Tell Trump's Dept of Agriculture: Support Farmers Building Clean, Affordable Energy

Dear Secretary Rollins, In celebration of harvest season and all the hard work of the farmers and ranchers that sustain our communities, I strongly oppose the proposed changes to the USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Farm work is getting more difficult due to hotter temperatures and unpredictable rainfall– reducing crop yields, harming livestock, and making it harder for farmers to feed their families and all of us. But we have a solution to rising costs and temperatures: renewable energy. Since 2008, farmers have relied on REAP to develop solar and wind projects on their land. These homegrown renewable energy projects help farmers access cheap, reliable power and provide a critical, drought-proof source of revenue. Rural Americans are already being squeezed by tariffs and high operating costs. We shouldn’t make it harder to install affordable, renewable energy and make efficiency upgrades on their land. Studies show that, when farmers install wind and solar on their land, they can increase crop yields, help their livestock, and earn substantial income through land-lease payments. Farmers and ranchers should have the option to bring clean power onto their property. The government shouldn’t stand in their way. Less than 0.1 percent of farmland is used for wind turbines and solar arrays, yet farmers who choose to host these projects can earn thousands of dollars each year in land-lease payments. The benefits of solar on farmland are many: - Solar panels mounted above vegetation can provide beneficial shade, helping increase yields for crops like lettuce and leafy greens. - Increased shade reduces evaporation, decreasing water usage for crops by up to 29% and mitigating soil erosion. - Responsibly managed solar farms provide refuge for endangered pollinators, improving crop productivity and supporting native species. - Solar power provides cheap, reliable electricity to rural communities, helping farmers keep their bills low and the lights on. - On average, farmers with solar arrays on their property can increase the economic value of their farm by 30 percent, and increase their annual income by around 8 percent. Renewable power is farmer power. The proposed revisions to REAP harm farmers and ranchers, and place further burdens on rural communities. We urge you to reverse course and instead strengthen and expand this critical program.