How Maryland Can Meet Its Energy Goals Without Sacrificing Farmland

By Marshal Cahall

Maryland is losing farmland at an alarming rate, with over 12,000 acres disappearing in just the last five years. This trend jeopardizes our food supply and drives up costs for local products. At the same time, our state undoubtedly needs to increase its domestic energy production.

But the sad fact is that recent policies intended to produce energy have put even more of our finite farmland at risk, threatening the very future of Maryland’s agriculture.

For instance, a new law overrides local zoning to fast-track solar development on agricultural land. Similarly, the controversial Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project transmission line raises the possibility of using eminent domain on farm parcels. These actions prioritize energy development without considering the long-term cost to one of our state’s most valuable resources our finite and limited farmland.

Fortunately, we don’t have to choose between energy and agriculture. We can meet our energy goals by investing in smarter, more sustainable solutions.

First, let’s prioritize solar development on existing infrastructure. Solar panels should be placed on rooftops, over parking lots or on brownfields — areas that are already developed and don’t require the sacrifice of farmland. Incentivizing this approach would make these locations the default for new solar projects.