A new form of agriculture has started to spread across the United States. This agriculture is not focused on growing crops or raising animals. This new trend is focusing on harnessing power from the sun. Many farmers across the nation are looking to make their farms and ranches more dependent on solar power. Solar Farms, once thought to be something only urban areas could use, are starting to find their place in agriculture. Solar farming occurs when a farmer or rancher takes unused space, ranging from unproductive land to even the top of their barn, and installs solar panels for the purpose of generating electricity (Some farmers growing profit with new row crop: solar panels, n.d.). Many farmers are seeing the benefits of using solar power, while others have begun to raise some concerns.
At first glance, there seems to be many benefits to solar farming. As mentioned previously, most solar panels can be installed in areas that have little value in producing crops so they won’t cut into farmers’ current revenue and will actually increase it. Solar farms can drastically cut down on the energy purchased by a farmer, since they are capturing their own. This reduction in net energy needs will in turn lead to a reduction in electric bills and the solar panels will eventually pay for themselves. As the demand for clean energy increases, farmers could sell or lease their land to companies to build solar farms for domestic use and not need to farm at all. (Innovatice Solar Systems, n.d.)
While solar farms have many benefits, they also present some concerns. Solar farming presents so many benefits that many farmers in states like North Carolina (which strongly promotes solar use) are giving up crops and just making solar power. Instead of just using unproductive land they may convert areas of crop production into solar farms. This gradually reduces the amount of land used for food production thus decreasing food for the world. Another problem is that solar farms are more profitable in some areas than others.  Farmers may end up investing in solar farms in areas where they are less profitable, and not recover their investment.  However, the rise in solar power may lead to more uniform benefits across the nation. (Thill, 2017)
Solar farms have the potential to be a major force in future agriculture. With an increasing movement to utilize renewable energy sources, many farmers have begun to shift to using more solar power to reduce the cost of electricity. As with all changes, it presents many benefits as well as concerns. It is up to agriculturalists to research and examine the best way to use this new trend in order to provide the biggest benefit for the most people.