By Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce

JACKSON — At the Morning Session of Thursday’s Solar Summit held by the Mississippi Public Service Commission, Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson expressed serious concerns regarding the long-term impact of so-called “solar farms” being deployed in massive scale on Mississippi farmland throughout the state.

While acknowledging the demand for solar power as part of Mississippi’s statewide energy generation, Commissioner Gipson discussed recent international and federal policies driving up artificial financial incentives to convert farmland into thousands of acres of solar panels.

“I don’t blame the farmers. I respect and fight for the property rights of landowners. I do blame the failed policies and the false economy put into place by the Biden-Harris Administration. Farmers are our true conservationists. They are currently facing tremendous inflationary and regulatory pressures, making it challenging to stay in business, and those pressures are resulting in the expanded solar footprint across rural Mississippi,” said Commissioner Gipson. 

Multiple issues need to be addressed at a statewide level regarding proposed projects. Commissioner Gipson called for a statewide permitting process to ensure the environmental habitat as well as the economic value of Mississippi farmland are not harmed and added inflationary pressures are not put on farmers.

Commissioner Gipson thanked members of the Public Service Commission, Chairman Chris Brown, Commissioner De’Keither Stamps and Commissioner Wayne Carr for holding the summit and for their efforts to find a long-term solution for the State of Mississippi. 

“I look forward to working with members of the Public Service Commission and the Mississippi

Legislature to make sure Mississippi’s energy supply is efficient and reliable and does not result in adverse consequences to agriculture and our rural way of life,” said Commissioner Gipson.

The full Morning Session of the Solar Summit can be viewed here with Commissioner Gipson’s remarks beginning at the 51:00 mark.