Specialty Farmers Adapt to Extreme Heat, Protect Crops

Paul Rasch, who operates fruit orchards in Iowa, has his crew harvesting raspberries as early as 6 a.m. to avoid the peak heat. He is also investing in air conditioning for buildings, adding outdoor shade, and testing high tunnels to create more consistent growing conditions. Both farmers note that these extreme weather events, including heat waves, floods, droughts, and frosts, are becoming more common and intense, making typical years rare.

These smaller farms often rely on crop diversity as a business strategy to mitigate losses, as some crops may thrive while others struggle. However, specialty crop farmers face significant hurdles in accessing federal crop insurance, which is primarily designed for single commodity crops like corn and soybeans. Duncan Orlander, a policy specialist, explains that the paperwork for insuring a wide variety of crops on small acreage can be burdensome, and coverage for certain specialty crops may not be available. Insurers are also less incentivized to offer policies for smaller operations with potentially lower premiums and payouts. Orlander adds that current programs are insufficient to address the scale of losses from extreme weather, necessitating new approaches to risk mitigation.