Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Monday that the Department of Agriculture will no longer use taxpayer dollars to fund large-scale solar or wind projects on productive farmland, nor allow solar panels made by foreign adversaries in USDA programs.
The department cited farmland loss as a driving concern. Tennessee has lost more than 1.2 million acres in the past 30 years and could lose 2 million by 2027. Nationally, solar installations on farmland have risen nearly 50% since 2012.
“Our prime farmland should not be wasted and replaced with green new deal subsidized solar panels,” Rollins said. “One of the largest barriers of entry for new and young farmers is access to land. Subsidized solar farms have made it more difficult for farmers to access farmland by making it more expensive and less available.”
On X, she added: “This destruction of our farms and prime soil is taking away the futures of the next generation of farmers and the future of our country. Starting today, [USDA] will no longer deploy programs to fund solar or wind projects on productive farmland, ending massive taxpayer handouts. Also ENDING the use of panels made by foreign adversaries like China.”
Rollins made the announcement in Tennessee with Governor Bill Lee, Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, Representative John Rose, and USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden. Lee said, “Tennesseans know that our farmland is our national security, our economic future, and our children's heritage.” Blackburn added: “Tennessee farmland should be used to grow the crops that feed our state and country, not to house solar panels made by foreign countries.”
Lawmakers across the country praised the decision. Representative Glenn “GT” Thompson said, “Secretary Rollins understands that food security is national security.” Representative Tom Tiffany stated, “The land that feeds America should never be sacrificed for unreliable green energy experiments subsidized by taxpayer dollars.” Representative Harriet Hageman added, “Our agricultural heritage is the backbone of this nation, and these commonsense reforms put food security, national security, and American sovereignty first.”
Effective immediately, wind and solar projects are no longer eligible for the USDA’s Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program. Under the Rural Energy for America Program, ground-mounted solar projects larger than 50kW or without proof of historic energy use will not qualify, and solar projects will no longer receive priority points for REAP grants.
The USDA said these changes will reduce taxpayer costs, eliminate market distortions from subsidies, and ensure renewable energy equipment in USDA projects comes from American manufacturers.