Solar Farms

Alternative energy sources such as wind, geothermal, hydro and solar have grown increasingly popular as ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen the grid by decentralizing power production.

A new Land Use Change Initiative is leading efforts to resolve inconsistencies in definitions, metrics and methodologies for quantifying land use change.

Agrivoltaics works and it is going to keep growing in the United States.

I hope you readers saw the recent AgriNews article on sheep grazing under solar farms. Land stays in production while generating electricity for the grid and cash for shepherds while saving on mowing and spraying costs.

Grazing sheep on utility-scale solar sites is not a new practice for some shepherds.

The U.S. Department of Energy estimates more than 10 million acres will be converted to solar energy by 2050, and the American Farmland Trust projects over 80% could be sited on agricultural lands.

Farmers continued to have concerns about the ag economy — especially future expectations, according to the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.

On the South Side of Chicago, students learn to work on Rivian electric pickup trucks and SUVs through a new technician program at Olive-Harvey College.

Solar and wind farms have become a regular part of the rural landscape and a new report documents the impact the energy sources have on farmland.

Farmers are concerned about financial performance and farmland values, as evidenced by a decrease in the April reading of the Ag Economy Barometer.

There’s not a day that goes by, when farmers aren’t thinking about how to leave the land better than we found it.

From sale trends to who’s buying, panelists covered a myriad of hot topics during the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers’ recent Land Values Conference.

Farmers were more optimistic about the ag economy in March, according to the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.

Larry Hopkins, a sheep farmer from Westfield, was one of three new farmers elected to serve on the executive board of the American Sheep Industry Association.

Climate-altering pollution from greenhouse gases declined by nearly 2% in the United States in 2023, even as the economy expanded at a faster clip, a new report finds.

The market for Midwest farmland remains strong, but sales show signs that the market is reaching a plateau, after several years of upward momentum.

Solar farms and changing environmental policies may have an impact on values of farmland in the United States.

When it comes to renewable energy and Indiana farmland values, wind and wings are the major influencers.

The U.S. export share of world trade has declined over the years due to increased global competition, making the expansion of biofuels all the more important.

“Mathematics,” once explained Edward Frenkel, a renowned mathematician and author, “directs the flow of the universe, lurks behind its shapes and curves, (and) holds the reins of everything from tiny atoms to the biggest stars.”

After “the craziness of 2021 and 2022″ the farmland market appears to be catching its breath with stable to slight declines for the first half of 2023.

Well, I’ve just returned from the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival and it was entertaining and very informative. On Friday was the Sheep 101 classes and Saturday was the Profit Workshop classes.

Our 2023 growing season continues to be a challenge, but perhaps everyone is successfully adapting, because I don’t hear as many pity parties as during some growing seasons.

Chris Gould harvested record wheat yields from his farm in July. “The wheat produced 115 bushels per acre,” said Gould, who together with his wife, Dana, grow corn, soybeans and wheat on their Kane County farm.

American Farmland Trust noted its support for the introduction of the bipartisan Agrivoltaics Research and Demonstration Act of 2023.

Purdue University researchers have improved upon traditional solar energy structures used in agrivoltaic farming.

Rural Illinois stands to benefit from increased funding and changes in the Rural Energy for America Program.

Agricultural advancements have provided the ability to meet the food demands of an ever-growing population, but challenges lie ahead.

Illinois has to step up its game in protecting its environment. Last year, the state enacted the Climate & Equitable Jobs Act, which was a big step forward.

The Lee County Board recently completed an overhaul of its wind and solar ordinances and the moratorium on projects has ended.

The news of JBS, the world’s largest meat processing company, getting out of the plant-based protein market caught my eye. This story, reported by The Denver Business News, noted that JBS started Planterra two years ago.

Solar panels have been installed at Emancipation Brewing Co. this past month to sustainably provide electricity to the brewery, house and other buildings on the farm.

The Kron family is preparing for harvest in southern Indiana. Randy Kron, farmer and president of Indiana Farm Bureau, shared an update with AgriNews.

The 60th annual Farm Science Review came to a close at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London, Ohio, after welcoming 114,589 visitors during the course of the three-day event and showcasing the latest in agricultural innovations.

Questions relating to several high-priority legislative issues were posed to U.S. senatorial candidates at a recent candidate forum. The Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable forum featured incumbent Democrat U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Republican challenger Kathy Salvi.

A question-and-answer session was held as part of the recent Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable candidate forum following each gubernatorial candidate’s opening statements. The questions were provided by those in the audience.

Following Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey’s opening statements at the Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable forum, he answered questions posed by those in attendance.

It’s been less than a year since three industrial solar energy projects were approved for 6,000 acres of land in DeKalb County, and conversations on the future of more renewable energy projects in the area continue.

A developer wants to build a 1,100-acre solar farm in northern Indiana that would generate enough electricity to power 25,000 homes.

Muncie officials are advancing plans for construction of a solar farm on the site of a former General Motors plant that’s gone unused for more than a decade.

Silflower was among native plants that blanketed the vast North American prairie until settlers developed farms and cities. Nowadays confined largely to roadsides and ditches, the long-stemmed cousin of the sunflower may be poised for a comeback, thanks to solar energy.

Alliant Energy has announced plans to buy and expand an existing solar farm project at Palo to make it Iowa’s largest solar and battery storage facility.

An Israeli company has started work to build a solar energy farm that’s planned to cover some 13,000 acres across two northern Indiana counties when completed.

State regulators have approved a deal by utility AES Indiana to build a sprawling solar farm in central Indiana that could generate enough electricity to power more than 30,000 homes.

A division of Duke Energy that develops renewable energy projects plans to build a $180 million solar farm in western Indiana that would produce enough electricity to power 35,000 homes.

Northern Indiana Public Service Co. is adding more than 400 megawatts of wind and solar power to its energy portfolio in the utility’s latest step toward ending its reliance on coal.

The site of General Motors’ former Chevrolet plant in Muncie could become the home of a large solar farm once the central Indiana city completes a deal to buy the blighted property, officials said.