PUBLISHED ON May 22, 2026
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Across rural America, farmers and ranchers are seeing solar projects proposed in their communities. If you’ve noticed survey stakes on a nearby property, spotted land agents at the local coffee shop or heard that a neighbor signed a solar or wind lease, you’re not alone. And if you’re wondering what it means for your land, your operation and your community, you deserve straight answers.
Two questions tend to surface first: How much farmland is solar actually using? And what does a project like this mean for everyone in the community, not just the landowners signing leases?
The concern that solar is consuming farmland at an alarming rate is understandable. Land-use decisions carry real weight in rural communities, and farmland isn’t just an asset, it’s a legacy. But the data tells a different story than most people expect.
According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, the U.S. has approximately 876 million acres of land in farms, a figure that includes cropland, pasture and associated agricultural uses. Recent national research estimates that ground-mounted solar arrays occupy roughly 729,000 acres nationwide. That means solar development accounts for approximately 0.08% of total U.S. farmland.
To put that in perspective: American Farmland Trust research found that urban sprawl converted or compromised more than 2,000 acres of farmland every single day between 2001 and 2016, totaling more than 11 million acres over that period. Solar’s entire national footprint is a fraction of what development permanently removes from agriculture in just a few years.
There’s another important distinction: unlike a subdivision or warehouse, solar installations are temporary. When a project’s lease ends, typically after 25 to 40 years, the equipment can be removed and the land returned to farming. Urban development doesn’t offer that option.
The USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides another useful reference point. As of mid-2025, CRP enrolls approximately 25.8 million acres. Solar’s total national footprint is a fraction of that figure. While local impacts can feel significant in communities where projects are concentrated, the nationwide numbers show that solar occupies a very small share of America’s working farmland.
When people picture a wind farm, they often imagine wide swaths of land taken over by turbines; the reality is different. Modern wind facilities typically use only a small portion of the total project area for turbine pads, roads and equipment. The remaining land generally stays available for farming or grazing. Farmers can plant right up to the base of a turbine.
Solar projects do use more surface area. But they offer the ability to continue agricultural production on the same footprint through a practice called agrivoltaics.
Agrivoltaics refers to the co-location of agriculture and solar generation on the same piece of ground. Instead of replacing farming with energy production, agrivoltaic systems integrate both.
Across the country, agrivoltaic sites are supporting grazing operations, specialty crops, and pollinator habitat beneath and between panels. University research has found that partial shade from panels can, in certain climates, reduce heat stress on crops and help control soil moisture. In some cases, researchers have seen improvements in both crop performance and panel efficiency.
Livestock operations are finding value in agrivoltaics as well. Landowners often manage vegetation by grazing sheep (and cattle, in some cases) beneath panels that also provide shade for the animals. For farmers weighing whether a lease makes sense for their operation, dual-use options like these are worth exploring in detail.
Developers often target flat and cleared agricultural land. The same characteristics that make land productive for farming also make it attractive for solar development. Analyses of solar siting patterns show that a significant share of future projects are likely to be located on farmland. That’s why thoughtful siting, community input and dual-use approaches matter.
If a developer has contacted you about a solar project, you’re not alone, and you have time to make an informed decision. Consider how a project would affect your long-term operations, what protections are written into the lease, and whether dual-use options might work for your situation. Think through how it fits into your succession planning, cash flow needs and long-term operation goals.
Renewable energy projects extend well beyond individual lease agreements. They can affect local roads, emergency services, school funding and day-to-day community life in ways that aren’t always obvious at first. But communities that engage with the developers often have more opportunities to shape how benefits are structured beyond standard taxation.
According to researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy and National Renewable Energy Laboratory, early engagement and clear communication between communities and developers are central to successful outcomes. This kind of early planning is sometimes called community benefit planning — having local conversations about what matters to residents before key decisions are locked in. In some cases, those conversations lead to written community benefit agreements that set clear expectations for both sides.
The results can be significant. In Curry County, New Mexico, the Village of Grady worked with Pattern Energy to structure an agreement that channels funds directly to the county, Grady Schools and Texico Schools, contributing more than $500,000 in voluntary donations to local fire departments and schools. In Sherman County, Oregon, early negotiation by county leadership secured an agreement that distributes $590 annually to qualifying property owners and has funded a new courthouse, school, library and fairgrounds arena. None of that happened automatically. It came from communities that decided early what they wanted to prioritize.
Here are five practical ways for communities to get started in discussions with developers:
1. Start the conversation early. Before decisions are final, there is more room to shape outcomes. Communities that engage early often see smoother processes and more predictable results.
2. Identify what matters locally. Every community has different priorities: road maintenance, school funding, emergency services or local hiring. Those priorities should come from local conversations, not outside assumptions.
3. Include both landowners and neighbors. Projects affect more than just the people signing leases. Bringing in a broader set of voices helps avoid tension and builds trust within the community.
4. Put expectations in writing. Community benefit agreements can address everything from road repairs to financial contributions for local priorities. They create accountability and make it easier to track whether commitments are being honored.
5. Learn from other communities. Plenty of counties have already been through this process. Talking to other landowners or county leaders who have experience is often more useful than relying on outside opinions. Organizations like the Renewable Energy Farmers of America can also help communities prepare through programs designed to build local capacity and clarify priorities before developers arrive.
Concerns about farmland are legitimate, and they deserve straight answers. The data shows that solar uses a small fraction of American farmland, and practices like agrivoltaics are making it possible to produce food and energy on the same land. And when communities engage early, renewable energy development can generate benefits that extend well beyond the landowners directly involved.
For farmers and ranchers weighing these decisions, understanding the full picture allows for careful, informed choices — ones that protect both land and legacy, and give your community a say in what comes next.
Jeff Risley is the executive director of Renewable Energy Farmers of America, a farmer-led organization that provides education and support to landowners navigating renewable energy development decisions. Learn more at renewableenergyfarmers.org.
—Jeff Risley, Executive Director, Renewable Energy Farmers of America
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