A 27-year-old Tennessee diesel mechanic has left his job to become a full-time livestock farmer after gaining grazing access to more than 400 acres of utility-scale solar farms. The arrangement, made through vegetation management contracts at solar sites, allowed the young farmer to expand his flock to more than 300 breeding ewes without having to buy the large amount of land usually needed for a commercial sheep operation. According to regional advocacy group Appalachian Voices, solar grazing, also known as agrivoltaics, is creating new opportunities for small livestock farmers across the American South. The practice involves using sheep to control grass and weeds growing beneath and around ground-mounted solar panels. Solar companies avoid using fuel-powered mowing equipment, while farmers gain access to fenced pasture through long-term grazing agreements.
High land prices make farming difficult for young producers
Finding enough affordable pasture remains one of the biggest challenges for people trying to start commercial livestock farms in the United States. In East and Middle Tennessee, rising land prices and suburban growth have pushed the cost of farmland beyond the reach of many young farmers. Those without inherited family property or large amounts of capital can struggle to purchase enough acreage to make livestock farming financially viable. High equipment costs and expensive land rentals can also force young farmers to keep full-time jobs outside agriculture. That often leaves farming as a smaller side business rather than a full-time career. Solar farms can provide another option through vegetation management agreements. Developers usually surround their facilities with strong fencing and may install water systems. They also plant grass and clover between rows of solar panels, creating pasture that can be used by grazing animals. Sheep can then be brought onto the site to keep vegetation under control. Keeping grass below the lower edge of the solar panels helps prevent plants from interfering with the panels while avoiding the need for heavy mowing equipment. Using sheep also reduces the risk of machinery damaging solar equipment. Tractors and mowers can potentially strike panels, support structures or other equipment, while sheep can graze around the installations without causing the same risks.
Solar grazing creates benefits for both sides
Sheep grazing on solar farms is becoming a growing partnership between renewable energy companies and local farmers. Research and reporting by Appalachian Voices found that solar operators can reduce vegetation maintenance costs by using local shepherds to manage grass and weeds. Farmers, meanwhile, receive access to pasture and an additional source of income. Sheep are particularly suited to solar facilities because of their size. Unlike cattle and horses, sheep can move under relatively low solar panel structures and graze around steel support posts. Their smaller size also allows them to reach areas where standard mowing equipment may have difficulty operating safely. For the Tennessee producer, income from vegetation management contracts provided the financial security needed to leave his diesel mechanic job and work full-time with his livestock. Access to more than 400 acres of solar pasture gave him enough space to grow his breeding flock to more than 300 ewes. The large area also made rotational grazing possible. Under this system, sheep are moved between different fenced sections of pasture, giving grass time to recover. Rotational grazing can also help reduce parasite pressure by preventing animals from repeatedly grazing the same areas.
Solar grazing expands across the US
The growth of sheep grazing on solar farms in Tennessee is part of a wider trend across the US renewable energy industry. Data from the American Solar Grazing Association shows that livestock are now being used to manage vegetation across tens of thousands of acres of solar installations in the country. Sheep grazing is being used at utility-scale solar facilities in more than two dozen states. The practice is creating additional contract income for livestock farmers while providing solar companies with an alternative to conventional vegetation management. Agrivoltaic sites can also provide environmental benefits. Reported benefits include higher organic matter in topsoil, better water retention and lower emissions from mowing equipment. Pastures managed around solar installations can also support soil organisms and pollinators when flowering plants are allowed to grow between grazing cycles. Advocates at Appalachian Voices say combining agriculture with solar development can also reduce some of the land-use concerns surrounding large renewable energy projects.Instead of removing farmland entirely from agricultural use, solar sites can continue supporting livestock production while generating electricity. This approach can be particularly important in rural communities where residents are concerned that large solar developments could replace traditional family farms. With more solar projects expected across the Tennessee Valley and the wider Appalachian region in the coming years, agricultural organisations expect solar grazing to become a larger part of the region’s farming economy. For young farmers facing high land prices, the model offers something that can be difficult to find: access to large areas of pasture without having to buy them outright.
