EMERSON, Iowa (KMTV) — Davis McGrew's family has farmed the same land in Mills County since 1890. Now, a few miles to the south, a 400-acre solar project is taking shape — and the 21-year-old has questions.
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"I'm not opposed to solar, nor renewable energy. I think a problem that I have, or residents of the county have, is it being placed on productive farmland," said the fifth generation farmer and Iowa State University senior.
The MidAmerican Mills County solar project has been in development since 2020, says Kelsy Ballard, senior director of project development for MidAmerican.
"It's important to MidAmerican that we partner with landowners," Ballard said.
Some farmers, including McGrew, have raised concerns about whether the land could be cultivated in the future, if the top soil is disturbed.
"Solar modules are set on metal I-beams that are driven into the ground, so there's really little land disturbance if we were to remove the solar facilities," Ballard said.
She says the utility company plans to plant native grasses on the site, which could benefit pollinators and soil health, and the company is testing grazing sheep on its solar sites.
McGrew's biggest concern centers on the cost of farmland in the region, which already sells for roughly $10,000 per acre.
"So, you couple that with renewable energy projects or just other things that come and compete against farmers for farmland," he said.
That competition makes it harder for farmers to expand — or even get started.
MidAmerican purchased the land for the Mills County project, but Ballard says MidAmerican's land lease agreements can benefit older farmers.
"It's allowed them to retire, sell their equipment, but still own land and keep land that's been in their family for generations," she said.
McGrew says he hopes the growth of renewable energy comes with careful consideration.
"Renewables are a good thing, I would say, but we have to balance what we're losing when we put them in practice," McGrew said.
The solar project is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Ballard says it will generate enough energy to power 9,000 existing customers.
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