,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #bica  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #bf 
7legislative day1 ,september #bb71      
#bjbc,ms4 ,baldwin 7for herself and ,mr4
 ,grassley7 introduced the following    
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,agriculture1      
,nutrition1 and ,forestry  ,a ,,bill    
,to amend the ,farm ,security and ,rural
 ,investment ,act of #bjjb to modify the
 ,rural ,energy for ,america ,program1  
and for other purposes4  #a4 ,short     
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,protecting ,future ,farmland ,act of   
#bjbc4  #b4 ,definition of agrivoltaic  
system for ,,usda programs  7a7 ,in     
general ,the ,secretary of ,agriculture 
7referred to in this section as the     
,secretary7 shall incorporate the       
definition of the term agrivoltaic      
system under subsection 7b7 into all    
applicable programs of the ,department  
of ,agriculture relating to agrivoltaic 
systems4  7b7 ,definition of agrivoltaic

 system  7#a7 ,in general ,effective    
beginning on the date of enactment of   
this ,act and ending on the date on     
which the ,secretary develops a         
definition under paragraph 7#b71 the    
term agrivoltaic system means a system  
under which solar energy production and 
agricultural production1 including crop 
or animal production1 occurs in an      
integrated manner on the same piece of  
land through the duration of a solar    
project4  7#b7 ,subsequent definition   
7,a7 ,in general ,based on the results  
of the study conducted under section    
#f7;a71 the ,secretary1 in consultation 
with the ,secretary of ,energy and farm 
and conservation groups1 shall develop a
 definition of the term agrivoltaic     
system for purposes of the incorporation
 of agrivoltaic systems into-- 7i7      
,federal agricultural conservation      
programs2  7ii7 ,federal agricultural   
risk management programs1 including     
,federal crop insurance2  7iii7 ,federal
 renewable energy programs2  7iv7       

,federal agricultural procurement       
programs2  7v7 ,federal investment tax  
credits2 and  7vi7 such other programs  
as the ,secretary determines to be      
appropriate4  7,b7 ,considerations ,in  
developing the definition of agrivoltaic
 system under subparagraph 7,a71 the    
,secretary shall consider-- 7i7 using or
 modifying the definition under         
paragraph 7#a72  7ii7 regional needs and
 variations in climate1 soils1 costs1   
existing infrastructure1 and market     
access for agrivoltaic system products2 
7iii7 existing ,state and local         
agrivoltaic system policies and         
definitions2 and  7iv7 such other       
factors as the ,secretary determines to 
be appropriate4  #c4 ,rural ,energy for 
,america ,program ,section #ijjg of the 
,farm ,security and ,rural ,investment  
,act of #bjjb 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #hajg7 is   
amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b77#c7--  
7,a7 in subparagraph 7,d71 by striking  
and environmental benefits2  7,b7 by    
redesignating subparagraphs 7,e7 and    

7,f7 as subparagraphs 7,f7 and 7,g71    
respectively2 and  7,c7 by inserting    
after subparagraph 7,d7 the following3  
7,e7 the expected environmental benefits
 and impacts of the proposed program2  2
 and  7#b7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 in  
paragraph 7#b7-- 7i7 by redesignating   
subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,g7 as      
clauses 7i7 through 7vii71 respectively1
 and indenting appropriately2  7ii7 in  
the matter preceding clause 7i7 7as so  
redesignated71 by striking the paragraph
 designation and heading and all that   
follows through ,in determining and     
inserting the following3  7#b7 ,award   
selection  7,a7 ,considerations ,in     
determining  2  7iii7 in subparagraph   
7,a77iii7 7as so designated71 by        
inserting and impacts after benefits2   
and  7iv7 by adding at the end the      
following3  7,b7 ,prioritization        
considerations for tier #c projects ,in 
selecting projects described in         
paragraph 7#d77;,d7 relating to a solar 
energy system to receive loan guarantees

