Climate Reckoning In The Heartland

A historic flood in March 2019 left much of America's heartland under water. Particularly hard-hit were Midwestern grain farmers, and climate experts say storms of increasing intensity could be the new normal. An industry already struggling to bounce back from the Chinese trade war must now grapple with the realities of climate change that threaten to change the future of farming forever. Now, some farmers are hoping they can be part of the the solution, by implementing practices that could potentially reverse the effects of climate change – and provide a bigger profit. In this CBS Reports, Adam Yamaguchi travels to Nebraska, where he meets two farmers on different paths, both determined to pass their legacies on to the next generation.

Cover Crops Prevented Erosion

Water and wind erode an average of almost five tons of topsoil per acre per year, and estimates show all the rain we've had in May likely contributed to more erosion than usual.

Burt County, Nebraska farmer Graham Christensen called it his "obligation" to work to stop unsustainable erosion of topsoil.

Christensen and his brother began implementing regenerative agriculture practices at the family farm about five years ago. The farm east of Oakland has been in the family since 1867.

Weather Ready Farms

In the 7th episode in the Weather Ready Farms series Graham Christensen, corn and soybean farmer from near Oakland, NE and owner of GC Resolve, joins to talk about his family's long history of farming in Burt County, his story of how his family started transitioning to regenerative agricultural practices, planting cover crops with drones, soil health benefit of keeping roots in the ground year round, using technology and ecosystems to enhance their operation, the challenges farmers face in transitioning to more regenerative practices, how university extension and educational curriculum could help shape an agricultural future that works with natural ecosystems to enhance productivity, and how they have remained profitable while shrinking the number of acres farmed.

A Long Term Approach

Combating the effects of climate change, from severe floods to drought, a Nebraska farmer is combining new regenerative practices with lessons from the past to become more sustainable.

As Graham Christensen and his brother harvest their fields in Oakland, there is already another crop waiting to take its place.

"See this? This would be rye grass. So it's just starting to peak up," Christensen said.

About a month ago, Christensen used drones to drop seed in his corn and bean fields.

"As soon as they come out and that sun hits the ground, more and more you see that cover crop flourish," Christensen said.

It's all part of regenerative farming practices, including not tilling fields after harvest and using cover crops.

"We've definitely noticed a minimization of moving soil rolling down the these steep hills in this area that we farm," Christensen said.

It helps during floods and drought. 

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