In this publication, information is presented on how to increase farm productivity while potentially reducing greenhouse gas* (GHG) contributions from agricultural production. Some of the practices may be familiar to many producers, such as building soil organic matter (SOM) or increasing nitrogen fertilization efficiency, but many producers may not know that these same productivity-boosting activities also help to reduce GHG emissions and their impact on climate change. While informative to the producer, this publication will also inform those with an interest in both agriculture and the environmental impact of GHG emissions on the atmosphere.

Climate change and climate variability pose a great risk to agricultural production and farm livelihoods, and producers will need to adapt to a changing climate that is expected to be significantly more variable in order to meet these challenges.

This fact sheet presents and explains some common concepts in hydrology and the hydrologic cycle. The science or study of hydrology focuses on the distribution, occurrence, circulation, and properties of water in the environment.

This publication presents and discusses concepts that are fundamental to understanding soil, water, and plant relationships and the soil water balance. Knowledge about soil water relationships can inform the decision-making process in agricultural operations or natural resource management, such as determining what crops to plant, when to plant them, and when various management practices should be scheduled. Understanding these concepts is useful for addressing both agronomic and policy issues related to agricultural water management.

The objectives of this publication are (1) to outline some climate-related challenges facing agriculture, (2) to address challenges in communicating climate change issues, and (3) to propose best practices when attempting to communicate climate change issues to agricultural stakeholders. Extension educators and agricultural service providers can use the information presented here to develop outreach and educational programs focused on the impacts of climate change, the effects of climate change on agricultural production, and the best ways to motivate behavior change.

This publication highlights recent advances in adapting denitrifying bioreactors developed in the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic region. Denitrifying bioreactors are edge-of-field management practices that harness the activity of soil bacteria to remove excess nitrogen from drainage waters. Agricultural drainage is a significant source of nutrients to the Chesapeake Bay and important to manage. Although challenges remain with respect to adapting designs to treat ditch drainage, denitrifying bioreactors hold promise to yield water quality improvements in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Denitrifying bioreactors (DNBRs) are an alternative best management practice (BMP) that can reduce the amount of nitrogen reaching surface waters. DNBRs function by supporting soil microorganisms that are capable of denitrification in a favorable environment.