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WFU Calls For Changes to Farmland Preservation Bill


Solar panels with native plantings underneath.

On Thursday, February 5, 2026 Wisconsin Farmers Union (WFU) Government Relations Director, Michelle Ramirez-White, submitted testimony to the Assembly Committee on Agriculture related to AB 900 which seeks to limit claimable acres for the Farmland Preservation Tax Credit. If passed, the law would limit tax credit eligibility for land where photovoltaic energy systems are present without an agricultural use.


WFU provided feedback on the bill, calling for an amendment to allow acreages that are fully implementing agrivoltaics and/ or native pollinator habitat to be eligible for the Farmland Preservation Tax Credit. 


See WFU's full testimony below:

 

RE: Assembly Bill 900 - Relating to eligibility for farmland preservation tax credits


Registration position: Other


Chair Tranel and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to comment on behalf of Wisconsin Farmers Union (WFU) on Assembly Bill 900, relating to limiting the claimable acres for the farmland preservation tax credit for land where a photovoltaic energy system is present without agricultural use. 


WFU, founded in 1930 in Elk Mound Wisconsin, is the second largest general agricultural organization in the state. WFU supports small and medium size family farmers and rural communities. The membership represents a wide array of farm types: conventional, organic, dairy, grain, livestock, and specialty crop producers.


WFU opposes Farmland Preservation Tax Credits being used for utility scale solar installations unless agrivoltaics and/or native pollinator habitat are fully implemented. 


Agrivoltaics is defined by co-locating solar systems and agriculture on the same land; this involves placing agricultural production, such as crops, livestock, or pollinator habitat, underneath solar panels or between rows of solar panels (1). Research in agrivoltaics being done by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are exploring how proper planning, mitigation, and construction techniques can reduce environmental impacts of large-scale solar installations. This research also investigates how to keep land under and around the system available for agricultural production, including pollinator habitats, livestock grazing, and crop production (2).


We request AB 900 be amended to clearly allow acres fully implementing agrivoltaics and/ or native pollinator habitat to be eligible for the farmland preservation tax credit. 


This distinction is important because investment in pollinator habitat and farming under solar panels presents significant benefits to local farmers and ecology. With our requested amendment for inclusion, it will provide incentive for developers to invest in working with farmers, many of whom are young and beginning farmers seeking land access. 


Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on this proposed legislation.



Find more details on WFU’s solar and farmland preservation policy in the policy book.


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