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Rep. Bost:  Answer to solar encroachment lies in new farm bill

Southern Illinois farmers are concerned about the encroachment of solar farms on farmland.

Washington County zoning administrator Matt Bierman says solar development interest is rising.

“From what’s come through my office, if you figure out what their project sizes are, we’re at about 35,000 acres.”  He says, “Our comprehensive plan for the county says maintain agriculture.  This is not maintaining agriculture.”

Congressman Mike Bost tells Brownfield his SOLAR Act, included in the House Ag Committee’s new farm bill, aims to protect prime ground.

“It still gives the opportunity if a farmer wants to generate electricity for their own farm in areas that are not prime farmland.”  He says, “So that way it allows for farmland to stay in production.”

However, Bost doesn’t expect passage of a new farm bill before the end of the fiscal year.

“We’ll definitely extend because we’ve gotta do that by the end of September, and I don’t think we’ll get this done,” he says.

Brownfield spoke with Bost and Bierman at the Congressman’s Solar Sitdown event Wednesday in Nashville, Illinois.

AUDIO: Rep. Mike Bost