Save the Farm, Save the Future: Securing Local Ownership in Ohio’s Clean Energy Transition

Agriculture in Southeastern Ohio is under growing economic pressure. Production costs continue to rise, markets remain volatile, and land taxes do not pause during difficult seasons. For many farmers, agricultural income alone is no longer sufficient to ensure long-term stability. Meanwhile, the rapid growth of the clean energy sector has brought new interest to rural land, particularly from developers seeking farmland suitable for large-scale solar generation.

Recently, the documentary Save the Farm, Save the Future highlighted an emerging model called agrivoltaics—the dual use of land for both solar power generation and continued agricultural activity. In Colorado, ranchers demonstrated that livestock grazing beneath elevated solar arrays can improve forage quality while generating predictable energy revenue. This approach illustrates how renewable energy development and agricultural productivity can coexist rather than compete.

However, these conversations must reflect the history and realities of our region. Southeastern Ohio sits within Appalachian counties that have endured repeated cycles of extractive industry: coal, timber, manufacturing, and natural gas. Those industries brought short-term revenue but exported long-term value. Too often, profits left while the risks and environmental impacts stayed behind. The development of solar energy must not repeat that pattern.

Solar development is accelerating, while farmland available for food production gradually declines. The question is not whether solar belongs in rural Ohio—it does. The question is who benefits from it, who governs it, and who bears responsibility for its entire operational lifespan.

Today’s solar development model often follows a predictable sequence. A developer acquires land access and permits, then sells the project to investors seeking rapid returns. Those investors may sell again mid-life as market conditions change. Near the end of the project’s life, responsibility for decommissioning may be unclear or financially unsupported.

Without strong contractual protections, the landowner may inherit stranded infrastructure and unfunded environmental obligations—a familiar burden for Appalachian communities.

There is, however, a proactive alternative. Instead of conventional leases that separate landowners from project governance, local farmers and institutions can structure cooperative ownership. Through shared equity in the energy asset, farmers retain a clear voice in land management decisions and a share of the long-term financial value.

This can be achieved by aligning three key local entities: farmers as land contributors, a county-based or regional energy cooperative as operational manager, and a local bank or credit union as the financing partner.

By grounding ownership in the communities hosting solar infrastructure, agrivoltaics strengthens agricultural resilience, maintains food-producing landscapes, and supports rural economic development. It keeps revenue circulating locally rather than exporting profits outward. It also supports responsible stewardship by ensuring that decommissioning and land restoration are incorporated from the start.

To ensure agrivoltaics advances the interests of rural Southeastern Ohio, the following principles must guide solar development on farmland:

• Agricultural use must be preserved through the lifetime of the project.
• Local ownership and decision-making authority must be contractually secured.
• Decommissioning bonds or escrow funds must be established before construction.
• Energy revenues must benefit rural economies and services.

Solar power is coming to Appalachian Ohio. That is not a matter of speculation—it is an active and accelerating trend. What remains undecided is whether rural residents will hold a stake in what is built on our land, or whether outside entities will dictate the terms and capture the value.

This moment represents a pivotal opportunity. If farmers, rural residents, and county leaders coordinate early and assertively, Southeastern Ohio can establish a model in which clean energy expands agricultural viability rather than replacing it. Community-centered agrivoltaics can help preserve farmland, reinforce local institutions, and sustain the long-term economic health of the region.

I ask you to reach out to your local and state elected.  Effective solutions begin with shared knowledge and shared purpose.

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