An academic says climate change will not be catastrophic for farmers, as they can manage any long term change. 

Agricultural scientist Professor Richard Eckard, from the University of Melbourne, says extreme weather events like fire and flood do more damage to farmers and farming viability than the long term nature of any climate change. 

“That is where attention should be focussed,” Prof Eckard said.

“Because the real threats are dealing with the extreme weather events. 

“The attitudes are slowly changing to recognise that there is something changing in our weather. 

“I think a lot of the farming community might say that that is part of the natural cycle but regardless of whether or not you think it is a permanent change or a natural cycle, it does represent a change in what we see in the extremes. 

“A heatwave in [Australia in] November is one example of that.

“Any gradual change we can adapt to over time, if is a gradual increase in temperature you can start breeding different animals or plants in that direction to deal with those changes. 

“It is really the unexpected extreme events that will catch us unawares that we need to be prepared for.

“I am talking about the floods, the bushfires the extremes in temperature, in unusual times throughout the year,” Professor Eckard said.

– Weatherzone/ABC