Project Grant 20246702342772

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY PERFORMANCE OF THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IS FUNDAMENTALLY TIED TO ITS PHYSICAL LOCATION. HOWEVER, THE FOOTPRINT OF AGRICULTURE SHIFTS OVER TIME, ESPECIALLY GIVEN CHANGES IN CLIMATE, SOIL, BIOTIC THREATS, INPUT ACCESS AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURAL AND MARKET ATTRIBUTES. GIVEN THESE SPATIAL DIMENSIONS PLAY OUT OVER COMPARATIVELY LONG PERIODS OF TIME, THEY DEMAND COMMENSURATELY LONG AND CONSISTENTLY MEASURED INPUT, OUTPUT, AND PRODUCTIVITY INDICATORS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THESE COMPLEX PRODUCTION PROCESSES. THIS PROJECT BUILDS ON THE EXISTING INSTEPP PRODUCTIVITY ACCOUNTS, CURRENTLY COVERING THE PERIOD 1949-2012, WITH FOUR OVERARCHING OBJECTIVES:1. IMPROVE AND EXTEND (BACKWARD AND FORWARD IN TIME) SUB-NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL INPUT, OUTPUT AND PRODUCTIVITY METRICS TO CREATE DATA SERIES THAT SPAN UPWARDS OF A CENTURY;2.QUANTIFY AND INVESTIGATE THE PRODUCTIVITY IMPLICATIONS STEMMING FROM LONG-TERM SHIFTS IN THE FOOTPRINTS OF US AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION;3.UTILIZE THESE NEW MEASURES ALONGSIDE CLIMATE- AND PEST-RISK METRICS TO DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE HISTORIC AGRICULTURAL CLIMATE-PRODUCTIVITY NEXUS; AND4. DEVELOP AND DEPLOY NEW METHODS TO ENHANCE DATA ACCESSIBILITY AND SUSTAIN FUTURE UPDATES OF THE CORE PRODUCTIVITY SERIES.DECISIONS REGARDING CROP SELECTION, LOCATION, AND TIMING ARE PIVOTAL FOR CLIMATE ADAPTATION IN FARMING, AND ARE FURTHER INFLUENCED BY FACTORS SUCH AS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, POLICY, AND LOGISTICS. THE NEW DATA AND ASSOCIATED ANALYSES PROPOSED FOR THIS PROJECT WILL BETTER ELUCIDATE THESE CRITICAL CLIMATE-PRODUCTIVITY RELATIONSHIPS IN THE CONTEXT OF AGRICULTURAL MOVEMENT. THIS IN TURN HAS DIRECT IMPLICATIONS FOR A HOST OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE DECISIONS DESIGNED TO DEAL WITH CHANGING WEATHER AND CLIMATE REALITIES THAT LIE AT THE HEART OF PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE.