Crops are struggling to grow – and produce the same yields – as they would under normal weather conditions

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Cecilia NowellTue 1 Nov 2022 05.00 EDT

From Hurricanes Fiona and Ian, to flooding in eastern Kentucky and a record dry summer as the western US entered its 22nd year of a once-in-a-millennium megadrought, the US has already seenmore than two dozenmajor climate disasters with losses exceeding $1bn (£864m).

On top of this economic toll, extreme weather is also upending the food system in the US and much of the world. As the climate crisis causes temperatures to rise, precipitation patterns to shift and drought conditions to lengthen, many crops are struggling to grow – and produce the same yields – as they would under normal weather conditions. In some parts…