… I understand and support the intent behind SGMA; conserving groundwater is essential to the long-term survival of agriculture in this state. But the reality is stark: as SGMA is implemented, vast swaths of productive farmland—nearly a million acres statewide—are being fallowed, with no clear economic alternative for the land or the people who rely on it. … AB 1156 would allow landowners to lease fallowed land for clean energy development through updated solar use easements. It provides a stable, dependable source of income to support families, workers, and communities—while still honoring the land.
–Written by Cameron Moors, manager of Renton and Terry Farms LLC and co-founder and business development officer of SunHarvest Partners.