July 22, 2025 – As the United States continues to reshape its energy portfolio, questions are mounting about the potential effects on agriculture. A new report by Agricultural Economic Insights (AEI.ag) outlines the total acreage that has shifted from farmland to solar production.
“Solar projects are placing a new demand on farmland and rural economies. However, that new demand doesn’t benefit all segments or producers,” AEI.ag Co-Founder David Widmar said. “AEI.ag’s latest report explores recent trends in solar development and the implications that farmers, lenders, and others working in agriculture need to understand.”
Researchers at AEI.ag measured the acreage of each utility-scale solar plant and determined the share that was previously farmland. Plant-level data were then aggregated and reported annually at the county and state levels.
Read the new report to learn:
- How many acres of U.S. farmland were covered by solar panels at the end of 2024.
- What percentage of total U.S. solar development has occurred on farmland.
- How the distribution of solar projects varies across the country.
The report is available to members of AEI Premium, the online community for agricultural decision makers. Start a free trial to explore exclusive content, a forecast tool, and data-driven insights that help farmers, lenders, policy wonks, and agribusiness leaders navigate uncertainty more effectively.
Key insights from the report – and the implications for the farm economy in 2025 and beyond – will be discussed during a free webinar on August 8, 2025 at 12 pm eastern. Register here. The event recording will only be available to registered webinar participants and AEI Premium subscribers.
This report is the first step in better understanding solar production’s impact on land use changes, as well as commodity and food prices. Future analysis by AEI.ag will focus on understanding the geographic dispersion of solar projects and how farmland conversion may play out over the next several years.
About AEI Premium:
“Solar Panels and U.S. Farmland: Sizing up the Footprint” is a resource developed for members of AEI Premium, the community for decision makers in agriculture created by Agricultural Economic Insights (AEI.ag). AEI Premium’s exclusive content and Ag Forecast Network tool help subscribers navigate today’s agricultural uncertainties more effectively. Learn more and start your free trial today at aei.ag/trial. Be your own guru.
Interested in another topic? AEI.ag’s team of experts can define your research scope, analyze the data, and create custom research reports tailored to your needs. Recent topics include technology, adoption, crop protection, crop budgets, and more. Learn more here
Learn more here: https://aei.ag/overview/article/press-release-new-report-sizes-up-solar-powers-footprint-on-u-s-farmland