some alfalfa varieties sold in southern portions of the US are perennials in Alabama, but annuals in the North.

Fruit trees, particularly peaches and cherries, are perhaps the most sensitive to the cold of any plants we raise in Michiana.  Yet, most of the crop loss we see in these fruits occurs in the spring when the buds or flowers are exposed to lower than typical seasonal temperatures.

Most animals on modern farms are raised in climate controlled or moderated environments, which relieves the animal of much of the risk of severe cold injury.  Perhaps the biggest risk to livestock in extreme weather is water, or lack thereof.  A lactating dairy cow needs 40 to 50 gallons of water a day to maintain production.  Imagine the concern a dairy farmer has when pipes freeze and the cows cannot get enough water.  It is no wonder that when new barns are built, there is great care to bury the water lines well below the frost line, which is 60 inches deep in our region.

When it comes down to it, plants and animals really do fairly well when our temperatures drop below zero.  However, the people who care for farm are often put under a great deal of stress: anything from burst water pipes, to frozen manure scrappers and dead batteries.  Winter weather may be one reason why only 2 percent of the population farms these days.