Climate Hubs Announced By Obama Administration to Help Farmers

Tom Vilsack

The Obama administration has announced the establishment of regional hubs focused on mitigating climate change.  The hubs are the first-ever regional centers that will focus solely on risk adaptation and climate change solutions at seven locations across the country.

Dubbed "climate hubs," the new centers will address issues like increasing risks of fires, invasive pests, devastating floods and crippling droughts. The centers will aim to translate science and research into usable information for farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to adjust their resource management.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack formally announced the new initiative during the daily White House press briefing. Vilsack mentioned his intention to first create the hubs last summer.

The seven designated locations for the hubs will service the surrounding region with climate change information and outreach.

The new climate hubs will be established in Iowa North Carolina, New Hampshire, Colorado, Oklahoma, Oregon New Mexico.

There will also be three sub-hubs in Michigan, Puerto Rico and California. (The Hill, 2/5/2014)