Joe Biden has released a new ad in Michigan that claims climate change is punishing farmers in the state. In reality, Michigan farmers are setting new records for crop production as the Earth modestly warms.
“I think it’s very important to adopt measures to mitigate climate change,” asserts a farmer and Biden supporter in the video.
“We’re having more challenges for tart cherries than ever before,” says the Biden supporter.
The facts tell a different story.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts record corn and soybean crops in Michigan this year. As reported by Michigan Farm News, “USDA forecasts record U.S., Michigan corn and soybean production.”
“Average corn yield is forecast at a record high 181.8 bushels per acre, up 14.4 bushels from last year. NASS forecasts record-high yields in Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, and Wisconsin.”
Corn is Michigan’s most important crop, bringing Michigan farmers $1 billion in revenue each year. Soybeans bring Michigan farmers over $900 million in revenue each year.
To deflect attention from this good news, Biden focuses on Michigan’s less important tart cherry crop. Tart cherries bring Michigan farmers only a quarter as much revenue as corn or soybeans.
Michigan cherry production has been up and down in recent years, with late freezes in the spring of 2019 and 2020 damaging crops. Global warming reduces the frequency and severity of late-spring freezes, although they still occur. Nevertheless, Biden blames colder-than-normal spring temperatures in Michigan on global warming.
Despite the cold-induced harm to the minor cherry crop, Michigan farmers as a whole are enjoying record overall crop seasons that are only getting better as the Earth modestly warms.
