Ask the Expert No, Not My Coffee! How Climate Change Is Impacting Our Diets Stories You May Like Remembering the Sacrifice of a Cornellian Lost in War Iconic Olin Library ‘Call Board’ to Get a (Literal) Glow-Up Meet the Undergrad Who’s a 2023 World Wrestling Champ According to a CALS prof, one of the best ways to spur action on the issue is by showing people its effects on what we eat and drink By Beth Saulnier When it comes to the nearly endless ways in which climate change is altering our foods, Mike Hoffmann wrote the book on it—literally. In 2021, Cornell University Press published his co-authored volume Our Changing Menu: Climate Change and the Foods We Love and Need. The book explores how a warming planet is altering everything from fruits and vegetables to meat and fish to alcoholic libations and beyond. It also addresses what’s being done to keep our favorite items on the menu—and what we can all do to help. Hoffmann—an entomology professor who describes himself as “emeritus, but not retired”—has held numerous leadership roles at the University, including as director of the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station (headquartered in Ithaca) and as associate dean of CALS. These days, he’s on a mission to sound the alarm about human-driven climate change. And, he says, the reality of how it will impact what’s on our plates—and even in our coffee cups!—may be the most effective way to help the public grasp the broader issues. It seems obvious, but why should we focus on how climate change affects our food supply? Simply put, we all eat; it’s essential to life. But it’s much more. It’s not only something enjoyable, it’s a unique part of our cultures and our family histories. We need to do everything we can to keep food on the table. What foods are being impacted? Basically—everything. One has to look hard to find a food that is not affected by climate change. The nutritional quality of some of our staples is in decline. Flavors and aromas of wine grapes are changing. There was a mass die-off of snow crabs in the Bering Sea, because the water warmed. Even the colors of some vegetables are changing. One has to look hard to find a food that is not affected by climate change. Smoke from wildfires obviously affects our health, but it also affects the health of beef and dairy cattle. Droughts in the Southwest have affected grazing land. If you elect to eat beef, their numbers are the lowest they’ve been for 70 years, because climate change has reduced their feed supply. I was reading the other day that juniper berries—which are used to make gin—are under stress because of drought. Most natural vanilla comes from Madagascar, and it’s experiencing more severe storms. The list goes on and on. And that’s what gives power to food as a way to think about confronting climate change, because it’s so relevant to everybody’s life. Justin James MuirIn 2017, the Botanic Gardens hosted a Climate Change Demonstration Garden, illustrating how future conditions could affect plants. With climate change so politically divisive, is food a potential common ground? It is. We did a national survey a few years ago. One question was, “Are you concerned that climate change is affecting your food choices?” About 75% of Democrats and 60% of Republicans said yes. The second question: “Would you be willing to pay more for a food product grown with climate-friendly practices?” Pretty much the same result. The third: “Would you like to know more about how climate change is affecting your food?” Very similar results. Stories You May Like Remembering the Sacrifice of a Cornellian Lost in War Iconic Olin Library ‘Call Board’ to Get a (Literal) Glow-Up So there’s an audience out there, across the political divide, that we can tap. I’ve given maybe 150–200 talks on climate change—and when I mention coffee, you can almost see the audience lean forward and go, “No, not my coffee!” Bingo—this hits home. There’s an audience out there, across the political divide, that we can tap. Is there a particular food you could point to that, if climate change proceeds unchecked, likely won’t be available 25 or 50 years from now? I frequently get asked this question, and one thing I often cite is cranberries, which are already at risk because of warming winters; without enough chilling, the plants won’t produce fruit the following season. Other crops are moving north—but because cranberries grow in bogs, you can’t just relocate production. That’s an example of something that could disappear in some places where it’s grown today. But the other part of my answer is that everything is going to continue to get more expensive, because it will be harder to grow. You mentioned coffee. What could happen to our beloved lattes and flat whites? Coffee is a very sensitive crop; it does best in a narrow temperature and rainfall band. Obviously the climate is changing, and it’s getting hotter. There are also new diseases and insect pests that are causing havoc around the world. But the prediction is that because of the changing climate, the area where coffee can be grown will be cut in half, roughly, by the middle of the 21st century. The price is already going up, and it’ll go up more. Okay; let’s develop new varieties. There are wild types all over the world, growing in little niches where the conditions are perfect. But with climate change, those areas are changing. So even the wild types you might turn to for drought- or heat-tolerance are at risk. In addition to food—as though that weren’t a huge enough topic—are there other sectors being similarly affected? Absolutely. Cosmetics, perfumes, pet food, textiles, pharmaceuticals—these are billion-dollar industries that are all being affected by climate change, because they depend on plants. So what can the average person do about any of this? Believe it or not, talking about climate change is one of the most important first steps—just having these conversations, starting the dialogue, asking questions. Because we don’t talk about climate change that much; maybe a third of us talk about it occasionally. Believe it or not, talking about climate change is one of the most important first steps—just having these conversations, starting the dialogue, asking questions. When the U.S. population has been surveyed, about 70% said, “Yes, we’re worried about climate change.” But if you ask that same person, “What percentage of the people you know are worried about climate change?” the response is “Oh, 40%.” So there’s this huge gap—and food as an elegant mechanism for starting that conversation. Besides raising awareness, what else can we do? Another big thing is your diet. The way I put it in the book is: treat red meat as a delicacy, not a staple. Most people think, “I suppose I could do that.” Flat-out saying, “Don’t eat red meat” is not going to work for most people. And when you do something like eating less red meat, tell your friends—because peer pressure is the greatest motivator. (Top: Illustration by Ashley Osburn / Cornell University. All images provided, unless otherwise indicated.) Published July 22, 2025 Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Other stories You may like Quizzes & Puzzles Cornellian Crossword: ‘Water World’ Alumni Big (Red) Love: A Celebration of Cornellian Couples Quizzes & Puzzles Play the Big Red Sliding Puzzle!