Pennsylvania Agriculture

Farming in Pennsylvania, from dairy to apples, could face difficulties as temperatures rise. For example, certain popular apple varieties (such as McIntosh), summer-bearing raspberries, and northern blueberries require cold in winter for optimal fruit development. Under the higher-emissions scenario much of southern Pennsylvania is unlikely by mid-century to meet those winter chill requirements. Under the lower-emissions scenario, production of these crops would remain viable across most of the state until late-century, when parts of southern Pennsylvania would become too warm.