Wisconsin’s climate is changing in ways that are no longer subtle or theoretical—they are measurable, visible on the landscape, and increasingly disruptive for agriculture.
This article explores how warmer, wetter conditions, punctuated by weather extremes, are reshaping farming in the state.
It also looks at how producers are responding with climate‑smart soil and water practices that build resilience for the long term.
Wisconsin’s Climate Is Getting Warmer and Wetter
At the Wisconsin Water and Soil Health Conference in Wisconsin Dells, scientists and farmers came together around a clear message: Wisconsin’s climate is no longer the climate of our parents’ generation.
The last two decades have been the warmest on record for the state, and the pace of change is accelerating.
State Climatologist Steve Vavrus presented a long-term climate record dating back to 1895, showing a persistent trend toward higher temperatures and increased precipitation.
The year 2024 now stands as the warmest year on record in Wisconsin, and the winter of 2023–24 was the warmest winter ever recorded.
Warming Nights and “Precipitation Ping-Pong”
Daytime summer temperatures have not increased dramatically.
Instead, the strongest warming signal is in nighttime temperatures, which are becoming warmer and more humid.
This shift affects plant physiology, pest pressure, and livestock stress in ways that farmers must now factor into management decisions.
Farmers are also facing what many at the conference called “precipitation ping-pong”—a pattern characterized by intense rain events followed by extended dry spells.
Even though the 2010s were the wettest decade on record, that water does not arrive evenly.
Heavy downpours cause runoff, erosion, and nutrient loss, while the intervening dry periods can stress crops and reduce yields.
Climate projections suggest that future summers may actually be drier overall, even as extreme rainfall events become more frequent.
This combination magnifies the need for soils that can both absorb heavy rains quickly and store water for later use.
Soil Health as Climate Resilience Infrastructure
The conference focused on how conservation and climate‑smart practices can help farmers manage variability and protect both productivity and water quality.
The core message was that healthy soil is the foundation of climate resilience.
Several strategies consistently emerged as high-impact tools:
How Cover Crops Help Manage Extremes
Research results and on-farm experience presented at the conference showed that cover crops are not just a conservation add-on—they are a practical risk-management strategy in a changing climate.
Well-managed cover cropping can:
Farmers also emphasized a key economic benefit: many cover crop species can serve as valuable forage for livestock.
This dual role—soil builder and feed source—can offset establishment costs and improve whole-farm resilience.
No-Till and Cover Crops: A Powerful Combination
When cover crops are paired with no-till practices, the benefits to soil and water are amplified.
Reducing soil disturbance helps preserve soil structure, increase soil organic carbon, and enhance the activity of beneficial soil organisms.
Among the combined benefits discussed were:
Farmer Leadership and Real-World Examples
While the science provides essential guidance, it is farmer leadership that ultimately drives practice change on the land.
One such leader highlighted at the conference was Roger Bindl of RB Farms, honored with the 2025 Conservation Farm Family of the Year Award.
Bindl shared how years of commitment to no-till and diverse cover crops have made his operation more resilient to both deluges and dry stretches.
His experience mirrors research findings: as soil structure and organic matter build over time, fields become more forgiving, yields more consistent, and nutrient losses lower.
Protecting Water Quality and Food Systems
Beyond individual farms, the conference underscored that soil health is directly tied to water quality and the security of our food systems.
Healthy, well-structured soils filter and store water.
They reduce sediment and nutrient runoff into streams and lakes.
Healthy soils also support more reliable crop production under stress.
As Wisconsin continues to navigate warmer winters, more humid nights, and increasingly erratic precipitation, investments in soil health—through cover crops, no-till, and smart nutrient management—are emerging as some of the most effective tools to safeguard both agricultural livelihoods and environmental quality.
Here is the source article for this story: Are increasingly erratic weather patterns affecting water quality and soil health?