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What's New WhatsNew
  • Revamped newsletter to bring you the latest information about U2U tools and resources
  • Check out the newest tool on our U2U Decision Dashboard: Climate Patterns ViewerDST
  • New features have been added to Corn GDDDST and AgClimate ViewDST products
  • Detailed U2UDST User Guides are now available
  • Start following us on Twitter today!
Coming soon: U2UDST video tutorials, Corn Split N Tool
Featured DSTFeaturedDST
Climate Patterns ViewerDST Now Available 

 

The U2U team recently launched a new product that shows how the El Niņo Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Arctic Oscillation (AO) have historically affected climate conditions and crop yields across the U.S. Corn Belt.

 

Features

  • Customized maps to show when, where, and by how much ENSO/AO phases tend to influence monthly temperatures and precipitation
  • Compare monthly climate values for the entire year in simple, location-specific charts
  • Use the maps and charts to see how ENSO/AO years tend to increase or decrease yields in your area

Would you like to test drive new product features or new tools before they're available to the public? Sign up to become a tool tester.


Tool Tips and UpdatesToolTips

Corn GDDDST

You shared feedback and we listened! Many exciting

new features have been added to our popular
Corn Growing Degree DayDST:
  • Estimate dates for corn growth stages
  • Customize silking and black layer requirements
  • View daily GDD accumulations and growth stage data for the entire growing season

Interested in learning more? Download the  

Corn GDD User Guide today.

    


Did you know . . .  

The blue question mark icon in our tools will give you a quick and painless guided  tour of key functions on each page. Give it a test drive and you'll see this is no ordinary help button. These tutorials provide step-by-step instructions right on the page so you can easily view product features in action.    

 

 

 

Upcoming EventsUpcomingEvents
Social Science Applications in Water Resource Management

Aug 20, 2014, 2-3 PM (CDT) | Webinar

 

As part of the North Central Region Water Network speed-networking webinar series (The Current), U2U Project Director Linda Prokopy will give a brief rundown of farmers' and advisors' perspectives on climate change and water. More information and registration details.

 

2014 Extension Energy and Environment Summit

Sept 23-26, 2014 | Ames, IA


Chad Hart and Linda Prokopy from the U2U team will be sharing their perspectives on lessons learned from U2U Extension programming and what we know about farmers attitudes toward climate change at the 2014 Extension Energy and Environment Summit. Registration is limited. Visit www.2014e3.org for more details.

 


AgriClimate Connection BlogBlog

 

AgriClimate Connection is an interactive blog where farmers and scientists across the Corn Belt can learn about and discuss cutting-edge farm management strategies, weather and climate conditions and much more. It is jointly-managed by SustainableCorn.org and U2U. 

 

Recent Posts: 

 

Cool Temperatures and Corn Yield 

Posted on 7/25/2014 by Dennis Todey

The most recent Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin on Wednesday 23 July included the following image on corn conditions across the Corn Belt.  Note that since 1995 only one other year has . . . Read more

 

NOAA Seasonal Outlooks - A Cool Finish To The Corn Crop? 

Posted on 7/21/2014 by Jim Angel

Currently, we have significant heat through the High Plains and the Midwest. But it will be short-lived. The NWS forecast shows cooler conditions returning soon . . . Read more 

 

Trying for a More Resilient Farming 

Posted on 7/9/2014 by Chad Ingels

Dick Sloan provided a glimpse into his evolution as a conservationist farmer along with an update on his no-till and cover crop farming practices at a June 19 Lime Creek field day . . . Read more 

 

Be sure to subscribe to our blog for the latest updates.  


Reaching OutReachingOut

Summary of U2U Social Science Research   

A  summary some key findings from the U2U Social Science Working Group is now available. This document includes results from two large-scale surveys of Corn Belt farmers and advisors to inform the development and dissemination of climate-based decision support tools.

 

Past Events

Several U2U team members attended the 21st Conference on Applied Climatology, June 8-13, 2014. Their presentations on U2U research and decision support tools are now available:

 

U2U Decision Support Tool for Corn Growing Degree Days (Jim Angel)  

Impact of ENSO/AO on Climate and Yields across the Corn Belt (Olivia Kellner)

Using Climate and Crop Models for Regional Agro-Climate Assessments (Xing Liu)


Researcher SpotlightResearcher

 

Dr. Chad Hart is an Associate Professor and Extension Economist at Iowa State University. He has worked for many years on issues related to agricultural marketing, agricultural policy and risk management.

 

As co-investigator on the U2U project, Chad is responsible for coordinating outreach and dissemination. He is heavily involved with promoting U2U decision support tools to agricultural advisors and farmers in the Corn Belt. Chad also plays a critical role in U2U tool development by ensuring our educational resources and products have real-world appeal.

 

In his spare time, Chad enjoys hanging out with his children (usually losing at video games to them), going to baseball games, and running for fun and (in his case) needed exercise. Working on U2U fills a niche in Chad's interest, as he has always been fascinated with the weather and he jokes that his "backup" career would have been to be a meteorologist.

 


Other NewsOtherNews

A new academic year is about to begin and with that comes changes for the U2U team. Several of our students have graduated over the last few months and many postdocs/staff have accepted new positions. We want to take a moment to recognize these important U2U team members who've contributed to this project's continued success.

 

We wish you the best in your new endeavors!

Students

  • Patrick Freeland (MS from Purdue University)
  • Xing Liu (MS from Purdue University, staying on for PhD)
  • Amber Mase (PhD from Purdue University)
  • Luke Policinski (BS from Purdue University)
  • Adam Wilke (MS from Iowa State University, staying on for PhD)

Postdocs/Staff

  • Stuart Carlton (Purdue University)
  • Paul Delamater (Michigan State University)
  • Brian Raub (Purdue University)
 
U2U Team

 

About Us: 

Useful to Usable (U2U) is a multi-institution research and extension project focused on improving the resilience and profitability of farms in the North Central U.S. amid a more variable and changing climate. Through the development and dissemination of decision support tools, resource materials and training, we strive to transform existing climate information into actionable knowledge for more effective decision making. 
LEARN MORE ABOUT U2U
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CONTACT US:   
Melissa Widhalm, Project Manager
Click here to join our mailing list.

USDA NIFA logo
This project is supported by Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant no. 2011-68002-30220 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.