Dear Members of Congress,  

Domestic energy production holds the key to unlocking an era of innovation, independence, and American dominance. The American Energy Tax Credits are an essential part of America’s winning energy strategy.  For farmers and rural landowners, these tax credits offer opportunities to participate in energy production while retaining farmland for ongoing or future agricultural use. Additionally, the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) allows agricultural producers and rural small businesses to secure grant funding and loan financing, providing critical investments in the livelihoods of our agricultural and rural communities. 

Farmers, rural communities, and landowners want the option to deploy agrivoltaic solar projects that integrate agricultural production and solar energy generation on the same land. Agrivoltaics is a solution for multigenerational farm families that seek to maintain or diversify their farming operations while promoting American energy dominance. The adoption of solar grazing across ~100,000 acres has already begun to revitalize the American sheep industry, and other forms of agrivoltaics are being deployed to accommodate cattle and crops. 

While the costs to deploy agrivoltaics projects can be slightly higher due to burying cables and increased row spacing, these costs can be absorbed if the Section 48E tax credit is preserved. With agrivoltaic projects, rural communities and economies directly benefit from solar tax credits. REAP funding also opens the door to renewable energy deployment for small family farms, offsetting energy costs and providing stable income for farmers’ futures. 

More broadly, solar is a vast and growing industry, with about 300,000 Americans employed across the sector. The solar industry represents companies and workers in all 50 states and U.S. territories, rooted in small businesses and local communities. It’s a critical part of the American energy economy, and the jobs created are at risk without continued support.   

Electricity demand and costs are growing at the fastest rate in decades, and the US requires an aggressive, all of the above energy strategy to maintain leadership in AI, data centers, and other burgeoning technologies. Without rapid pursuit of energy deployment, we face the risk of runaway energy costs for businesses and consumers.  

As Congress advances its tax agenda to strengthen the American economy, we ask that you take into account the practical economic benefits afforded by American energy tax credits, including the 48E tax credit, and REAP funds - and ensure that they remain in place to continue to benefit farmers, ranchers, and landowners.   

We thank you for your work in ushering in a new era of American energy dominance, and we look forward to partnering in this shared endeavor.   

Sincerely,