 under this subsection1 the ,secretary  
shall give priority to projects for     
which a plan for soil1 water1 and       
vegetation management and conservation1 
including a plan that includes an       
agrivoltaic system 7as defined in       
section #b of the ,protecting ,future   
,farmland ,act of #bjbc71 has been      
developed4  2  7,b7 in paragraph 7#d7-- 
7i7 in subparagraph 7,e71 by striking   
tier ,i and inserting tier #a2 and  7ii7
 by adding at the end the following3    
7,f7 ,collection of data for tier #c    
,the ,secretary shall collect data from 
each application submitted for a project
 described in subparagraph 7,d7 relating
 to a solar energy system1 which shall  
include1 with respect to the proposed   
project in the application-- 7i7 whether
 the proposed project involves ground   
disturbance2  7ii7 whether energy       
generation is primarily for on- or      
off-farm use2  7iii7 the percentage of  
farmland in the proposed facility area  
that is designated by the ,secretary as 

prime1 statewide important1 or unique   
farmland 7as those terms are defined in 
section #feg4f of title #g1 ,code of    
,federal ,regulations 7or successor     
regulations772 and  7iv7 whether an     
agrivoltaic system 7as defined in       
section #b of the ,protecting ,future   
,farmland ,act of #bjbc7 is planned4  2 
and  7,c7 by adding at the end the      
following3  7#e7 ,report ,not later than
 #b years after the date of enactment of
 the ,protecting ,future ,farmland ,act 
of #bjbc1 the ,secretary shall submit to
 ,congress a report on the benefits and 
impacts of solar energy development on  
agricultural land1 including-- 7,a7 a   
description of opportunities to         
maximize-- 7i7 renewable energy         
deployment and usage2 and  7ii7         
protection of agricultural land2 and    
7,b7 by evaluating and using data       
collected under paragraph 7#d77;,f74  4 
#d4 ,best practices guidance for solar  
energy land management  7a7 ,in general 
,not later than #a year after the date  

of enactment of this ,act1 the          
,secretary of ,agriculture1 acting      
through the ,chief of the ,natural      
,resources ,conservation ,service       
7referred to in this section as the     
,secretary71 in collaboration with the  
,secretary of ,energy 7including the    
,solar ,energy ,technologies ,office7   
and the national office of the rural    
development mission area of the         
,department of ,agriculture1 shall--    
7#a7 develop both national and          
regionally relevant guidance on best    
practices for protection of soil health 
and productivity during the siting1     
construction1 operation1 and            
decommissioning of solar energy systems 
on agricultural land1 which shall       
include-- 7,a7 guidance for-- 7i7 soil  
carbon and soil health2  7ii7 water     
management2  7iii7 vegetation           
management1 including types of plants   
best suited for pollinators2 and  7iv7  
other practices1 as determined          
appropriate by the ,secretary of        

,agriculture2 and  7,b7 regional        
considerations for each type of guidance
 described in clauses 7i7 through 7iv7  
of subparagraph 7,a72 and  7#b7 make the
 guidance developed under paragraph 7#a7
 publicly available on the website of   
the ,natural ,resources ,conservation   
,service4  7b7 ,review required ,the    
,secretary1 acting through the ,chief of
 the ,natural ,resources ,conservation  
,service1 in coordination with the      
,secretary of ,energy1 shall-- 7#a7     
update guidance developed under         
subsection 7a77#a7 not less frequently  
than once every #b years2 and  7#b7     
ensure1 to the maximum extent           
practicable1 the completeness and       
relevance of that guidance4  7c7        
,consultation ,in conducting the review 
under subsection 7b71 the ,secretary    
shall consult with eligible             
participants1 ,state technical          
committees established under section    
#abfa7;a7 of the ,food ,security ,act of
 #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chfa7;a771 crop  

consultants1 cooperative extension and  
land grant universities1 nongovernmental
 organizations1 industry1 and other     
qualified entities4  #e4 ,technical     
assistance  7a7 ,technical assistance   
under ,,nrcs programs ,in carrying out  
the conservation programs of the        
,secretary of ,agriculture1 the         
,secretary of ,agriculture may provide  
technical assistance under those        
programs to farmers growing crops below 
or in tandem with solar energy systems4 
7b7 ,private grazing land conservation  
assistance ,section #abdj,m7c77#a7 of   
the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af  
,u4,s4,c4 #chci;bb7c77#a77 is amended-- 
7#a7 in subparagraph 7,h71 by striking  
and at the end2  7#b7 in subparagraph   
7,i71 by striking the period at the end 
and inserting 2 and2 and  7#c7 by adding
 at the end the following3  7,j7        
supporting planning1 management1 and    
coordination of grazing in agrivoltaic  
systems 7as defined in section #b of the
 ,protecting ,future ,farmland ,act of  

