The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) in Australia has established a new agriculture decision support unit to aid farming operations and planning. The creation of this unit has been met with calls from farmers for a strong emphasis on accuracy, following criticism of the bureau's summer forecast.
Jonathan How, a meteorologist with the unit, stated that the newly formed team will collaborate with agricultural scientists and advisors to support farmers. "We're a brand-new team at the bureau dedicated to working with the agriculture industry," Dr How said. The team will provide insight into climate outlook for growers, assisting with sowing, planting, and harvesting operations.
The bureau has faced criticism for its El Niño summer forecast. Dr How acknowledged the challenges of long-term forecasting and the team's understanding of growers' expectation for a hot and dry summer.
The unit will also consider international forecasts and models in its advice to farmers. This approach aims to consider all climate drivers and their impacts on agricultural communities, especially in the face of unpredictable weather events such as eastern Victoria's heavy rain and flooding instead of the expected hot and dry conditions.
Source: abc.net.au