USDA cuts off funding for solar and wind energy projects on farmland
On Aug. 18, United States Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins held a press conference announcing the U.S. Department of Agriculture would no longer subsidize solar and wind energy projects on productive farmland. In the press conference, Rollins spoke specifically about solar energy and its impact on agriculture.
“Our prime farmland should not be wasted and replaced with green new deal subsidized solar panels,” Rollins said. “It has been disheartening to see our beautiful farmland displaced by solar projects, especially in rural areas that have strong agricultural heritage. One of the largest barriers of entry for new and young farmers is access to land.”
According to USDA’s Economic Research Service, between 2012 and 2020, 43% of solar farms and 56% of wind turbines in rural areas were installed on land that was used for cropland prior to installation. In the Midwest, 70% of solar farms and 94% of wind turbines were located on cropland. In the West, about 60% of solar farms and 69% of wind turbines were located on pasture and rangeland.
The ERS also reported that between 2012 and 2017, agricultural land cover changed on 22% of solar farm sites, but only 4% of wind turbine sites after installation. The data indicates 15% of the solar sites shifted out of agriculture after installation, but for wind less than 1% was shifted out of agricultural production.
“Subsidized solar farms have made it more difficult for farmers to access farmland by making it more expensive and less available,” Rollins continued. “We are no longer allowing businesses to use your taxpayer dollars to fund solar projects on prime American farmland, and we will no longer allow solar panels manufactured by foreign adversaries to be used in our USDA-funded projects.”
Early in President Donald Trump’s second term, he signed an executive order to halt new wind energy projects and has been vocal about his opposition to these alternative forms of energy.
He has stated that wind and solar energy are not sustainable, are costly and rely heavily on Chinese supply chains. Since his second term started, the administration has announced similar decisions to put up a roadblock for alternative forms of “green” energy.
“Secretary Rollins understands that food security is national security, and preserving prime farmland for agricultural production is a key component of protecting our food supply,” said House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn Thompson (R-Pennsylvania). “I look forward to working with her and this Administration to ensure any incentives for renewable energy projects have commonsense safeguards in place that provide options for producers while protecting our most productive farmland.”
According to the USDA release, cutting off support for wind and solar energy on farmland will eliminate the market distortions and costs imposed on taxpayers by reducing energy subsidies and build upon the repeal of wind, solar and other “green” energy credits in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that was recently passed. The release also stated the action will further USDA’s determination to end taxpayer support for unaffordable and unreliable “green” energy sources and ensure the supply chain consists of American products and manufacturing.
“Green New Deal subsidies have distorted the energy market and supplanted American farmland,” said U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Nebraska). “USDA is taking decisive action which complements policies I supported in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, ending the misuse of taxpayer dollars and upholding our national security interests in energy infrastructure. I appreciate Secretary Rollins’ leadership in restoring common sense to these USDA programs.”
USDA has stated wind, and solar projects will no longer be eligible for the USDA Rural Development Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program. Additionally, through the USDA Rural Development Rural Energy for America Program Guaranteed Loan Program, USDA will ensure that American farmers, ranchers and producers utilizing wind and solar energy sources will install units that are sized right for their facilities.
If project applications include ground mount solar photovoltaic systems larger than 50kW or ground mount solar photovoltaic systems that cannot document historical energy usage, they will no longer be eligible for the REAP Guaranteed Loan Program, and priority points will no longer be given for REAP grants.
Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or [email protected].
