I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8277 

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on the effects 

of solar panel installations on covered farmland, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 7, 2024 

Mrs. MILLER of Illinois introduced the following bill; which was referred to 

the Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study 

on the effects of solar panel installations on covered 

farmland, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Preserving America’s 

5 Farmland Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. STUDY ON EFFECTS OF SOLAR PANEL INSTALLA7 TIONS ON COVERED FARMLAND. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation 

9 with the Secretary of Energy, shall conduct a study on 


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1 the effects of solar panel installations on the conversion 

2 of covered farmland out of agricultural production. 

3 (b) ELEMENTS.—The study required under sub4 section (a) shall include the following: 

5 (1) An analysis of the economic effects of solar 

6 panel installations on— 

7 (A) converted and adjacent covered farm8 land, including on— 

9 (i) crop yields; 

10 (ii) land values, including adjacent 

11 properties; and 

12 (iii) land access and tenure; 

13 (B) local economies; and 

14 (C) food security. 

15 (2) The impacts of solar panel installation, op16 eration, and decommissioning on— 

17 (A) covered farmland; 

18 (B) soil health; 

19 (C) water resources; 

20 (D) wildlife; 

21 (E) water drainage; and 

22 (F) vegetation. 

23 (3) An evaluation of existing Federal, State, or 

24 local tax incentives that encourage solar panel instal25 lations on covered farmland. 


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1 (4) An evaluation of existing Federal, State, or 

2 local incentives to install solar panel installations on 

3 previously disturbed non-agricultural lands, such as 

4 the built environment, contaminated land, or land5 fills. 

6 (5) An evaluation of the effectiveness of pro7 grams administered by the Secretary and the Sec8 retary of Energy that— 

9 (A) incentivize the use of solar energy to 

10 shift development towards the non-agricultural 

11 lands described in paragraph (4); and 

12 (B) discourage solar panel installations 

13 that would transition covered farmland out of 

14 agricultural production. 

15 (6) An estimate of the loss of agricultural pro16 duction on covered farmland due to solar panel in17 stallations. 

18 (c) CONSULTATION WITH RELEVANT STAKE19 HOLDERS.—In carrying out the study required under sub20 section (a), the Secretary shall consult with relevant farm21 ers, ranchers, landowners, agricultural organizations, 

22 State departments of agriculture, conservation organiza23 tions, and land-grant colleges and universities. 

24 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date 

25 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— 


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1 (1) submit to the Committee on Agriculture of 

2 the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

3 Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a 

4 written report on the findings of the study; and 

5 (2) make such report publicly available. 

6 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

7 (1) COVERED FARMLAND.—The term ‘‘covered 

8 farmland’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘farm9 land’’ in section 1540(c)(1) of the Farmland Protec10 tion Policy Act (7 U.S.C. 4201(c)(1)). 

11 (2) LAND GRANT COLLEGES AND UNIVER12 SITIES.—The term ‘‘land grand colleges and univer13 sities’’ has the meaning give the term in section 

14 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Exten15 sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 

16 3103)). 

17 (3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

18 the Secretary of Agriculture. 

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