NACo Primer for Counties: Renewable Energy in Farm Country

American farmland is foundational to the nation’s economy, food security, environmental stewardship and rural vitality. For county officials, farmland loss is a growing national concern, with implications that stretch beyond the farm gate. Since 1997, the U.S. has lost more than 75 million acres of farmland to development, a trend driven by a surge of competing land use demands, including housing development, energy, and commercial and industrial growth, most recently from data centers. 

As our use and reliance on new technologies – and subsequently energy demand – has grown, largescale renewable energy development has emerged as a rapidly growing driver of farmland loss. While these technologies hold promise for local economic development, community resilience and producers looking to diversify their income, it also raises urgent questions about the future of agricultural communities. 

With authority over zoning, permitting and land use in many states, county leaders are charged with balancing long-term community needs with individual property rights. These decisions unfold within a complex web of federal, state, local and tribal policies, making land use one of the most layered and contentious policy arenas in county government. 

The recent shift in federal focus toward securing U.S. energy dominance through expanded domestic energy production has further underscored the urgency for counties to develop balanced, locally driven strategies for energy development. Counties believe that local, state and federal policy must guide energy development in ways that support economic opportunity and energy resilience while protecting agricultural viability. 

As frontline decision-makers, county governments are facing the challenge of shaping how energy and agriculture can coexist. With thoughtful planning, comprehensive engagement and adaptive policy tools, county officials can ensure renewable energy development strengthens, rather than supplants, the agricultural foundation of America.

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KEY FINDINGS

1. Rapid Growth in Renewable Energy: The U.S. renewable energy sector is expanding rapidly, driven by technological advancements, public investment and surging electricity demand, particularly from high-intensity industrial uses like data centers. Solar energy is projected to account for nearly three-quarters of renewable electricity generation growth by the end of 2025.
2. Farmland at Risk: The U.S. has lost nearly onetenth of the nation’s total farmland since 1997, equivalent to the farmland in Iowa and Indiana combined. Utility-scale renewable energy development, particularly solar, represents a growing contributor to farmland conversion.
3. Counties at a Crossroads: County officials face unique challenges in balancing renewable energy projects with farmland preservation, including competing land uses, rights of property owners, broader community economic benefits (including local tax revenues), environmental impacts and complex regulatory landscapes.

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Empower Local Renewable Energy Siting: Allow county governments to guide renewable energy development toward preferred locations, such as on existing structures, brownfield sites and marginal agricultural land, while incentivizing practices that protect prime farmland, maintain agricultural productivity and safeguard soil health.
2. Protect Local Authority and Consultation: Preserve the ability of counties to shape renewable energy siting and permitting in ways that reflect local values and decision making, without federal and state preemption. Encourage project leads to consult with county governments throughout the lifecycle of renewable energy projects to ensure alignment with local priorities and greater opportunities for success.
3. Invest in Research and Best Practices: Advance research into innovative renewable energy siting approaches and compatible land uses, such as agrivoltaics, to optimize both energy production and agricultural benefits.
4. Establish Environmental Safeguards: Ensure project developers adhere to standards that protect soil health, preserve water rights and minimize long-term environmental impacts beyond the lifecycle of renewable energy projects.