Extreme weather can carry pathogens throughout the globe, introducing foreign microbes to new regions. This is not only a concern for our health as humans, but is also a threat to the food we eat. Due to climate change, the globe is experiencing an increase in average temperatures and extreme weather, which can put significant strain on our livestock production and threaten food security throughout the world.
The migration of foreign pathogens poses a threat to our livestock, which do not have any immunity built against these microbes, leaving them defenseless. Not only will this impose a financial strain on those in the agricultural industry, but this introduces health concerns for the population.
Additionally, higher temperatures can lead to heat stress on livestock, which costs $1.7 billion to $2.4 billion per year in the U.S. alone. Under heat stress, livestock produce less milk and are less fertile. For farmers, this will lead to decreased productivity and financial loss, while potentially leading to food scarcity.