USDA Ends Programs for Solar, Wind Projects on Farms

In a Monday post on X, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture would no longer be supporting solar and wind energy projects on productive farmland.

This is just the latest of a series actions taken by President Donald Trump's administration to stall the development of solar and wind energy. Trump claims that these sources of energy are unreliable and expensive and are dependent on Chinese supply chain.

Solar panels subsidized by the Green New Deal can now be installed on millions of acres of prime farming land. Rollins, a host on X, said that this destruction of prime farmland and farms is destroying the futures of future farmers and our country. According to its website, the USDA has allocated over $2 billion for renewable projects like solar and winds through its Rural Energy for America Program. The agency also supports clean energy projects in rural electric cooperatives.

The USDA didn't immediately respond to our request for a comment.

According to a USDA study from 2024, wind turbines and solar farms affected about 424,000 acres (1.715 square kilometers), less than 0.05% out of the nearly 9 million acres of farmland. The study found that most of this land was still used for agricultural purposes after the wind or solar projects were developed.

Former President Joe Biden's administration

Support solar and wind energy projects

In rural areas and farms, as part of their efforts to reduce climate-harming emission and make clean energy affordable.

(source: Reuters)