Longer Growing Seasons Aren't an Unmixed Blessing for Georgia Farmers

Climate Talk: Why a Longer Frost-Free Period Isn't Purely Positive

Pam Knox, director of the Weather Network at the University of Georgia, explains how a warming climate is altering Georgia's agriculture. In conversation with climate reporter Erica Van Buren, Knox outlines evidence that rising temperatures are already changing the length of the growing season — and that the benefits come with significant trade-offs.

Warmer winters lengthen the growing season. Temperatures in Georgia are rising over time, with winters warming more quickly than summers. That shift delays the last spring frost and pushes back the first fall frost, effectively extending the frost-free period and giving growers a longer window for planting and harvesting.

"A longer growing season can allow growers to try double cropping — planting an early corn crop to reach markets by July 4, then planting cotton or peanuts afterward," Knox says.

But more heat increases water demand. Warmer conditions raise crop water needs. Although annual precipitation in Georgia has increased slightly on average, the pattern is changing: rainfall is arriving in heavier, more concentrated bursts (events of roughly 2 inches in a day are more common), separated by longer dry spells. Those swings make irrigation more necessary and stress water supplies.

Heavier extremes strain forecasts and infrastructure. More frequent extreme weather — intense rain, severe droughts or rapid transitions between the two — complicates short-term forecasting because many forecast models rely on historical patterns. Infrastructure such as culverts and drainage systems, designed for past rainfall patterns, may be overwhelmed by heavier downpours.

Change is coming faster than natural variability. Knox notes that the current rate of warming is unusually rapid compared with both instrumental records and longer-term proxy records (like tree rings and ice cores). Rapid change reduces the time available for farmers, communities and ecosystems to adapt.

Local impacts extend beyond crops. Higher temperatures can harm livestock (for example, heat stress in cattle) and increase the risk of heat-related illness among outdoor workers. Combined with the shifting water cycle, these effects create a more challenging environment for agriculture and rural infrastructure.

This reporting is part of the "Climate Talk" series and was originally published in the Augusta Chronicle. For more information, contact Erica Van Buren at EVanBuren@gannett.com or on X: @EricaVanBuren32.