ITHACA, N.Y. — 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 to identify the needs and opportunities to work together to overcome the challenges of size and scale to graze sheep beneath utility-scale solar arrays. Nearly 70% of respondents indicated industry need for a producer-led organization to negotiate contracts, provide insurance, transport, and manage sheep once on site. As the number of sheep are likely to increase, 80% of farmers see a need for additional marketing services, branding, slaughter, and processing.
Two meetings are planned to share results of the survey. Most importantly, these meetings will allow farmers to weigh in and suggest next steps to move forward towards developing one or more farmer-led enterprises to advance the interests of farmers grazing sheep beneath solar arrays. The CEP is collaborating with the CCE Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock, & Field Crops team to host a meeting Monday, September 25, 2023, 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the Livingston County Murray Hill office campus, 1 Murray Hill Drive, Mt. Morris, NY 14510. Register by September 25, 5:00 pm at http://tiny.cc/97ravz. For more information or need for accommodation, please contact Nancy Glazier, Livestock Specialist at 585.315.7746, email: [email protected].
CCE Jefferson County and CCE St. Lawrence County are collaborating with the CEP to host a meeting Thursday, September 28, 12:00 to 1:30 PM in the West Room at CCE Jefferson County, 203 North Hamilton St., Watertown, NY 13601. Register for this meeting at http://tiny.cc/53ravz . For more information or need for accommodation, please contact Abbey Jantzi, Dairy & Livestock Specialist at phone: 315.788.8450 X 278, email: [email protected] . For more information about the New Dawn for Shepherds: Grazing Sheep under Utility-scale Solar Arrays, contact Bobbie Severson, CEP Director, phone: 607.255.1987 or email [email protected]. Additional meetings will be held in southern Pennsylvania and New England later this fall.
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.
–Cornell Cooperative Enterprise Program