#bjbc74  4  #f4 ,study on agrivoltaic   
systems  7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary
 of ,agriculture 7referred to in this   
section as the ,secretary71 in          
coordination with the ,secretary of     
,energy and relevant experts1 shall     
conduct a study on agrivoltaic systems  
that shall include-- 7#a7 a review of   
the current research and gaps in        
research relating to the regional       
compatibility of different species of   
livestock with different agrivoltaic    
system designs1 including-- 7,a7 the    
optimal height of and distance between  
solar panels for-- 7i7 livestock        
grazing2 and  7ii7 shade for livestock2 
7,b7 manure management considerations2  
7,c7 fencing requirements2  7,d7 other  
animal handling considerations2 and     
7,e7 the incorporation of apiculture2   
7#b7 an assessment of animal breeding   
research needs with respect to          
beneficial and compatible               
characteristics and behaviors of        
different species of grazing animals in 

agrivoltaic systems2  7#c7 a review of  
the current research and gaps in        
research relating to the regional       
compatibility of different crop types   
with different agrivoltaic system       
designs1 including-- 7,a7 the optimal   
height of and distance between solar    
panels for-- 7i7 plant shading2 and     
7ii7 farm equipment use2  7,b7 the      
impact on crop yield2 and  7,c7 market  
opportunities to sell crops at a premium
 price2  7#d7 an assessment of plant    
breeding research needs with respect to 
beneficial and compatible               
characteristics of different crops1     
including specialty and perennial crops1
 in agrivoltaic systems2  7#e7 a        
risk-benefit analysis of agrivoltaic    
systems in different regions of the     
,united ,states1 including a comparison 
between the total greenhouse gas impact 
of agrivoltaic systems and solar energy 
systems that displace agricultural      
production2  7#f7 an assessment of the  
economic scalability of agrivoltaic     

systems across different agricultural   
land types1 production systems1 and     
regional markets2  7#g7 an assessment of
 the types of agricultural land best    
suited and worst suited for agrivoltaic 
systems2  7#h7 an assessment of how to  
best develop agrivoltaic systems on a   
national and local scale consistent     
with-- 7,a7 maintaining or increasing   
agricultural production2  7,b7          
increasing agricultural resilience2     
7,c7 retaining prime farmland2  7,d7    
increasing economic opportunities in    
farming and rural communities2  7,e7    
reducing nonfarmer ownership of         
farmland2 and  7,f7 enhancing           
biodiversity2  7#i7 an assessment of the
 unique risk management and crop        
insurance needs of agrivoltaic systems2 
7#aj7 an assessment of how ,federal     
procurement of agricultural products    
could help build a market for           
agricultural products from farms with   
agrivoltaic systems2 and  7#aa7 an      
assessment of appropriate modifications 

to better incorporate agrivoltaic       
systems into existing-- 7,a7 ,federal   
agricultural conservation programs2     
7,b7 ,federal agricultural risk         
management programs1 including ,federal 
crop insurance2  7,c7 ,federal renewable
 energy programs2  7,d7 ,federal        
agricultural procurement programs2 and  
7,e7 ,federal investment tax credits4   
7b7 #e-,year plan ,based on the study   
under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary    
shall develop a #e-year plan for using  
the research1 extension1 outreach1      
conservation1 and renewable energy      
activities of the ,department of        
,agriculture to better support          
agrivoltaic systems that do not displace
 agricultural production4  7c7 ,report  
,not later than #c years after the date 
of enactment of this ,act1 the          
,secretary shall submit to the          
,committee on ,agriculture of the ,house
 of ,representatives and the ,committee 
on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and        
,forestry of the ,senate a report       

containing the results of the study     
conducted under subsection 7a74