Grazing sheep beneath utility-scale solar arrays can build wealth of present and future sheep farmers as vegetation management service providers and access to additional pasture.  The Cornell Cooperative Enterprise Program (CEP) conducted a survey earlier this year completed by over 600 farmers. Farmers identified barriers to grazing sheep under solar arrays and weighed in on need for a producer-led organization to negotiate contracts on their behalf, coordinate logistics of multiple flocks, provide transport of sheep to and from the site, care for sheep while on-site, and provide supplemental mowing. Additional questions focused on processing and marketing needs. 

Funding for A New Dawn for Shepherds: Grazing Sheep under Utility-scale Solar Arrays was made possible by USDA Agricultural Marketing Services, Federal State Marketing Improvement Program through grant agreement 21FSMIPNY1002. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.

Solar array mtg Mt Morris (PDF; 180KB)