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Southern Plains Podcast

The  Southern Plains Podcast  is a joint venture of the USDA Southern Plains Climate Hub and ARS-Grazinglands Research Laboratory both located in El Reno, Oklahoma. Episodes are produced and edited by Clay Pope.


Southern Plains Podcast #49: Kristy Oates, NRCS Texas State Conservationist

December 22, 2021

In this episode we visit with Kristy Oates, USDA NRCS State Conservationist in Texas about the work of the agency in the Lone Star State and about some of the initiatives they are undertaking to help farmers and ranchers deal with extreme weather events.


Southern Plains Podcast Special Edition: Victor Murphy, National Weather Service (11/11/21)

November 12, 2021

In this special episode of the Southern Plains Podcast we again talk with Victor Murphy with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth about current conditions in Oklahoma and Texas and what the weather outlook looks like moving into the winter.


Southern Plains Podcast #48: Dr. Frank Mitloehner, Professor and Extension Specialist, UC Davis

October 7, 2021

In this episode of the Southern Plains Podcast we have the chance to sit down and talk with Dr. Frank Mitloehner, professor and air quality specialist in cooperative extension at UC Davis. Dr. Mitloehner will be presenting his talk "Rethinking Methane: Animal Agriculture's Path to Climate Neutrality on October 11 at Kansas State University as part of their Henry C. Gardiner Global Food Systems Lecture series. He shared with us some of his thoughts on livestock production, sustainability and climate change.


Southern Plains Podcast #47: Joel Lisonbee and the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)

October 4, 2021

In this episode of the Southern Plains Podcast we visit with Joel Lisonbee with the National Integrated Drought Information Systems (NIDIS) network about the work they do to help inform folks of developing dry conditions, including their Drought Early Warning System (DEWS).


Special Episode: Gary McManus, Oklahoma State Climatologist - Flash Drought and Dry Conditions in Oklahoma

September 24, 2021

Dry weather has set in throughout Oklahoma and the specter of "flash drought" has reared its ugly head. In our latest podcast we visit with Oklahoma State Climatologist Gary McManus about current conditions, flash drought and what the precipitation picture looks like over the next few weeks.


Southern Plains Podcast #46: Dr. Renee McPherson, University Director of the South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center

September 9, 2021

In this episode of the podcast we visit with Dr. Renee McPherson, the University Director of the South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center in Norman, Oklahoma about the work of the center in helping communities and individuals adapt to extreme weather events, the latest U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report and what it means for the future of weather in the Southern Plains..


Episode #45: Dr. Brandon Bestelmeyer, Research Leader, ARS Range Management Research Unit, Las Cruces, New Mexico

August 16, 2021

In this episode of the podcast, we visit with Dr. Brandon Bestelmeyer, Research Leader at the USDA-ARS Range Management Research Unit in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Dr. Bestelmeyer talks about the Long Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) Network and how this ongoing effort can help agriculture better prepare for the challenges climate change is bringing to the industry.


Special Episode: Victor Murphy, National Weather Service

July 16, 2021

In this special episode of the podcast we again visit with Victor Murphy with the National Weather Service in Ft. Worth. We discuss the weather conditions in Oklahoma and Texas and talk about the recent La Nina forecast from NOAA.


Episode #44: Francie Tolle, USDA Risk Management Agency

June 23, 2021

In this episode of the podcast we visit with Francie Tolle, Director of the Product Administration and Standards Division with the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) in Kansas City, Missouri. Francie visits with us about the role RMA plays in helping producers manage risk (including the risk caused by extreme weather events), the new Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP) and why its important that soil health producers report their cover crops to FSA.


Special Episode: Victor Murphy, National Weather Service and the Southern Plains Weather Outlook

June 21, 2021

In this special edition of the podcast we again visit with Victor Murphy of the National Weather Service about the weather outlook in Oklahoma and Texas.


Special Episode: Mary Knapp, Kansas Assistant State Climatologist

June 17, 2021

In this special episode of the podcast we again visit with Mary Knapp, Kansas State University Extension Climatologist and Assistant Climatologist for the State of Kansas about current weather conditions in the Sunflower State and what the outlook is for the next few weeks.


Episode #43: Bailey Norwood, Oklahoma State University Ag Econ Professor-Beef and Carbon Offsets

May 10, 2021

In this episode of the Southern Plains Podcast we talk to Bailey Norwood with the Ag Econ Department at Oklahoma State University about research he conducted showing that the greenhouse gas footprint left by eating beef could be offset with just a $20 carbon credit.


Episode #42: Theresa Crimmins, Director of the USA National Phenology Network

April 2, 2021

In this episode we visit with Theresa Crimmins, Director of the USA National Phenology Network, an organization dedicated to collecting, storing and sharing penology data--information about when plants bloom, leaves change color, birds build nests, etc--to help inform folks on issues like Management of invasive species and forest pests, predictions of human health-related events, such as allergies and mosquito season, optimization of when to plant, fertilize, and harvest crops, understanding the timing of ecosystem processes, such as carbon cycling and the assessment of the vulnerability of species, populations, and ecological communities to ongoing climate change. The network has a new tool-the Winter Wheat Development Forecast tool--that we discuss as well as other information about the work of the network.