El Nina, El Nino, Global Warming or natural cyclical weather patterns--each has its own environmental and political argument for the Earth's warming temperatures. Whichever side of the field you're on, so to speak, the truth remains that the mercury is rising and affecting everything from the weather to crop production--at least for now. 

How high the temperature is projected to climb this year and how long it my stick around no one seems to agree on. Yet, for Alabama farmers, the warmer weather has been great for crop production. Charles Burmester, Tennessee Valley Cooperative Extension System agronomist, agreed that while the above normal temperature has helped, temperature patterns are not always consistent from day to day or year to year. "It's just hard to predict these things," he said. "We had some of the coldest temperatures on record last year, though this year is turning out to be some of the warmest." Burmester is hopeful that with the warming trend, last year's successful growing conditions will be repeated again this year. He may be in luck. According to a recently released report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), January through April of 2012 temperatures are the warmest on record dating back to 1895. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimated that temperatures have warmed over the past century and projected a further increase in global temperatures to rise 2 to 4 degrees Celsius over the 21st century.

How does this change in climate affect agriculture? Just ask some of the many farmers who have taken advantage of the earlier seasons to get a jump-start on planting and harvesting. Alabama peach and strawberry farmers were able to get their crop to market two to three weeks earlier than normal this year because of the mild winter. In parts of the Midwest, wheat crops are sprouting weeks ahead of season. Reports indicate that getting the crops to market earlier, due to a warmer spring and fall, will increase profits by allowing farmers the opportunity to get in two crops on the same acreage.

The slightly warmer climate, combined with an increase in atmospheric CO2, helps to boost the growth of certain crops, plants and forests. As temperatures warm up earlier and get colder later, crop growing seasons are extended, which mean much higher yields. The drawback to this ideal situation would be if temperatures rose drastically and predicted drought conditions worsened.

Rising sea levels, due to melting polar regions, is also expected to intensify the Earth's water cycle resulting in an increase in evaporation from oceans and other bodies of water and, consequently, an increase in precipitation. However, not everyone agrees the rain increase will affect or even benefit everyone. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency indicates that while the increase in evaporation will make more moisture available for storms in some areas, it will also contribute to excess drying over other land areas. The result could mean an increase risk of flooding for storm-affected areas and an increase risk of drought for others. In a forecast issued this month by the National Weather Center Climate Prediction Center, the U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook for the Southeast (including Alabama) from June 7 through August 31, 2012, is low to moderate.

The change in climate patterns has both benefits and drawbacks. While the warmer climate and increased levels of CO2, coupled with a low to moderate drought risk, may be good for the agriculture industry, those in livestock, on the other hand, may experience a decrease in productivity. It all depends on which theory you follow and the fact that when it comes to the weather, the only thing you can predict is that it is unpredictable.