Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announces new climate zones to help farmers deal with climate change, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014, during the daily news briefing at the White House in Washington. The government will assess the climate risk in each of these zones, such as forest fires, drought, floods and then help farmers deal with it. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)WASHINGTON (AP) — Local weather exchange is already hurting American farmers and rural residents, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack mentioned Wednesday, warning that the U.S. would be apologetic about any failure to adapt and prepare for shifting weather realities.