Illinois farmers are finding that sheep and solar panels make a surprisingly good team, and as a result, they're asking Americans to bring more sheep to the dinner table.
The practice, known as solar grazing, places flocks of sheep in large fields of solar panels to keep vegetation in check. According to Canary Media, it's a win-win: Farmers earn income from both the clean energy projects and the sheep, while solar companies save money on mowing and maintenance. The animals even improve soil quality as they graze.
But for sheep farmers to make a living, there needs to be a stronger demand for lamb meat. Today, most lamb sold in the U.S. is imported from Australia and New Zealand, and American consumers often buy it only for Easter or in halal markets. Advocates say that expanding the market could unlock major benefits for farmers, consumers, and the environment.
"There's really a huge, huge potential for both of these industries to grow and evolve together side by side," Illinois farmer Brooke Watson said, per Canary Media. Her family now grazes 500 ewes across nine solar sites, creating both local food and clean energy simultaneously.
The concept has caught on more quickly in Western states, which have a long tradition of sheep ranching. But in the Midwest, it's still new, especially in Illinois, where corn and soy dominate. Researchers say that, unlike cattle, which can damage panels, sheep are perfectly suited for large solar arrays.
Supporters point out that replacing some corn and soy with sheep is hardly a loss: Much of those crops are used for ethanol or exported abroad. As Watson explained, solar grazing can instead provide "more U.S.-sourced energy production and food production as well."
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Organizations such as the American Solar Grazing Association and the American Farmland Trust are helping to train farmers and establish best practices. Advocates even envision branding opportunities like "Illinois Solar Lamb" to help consumers connect their dinner plates with cleaner energy and healthier farmland.
As Angie Burke of Pivot Energy put it, per Canary Media: "Agrivoltaics is this great way to support those family farmers locally and provide that cost-competitive, locally sourced, and high-protein-value food for those communities that are excited to eat more lamb."
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