Agriculture in the Mid-Atlantic region is particularly vulnerable to changing weather patterns. The impacts of changes in weather on agriculture and the environment could be enormous. In addition, sea-level rise and land subsidence have already led to an approximate one-foot rise in net sea-level in the Chesapeake Bay in the last 100 years. The cumulative effect of these events in Maryland can lead to changes in pest, disease, and weed pressure; the increased need for pesticide applications; disruptions in planting and harvesting dates; decreases in quantity and quality of food produced; loss of arable land due to saltwater intrusion; increased risk of premature bloom of fruit crops; and heat-related livestock mortality. Collectively, these have the potential to negatively affect farmers and ranchers, the agricultural economy, food prices, and rural communities.