PUBLISHED ON June 17, 2026
PRESTON and CALEDONIA, Minn. — Solar energy sites popping up across rural landscapes are raising concerns about taking agricultural land out of production. With foresight and creativity, solar sites can be developed to prioritize agriculture production also known as Agrivoltaics.
However, building an agrivoltaic site is more than just raising the height of the solar panels. It’s a logistical puzzle involving specialized site prep, complex operations management and long-term land stewardship.
Join the University of Minnesota Extension for the July session of the Agrivoltaics webinar series, titled “Keeping the farm in ‘solar farm’: Agrivoltaic logistics.” The webinar will take place on July 14, 2026, at 7 p.m. CT.
This discussion brings together experts in agriculture centric solar development. Angela Burke is the director of Operations and Management at Pivot Energy. In her role, Burke supports Pivot’s asset managers and leads their land stewardship initiatives and standards. Pivot has extensive experience working with solar grazers.
Mike DellaGala is the co-founder and CEO of Solar Collective. Solar collective develops solar energy projects with an Agrivoltaics first approach. Their goal is to help farmers continue farming.
These professionals with varied approaches will discuss agrivoltaics from a solar developer’s perspective. This webinar moves beyond the “why” and dives deep into the “how” of designing, permitting and operating projects where solar and soil work in tandem.
This webinar is designed for farmers, solar developers, landowners, government officials and agricultural professionals interested in the future of dual-use land management. Whether you’re a rancher looking to diversify income or a developer aiming to integrate agriculture production, this session will provide the insights you need.
Pre-registration is required to access the zoom link. This webinar is free to attend. Registration is available at z.umn.edu/farminsolarfarm. If you have any questions or need assistance with registration please contact your local Extension Office. Residents in Fillmore and Houston counties can call 507-765-3896 or 507-725-5807.
— Katie Drewitz, University of Minnesota Extension
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