Sheep Industry News November 2024

right to the solar company to lease the property or operate it themselves,” Allen said. Representing landowners, Allen said the counter they have presented is allowing the landowner “right of first refusal if the company decides they want to participate in an agrivoltaics operation, they have to first ask the actual land owner if they want to be the ones conducting those opera tions. That seems like a pretty reasonable compromise.” SHEEP INDUSTRY BENEFITS Whether it be the landowner or a third-party sheep pro ducer, Hopkins explained that grazing contracts for sheep are currently one to three years and “the sheep producer will be paid a fee to graze their sheep on that solar farm.” Hopkins noted that the “grazing contracts usually are more than the going cash rent, so it’s a way for sheep pro ducers to earn extra income beyond what they would get from raising, selling and marketing their sheep.” Things to keep in mind during negotiations of grazing contracts are the infrastructure needed for the sheep; access to water; how long sheep need to be on the property and how and when they can be taken off; paddocks for rotation

al grazing; etc, Hopkins noted. Other things that could be negotiated at the onset of solar projects are retaining topsoil and the type of grass that will be planted below the solar panels. Ideal blends of grass or flowers could be negotiated and agreed upon for both sheep grazing and pollinator agrivoltaics. “It’s an evolving industry right now. Sheep producers are becoming more aware of these opportunities and learning by trial and error what they need to do to be successful,” Hopkins explained. With the new opportunity presented by solar fields to the sheep industry, the American Solar Grazing Association has been established with more than 900 members across 45 states already. Hopkins said that in the last two years ASGA has held a “solar farm summit” to bring together solar de velopers and farmers alike. “From the sheep industry perspective, the advent of solar grazing for sheep producers is kind of a disruptive force that’s coming to the marketplace. I think it has the poten tial to really benefit the sheep industry over the long-haul, potentially bringing new producers into the fold,” Hopkins concluded.

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