The Protecting Future Farmland Act of 2023 aims to integrate solar energy production with traditional farming on the same land through "agrivoltaic systems," where crops or livestock are grown beneath or alongside solar panels. The bill directs the Department of Agriculture to define agrivoltaic systems, develop best practices guidance for protecting soil health during solar installation and operation, and study the compatibility of different crops and livestock with various solar panel designs across different regions. The legislation modifies the Rural Energy for America Program to prioritize solar projects that include plans for soil, water, and vegetation management, and requires the USDA to collect data from solar energy applications and submit a report to Congress within two years evaluating the benefits and impacts of solar development on agricultural land. The bill also authorizes technical assistance for farmers managing agrivoltaic systems and directs completion of a comprehensive study within three years, followed by a five-year implementation plan to better support these integrated farming-energy systems through existing federal agricultural and conservation programs.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.