Sheep Industry News May 2023

Sheep & Solar Make Great Partners

T argeted Grazing is nothing new in the sheep industry. From the early days of public lands grazing out West to the more recent use of flocks in suburban neighborhoods all across the country, this win-win concept has proved beneficial for both sheep producers and those who paid them for the service. But a new subset of targeted grazing has emerged in the past decade as solar arrays continue to appear on the horizon all across the country. While much of the country is in favor of the renewable energy they create, not everyone loves the sight of these sites. Add in the fact that they often are built on land that had previously been used for agricul tural production, and you’ll understand why solar companies have seen some resistance. The solution? Sheep. Allowing sheep to graze these solar sites keeps shade from hitting the panels – which would prevent them from doing their jobs – and allows the land to still be used in production agriculture. “There are a lot of sites planned in Ohio, a lot in Virginia, but there’s some kickback there. The same is true for Pennsylvania,” said Ameri can Solar Grazing Association Secretary Jonathan Barter of New York. He’s also a sheep and cattle producer who manages flocks on solar sites and works for Delaware River Solar, as well. “The bigger and more conspicuous the site, the more potential kickback there is. So, I think it’s a matter of weathering the growing pains as we move to larger, utility-scale solar and develop those sites to fit the landscape. It’s a very visible change to the landscape, and a lot of people aren’t happy with that.” Barter says the addition of sheep helps squelch those concerns for many of the site’s naysayers. “Frankly, there’s something quite attractive about driving past acres of panels with sheep grazing underneath them,” Barter added. “On an environmental level, we’re always advocating that through agrivoltaics (the use of land for both agriculture and solar photovoltaic energy gen eration) we aren’t really losing farmland. We’re just changing the type of agriculture on the land. And, of course, sheep do have a beneficial impact on the land that they are on, just like any ruminant does. That’s something worth stressing for those who are concerned about our environment.” As is the case with Barter, New York’s Lexie Hain has played a vari ety of roles in the emerging industry. The two were among the original founders of ASGA and Lexie served as executive director before step ping down to take a position overseeing agrivoltaics and land manage ment for Lightsource bp. In a young, evolving industry, the two are veteran leaders who can offer advice to producers looking to get into solar grazing. “The actual work of managing a solar site is a separate enter

prise,” Hain said. “We’ve had a lot of people who thought they could start a business in vegetation management with solar. But we’re in for an interesting few years as we separate the wheat from the chaff.” If you’re just anticipating free feed for your flock and little to no time investment, then solar grazing probably isn’t right for you. But if you’re the type of producer who believes in truly managing grazing lands, then the solar industry has a site for you. In the past few years, solar companies have come to realize that a producer who just wants free ground to run sheep on isn’t the best option. “They are now vetting farmers to understand the difference between those who just see it as free land versus those who are truly interested in targeted grazing,” Hain said. “I’m not a proponent of just dropping sheep off and letting them graze it down to nothing,” Barter said. “I don’t think that’s a satisfactory practice at all. ASGA is promoting good management for not only the health of the animals, but also good management for the vegetation.” CONSIDERATIONS “First and foremost, producers should consider the scale and physi

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