WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. government says it's creating seven new "climate hub" networks to help people, especially farmers, deal with the effects of global warming.
The hubs, consisting of real-world and online networks, will work out OF Department of Agriculture offices around the country to connect existing government agencies more effectively, a department release reported Wednesday.
By helping scientists, farmers, ranchers and forestland-owners communicate, officials said, the hubs will help keep harmful effects of climate change such as excess storms and droughts to a minimum.
Hubs will be located in Raleigh, N.C.; Durham, N.H.; Ames, Iowa; Fort Collins, Colo.; El Reno, Okla.; Corvallis, Ore.; and Las Cruces, N.M.
The locations were chosen to serve regions subject to different effects of climate change, the Department of Agriculture said; while the southeast deals with winter storms, the southwest is in the midst of a drought and other areas facing more frequent severe floods.
"USDA's Climate Hubs are part of our broad commitment to developing the next generation of climate solutions, so that our agricultural leaders have the modern technologies and tools they need to adapt and succeed in the face of a changing climate," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.
