Specialty crop growers adapt harvests, crop protection during extreme heat
Fruit and vegetable growers are adjusting harvest schedules, protecting workers and investing in heat-mitigation strategies as prolonged periods of extreme weather challenge specialty crop production.
Specialty crop growers across the U.S. are adjusting harvest schedules, protecting workers and investing in new production practices as prolonged periods of extreme heat become more common, according to an Associated Press report by Joshua A. Bickel.
The recent heat dome that affected much of the country created challenging conditions for fruit and vegetable producers, who often rely on hand labor and must harvest highly perishable crops during narrow windows of peak quality. Unlike many commodity crop operations, specialty crop farms frequently grow multiple crops and face different risk management challenges.
Kentucky vegetable grower Annie Woods shifted harvesting to the coolest parts of the morning and evening, increased worker hydration breaks and even erected portable tents in fields to provide shade during harvest. Woods also moved young fall crop seedlings into cooler environments and relied on greenhouse fans and frequent irrigation to help plants survive the heat.
In Iowa, fruit grower Paul Rasch reported the intense temperatures shortened the raspberry harvest window, prompting crews to begin picking as early as 6 a.m. to finish before midday heat. Rasch has also invested in air-conditioned buildings, additional shade structures for customers and high tunnels to better regulate growing conditions for some crops.
Beyond worker safety, prolonged heat combined with humidity can reduce crop quality while increasing pressure from insects and diseases. Growers interviewed by the AP said protecting sensitive crops and maintaining quality has become a growing challenge as extreme weather events become more frequent.
The report also highlights ongoing concerns about crop insurance. Experts told the AP that many federal crop insurance programs were designed for single-crop commodity farms, making coverage more difficult to access for diversified specialty crop operations with multiple crops grown on relatively small acreages. Some growers instead rely on crop diversity and community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs to help spread financial risk when weather affects individual crops.