Universities get climate change grant

The federal government has awarded a $20 million grant to universities in Washington, Oregon and Idaho that is designed to ensure that wheat farming in the Pacific Northwest will survive climate change.

The five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will study the relationship between climate change and cereal crops, primarily winter wheat. Wheat is the No. 1 export through the Port of Portland, the largest wheat-export harbor in the United States.

Washington State University, the University of Idaho, Oregon State University and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service are also involved.

The study will focus on northeastern Oregon, southeastern Washington and Idaho’s panhandle. The area produces some of the nation’s highest yields of winter wheat, which is worth more than $1 billion per year. The vast majority is exported.

Researchers will use computer models to study how different farming techniques affect yields, water usage, nutrient levels, greenhouse gas emissions and the removal of carbon dioxide from the air.

Farming can contribute to greenhouse emissions in several ways. Tractors and combines emit carbon dioxide, as does the manufacture of nitrogen fertilizer and the tillage of soil, which helps decompose organic matter.

Scientists will also ask growers about their management strategies and costs, to help evaluate the likelihood of farmers adopting new techniques.

The average annual temperature in the Pacific Northwest increased 1.4 degrees during the 20th century, scientists said. It is expected to increase three to 10 degrees by 2100.