Some areas could benefit from warmer temperatures.Ottawa—Crop insurance programs may not be able to support farmers through the changing weather patterns climate change will bring and the agrifood sector needs to consider how to adapt to rising temperatures and disrupted rainfall patterns, says a report from Natural Resources Canada.Canada in a Changing Climate includes lengthy chapters on what each province faces and its section on Ontario agriculture says crop insurance may not be sustainable. It doesn't offer suggestions for changes to the program.Instead, it said the sector needs to focus on infrastructure, labour, supportive water management and land use policies to cope with climate change.“Longer growing seasons and warmer average temperatures will benefit the agriculture sector in some parts of Ontario. Warmer average temperatures and longer growing seasons present opportunities for agriculture in Ontario, including the expansion of production in some regions and increased potential for specialty crops.“These benefits could be offset, and potentially overwhelmed, by negative impacts associated with extreme precipitation and increased drought, resulting in increases in soil erosion, moisture stress, crop damage and livestock fatalities.” As well, the hotter weather combined with uncertain rainfall levels will increase risks from pests and diseases that threaten farms, food processing and distribution.“Disruptions in supply chains caused by extreme weather events will cascade through the broader supply chain, often impacting vulnerable populations with pre-existing food security and access challenges,” the report said.Agrifood is inextricably linked to other economic sectors and is co-dependent on infrastructure components, such as electricity, transportation and telecommunications, which also face threats from climate change. Agrifood is a major employer in the province, which is Canada's top agrifood exporting province.The vulnerability of agricultural systems to climate change depends largely on the crops being grown. “Farmers frequently implement adaptive measures and seek new technologies in order to better manage on-site weather and climate risks.“These measures often involve the use of crop-specific, commodity-specific and region-specific responses and tools to improve the productivity of farming operations, including cultivar selection, adjusting the timing of cropping operations, fertilizer and pesticide application, crop rotation, tillage practices, tile drainage and irrigation optimization,” the report said.“Continued warming and increases in accumulated crop heat units will support new crop establishment and/or range expansion into other parts of the province, including in more northerly regions where water availability and soil conditions are suitable.”In the Great Clay Belt region, where just over 18 per cent of the 1.8 million hectares of prime agricultural land is currently used in agricultural production, growing season length is projected to increase from 160 days in the 2020s to over 180 days in the 2050s, the report said. However, such benefits of climate change may be offset, or potentially overwhelmed, by extreme weather events.The rapid rate of climate change, particularly changes in extreme temperature and precipitation events, may challenge adaptation efforts, the report said.A wide range of climatic and non-climatic factors influences crop growth and yield. While key factors, including geographic location, soil type, weather patterns and extreme events, are outside the control of producers, responses such as the choice of cultivars, tillage, irrigation and fertilization practices and timing of major operations provide opportunities to improve yield in any given year.