Minnesota Agrivoltaics Project Mixes Farming and Solar Power

# What happened

# Who's involved The project is run by The Food Group, a Minnesota nonprofit that supports emerging farmers and fights hunger, together with U.S. Solar and Conexus Energy. The Food Group provides access to land for farmers who otherwise struggle to secure multi-year leases.

# Why this matters locally Access to land is a common barrier for emerging farmers, especially immigrants and farmers of color. Short, year-to-year leases make it hard to invest in organic certification or long-term soil improvement. The Big Lake agrivoltaics arrangement offers longer-term tenancy, added infrastructure such as irrigation and a walk-in cooler, and a nearby location for farmers like Sylvah who live in Otsego.

# What agrivoltaics delivers here Agrivoltaics places crops or livestock under and between solar panels. In Big Lake, produce is grown between panel rows. Research cited in the project shows:

• Iowa State University trials found similar yields for many fruits and vegetables grown in agrivoltaic plots compared with conventional plots, as long as irrigation is available.

Iowa State Professor Ajay Nair notes there is typically enough space between rows for tilling, because wiring is buried and does not block cultivation. He also points to practical co-benefits: solar companies already install fencing and farmers regularly on-site can spot and report damage.

# Practical changes on the ground The Big Lake site added irrigation and a walk-in cooler, making production and distribution more viable. Farmers can cultivate plots between panel rows without losing comparable yields, and grazing systems are a common agrivoltaic use in the U.S.

# Policy and funding context The project expansion arrives as federal support for programs that aided new and diverse farmers has been reduced. The Food Group has said it will not actively pursue federal grants tied to racial equity programming for the next couple of years, which affects how the nonprofit funds and scales farm access programs.

# What this suggests for other communities Solar projects can be designed or managed to allow agricultural uses on the same land. That can expand land access for small and emerging farmers, provide monitoring and maintenance benefits to solar operators, and support dual uses like produce production and livestock grazing.

# Closing practical point For farmers considering agrivoltaics, the Big Lake example shows that with proper infrastructure and multi-year leases, growing produce or grazing livestock under and among panels can be operationally viable and help stabilize farm access.