USDA to Block Funding for Solar Panels on Prime Farmland
The USDA announced plans to halt funding for solar panels on prime farmland, aiming to protect agricultural land use and prioritise food security over renewable energy development in rural areas.
August 20, 2025. By EI News Network
The US Department of Agriculture will no longer provide funding for solar and wind projects, Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced in a post on X.
Framing the move as a food-security measure, the USDA said it would block taxpayer dollars from being used for solar projects on prime farmland and bar panels made by “foreign adversaries,” arguing that subsidies have driven up land prices and reduced farmers’ access to acreage.
Further, according to the USDA statement, officials including Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Senator Marsha Blackburn, Senator Bill Hagerty, Representative John Rose, and USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden supported the decision.
The officials argued that subsidised solar farms have made it harder for farmers to access land by driving up costs and reducing availability. Tennessee has already lost more than 1.2 million acres of farmland over the past 30 years and is projected to lose another 2 million acres by 2027. Nationwide, farmland covered by solar panels has increased nearly 50 percent since 2012.
“Tennessee farmland should be used to grow the crops that feed our state and country, not to house solar panels made by foreign countries,” said Senator Blackburn. “Secretary Rollins and President Trump are right to put an end to these Green New Deal subsidies that waste taxpayer dollars while threatening America’s food security. I applaud this administration for investing in rural communities across Tennessee and empowering them to prosper for years to come," noted Blackburn.
“Secretary Rollins understands that food security is national security, and preserving prime farmland for agricultural production is a key component of protecting our food supply. I look forward to working with her and this Administration to ensure any incentives for renewable energy projects have commonsense safeguards in place that provide options for producers while protecting our most productive farmland,” said House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn Thompson.
“The land that feeds America should never be sacrificed for unreliable green energy experiments subsidized by taxpayer dollars. With this action, the USDA is making it clear that agriculture, not foreign-made solar panels, belongs on America’s farmland. This step ensures our land, food supply, and rural traditions are protected for generations to come,” said Representative Tom Tiffany.
“There is no such thing as a solar farm. It is a waste of one of our most precious resources, our land. The extortion of the American taxpayers through solar subsidies, and the destruction of our farm and forest resources, has gone on for far too long. I commend Secretary Rollins for taking action to keep taxpayer dollars from being wasted on solar panels, purchased from our adversaries, and to no longer allow these unaffordable “green” projects to waste space on our American farmland and destroy our forest and wildlife habitat,” said Representative Austin Scott.
“The Trump Administration is continuing to listen to those at home who were struggling under the previous administration’s Green New Scam. It’s been proven time and time again that subsidies negatively impact market pricing, passing the cost directly to consumers. I applaud the work of the USDA protecting national security, prioritizing American products first, and amplifying an all-of-the-above energy approach,” said Congressman Ralph Norman
“Green New Deal subsidies have distorted the energy market and supplanted American farmland. USDA is taking decisive action which complements policies I supported in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, ending the misuse of taxpayer dollars and upholding our national security interests in energy infrastructure. I appreciate Secretary Rollins’ leadership in restoring common sense to these USDA programs,” said Representative Adrian Smith.
This action, according to USDA, is aimed at reducing market distortions and costs imposed on taxpayers by energy subsidies. It builds on the repeal and modifications of wind, solar, and other “green” energy tax credits in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The department said the decision will further its determination to end taxpayer support for unaffordable and unreliable “green” energy sources while ensuring the supply chain relies on American products and manufacturing.
Effective immediately, USDA announced that wind and solar projects are no longer eligible under the Rural Development Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program. Under the Rural Energy for America Program Guaranteed Loan Program (REAP), farmers, ranchers, and producers may only use wind and solar systems that are right-sized for their facilities.
Applications for ground-mount solar photovoltaic systems larger than 50 kW, or those that cannot document historical energy usage, will no longer be eligible. Priority points for REAP grants will also no longer be awarded to such projects.
It may be mentioned that through its REAP, the USDA has awarded more than USD 4 billion to support energy projects across rural and agricultural communities.
The Department stressed that it remains committed to investing in rural America through loans, grants, and loan guarantees to promote prosperity. USDA Rural Development programs continue to expand access to high-speed internet, electric and transportation infrastructure, while supporting business growth, healthcare, education, housing, and other essentials for rural communities.
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