Agrivoltaics: Grow Crops and Clean Energy on Same Field

Imagine standing in a field where tomatoes ripen beneath towering solar panels while electricity flows to 300 homes. This isn't science fiction—it's happening right now on Byron Kominek's farm in Colorado, where 3,200 panels stretch across 24 acres of working farmland. He's earning income from both crops and clean energy on the exact same plot of land. But five years ago, bankers told him this dual-use idea was too risky. He had to put up his entire farm as collateral just to prove them wrong.

Welcome to agrivoltaics, the technology that's rewriting the rules of land use and challenging the false choice between food production and renewable energy. As climate pressures mount and populations surge, we're discovering that some of our best solutions hide in plain sight—right there in the space between the ground and the sky.

The Breakthrough That Changes Everything

Agrivoltaics—integrating solar photovoltaic panels with crop cultivation—creates something economists call a "dual revenue stream" and ecologists call a "microclimate miracle." The numbers tell a remarkable story: farmers in California's Central Valley are earning $50,000 per acre annually from these systems while simultaneously cutting water consumption. Meanwhile, lifecycle analysis reveals these dual-use farms emit 69.3% less greenhouse gases and demand 82.9% less fossil energy than running separate food farms and solar installations.

The concept sounds simple. Mount solar panels 6 to 8 feet above crops. Panels generate electricity. Crops grow underneath. Everyone profits. But the reality is far more fascinating than mere co-location.

When solar panels cast partial shade over farmland, they create a localized environment that fundamentally alters growing conditions. Researchers in Arizona and Maryland discovered panels stay 16°F cooler thanks to evaporation from crops below, boosting energy generation by 2%. But the real surprise came from the plants: depending on the species, crops proved 100% to 300% more productive under panels, irrigation needs dropped 15%, and overall water consumption plummeted 157%.

This isn't just about efficiency. It's about resilience. In East Africa, where climate change threatens food security, a collaborative study led by the University of Sheffield found that maize, Swiss chard, and beans didn't just survive under solar panels—they thrived, producing higher yields with less water than conventional open-field agriculture. The shade from panels protected crops during brutal heatwaves while rainwater harvested from the panel surfaces supplemented irrigation.

The Historical Pattern We Keep Repeating

Humanity has faced the land-use dilemma before. When automobiles arrived, cities had to choose between roads and everything else. When suburbs sprawled, we paved over farmland for housing. Each time, we treated land as a single-purpose resource, carving it up into competing uses.

Solar energy seemed destined for the same fate. As renewable targets escalated, governments identified massive acreage for utility-scale solar farms—often prime agricultural land. Environmental groups and farm communities pushed back. The debate framed itself as zero-sum: food or energy, but not both.

Then researchers started asking a different question. What if the choice itself was wrong?

Early simulations by Dupraz and colleagues in 2011 calculated that combining photovoltaics with crops could increase land-use efficiency by 60-70% compared to dedicating separate parcels to each purpose. If just 1% of Europe's existing farmland hosted agrivoltaic installations, the continent could generate over 900 gigawatts of solar capacity—a sixfold increase in renewable energy output without consuming a single additional acre.

The farming sector's own history pointed toward this solution. Intercropping—growing multiple crops together—has been practiced for millennia because polycultures often outperform monocultures. Agrivoltaics extends that logic vertically, layering energy production above food production.

How the Technology Actually Works

Walk beneath an agrivoltaic array and you'll notice the light feels different—softer, dappled, alive with shifting patterns. That's photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), the 400-700 nanometer wavelength range plants use for photosynthesis, filtering through the panels in carefully calculated quantities.

The engineering involves far more than just bolting panels onto poles. System designers must balance competing demands: crops need enough light for photosynthesis, panels need sun exposure for electricity generation, and farm machinery needs clearance to operate. Get the height wrong by a few inches and you've created an expensive obstacle course. Get the spacing wrong and you've either starved your crops or sacrificed too much energy output.

Modern systems employ several architectural approaches. Fixed-tilt arrays mount panels at an angle, typically facing south in the northern hemisphere. These are simple, cost-effective, and work well for shade-tolerant crops like lettuce and spinach. Vertical bifacial systems, pioneered by companies like Next2Sun in Germany, orient panels east-west in tall fences that capture sunlight on both sides. This design permits 76% of standard energy output while allowing tractors to operate between rows—and the alternating light-shade pattern spreads growing conditions more evenly across the field.

The most sophisticated installations use single-axis tracking, where panels follow the sun's daily arc across the sky. Some systems can even be programmed to adjust their angle based on crop growth stages. During a plant's early vegetative phase, panels tilt to provide maximum shade and moisture retention. As crops mature and energy demands peak, panels rotate to allow more direct sunlight while still generating electricity.

Bifacial panels add another dimension. These double-sided modules capture reflected light from the ground—technically called "albedo"—boosting energy output by 10-30% compared to traditional single-sided panels. Farmers can amplify this effect by placing reflective materials like white sand or crushed stone beneath the arrays, essentially turning the ground surface into a secondary solar collector.

But perhaps the most overlooked innovation is water collection. In arid regions, panels double as rain-harvesting infrastructure. A study in Jordan demonstrated that just 4 square meters of solar panels collected 444 liters of water over two months—enough to make a measurable difference in irrigation budgets. Arizona farmers now route panel runoff into storage basins, creating a dual benefit from every rainfall event.

Technology: The Science Behind Dual-Use Energy Farming

The microclimate effects extend beyond simple shade. Panels reduce wind speed at ground level, minimizing evapotranspiration—the combined loss of water through soil evaporation and plant transpiration. Studies across multiple climate zones show evaporation reductions of 14-29% in desert environments and 30-40% in semi-arid grasslands.

This moisture retention creates a positive feedback loop. Soil stays damper longer. Plants experience less water stress. Root systems develop more extensively. The result: researchers in Colorado found grass productivity under solar panels increased by up to 90% during dry years compared to control sites without panels.

Temperature moderation matters too. Panels absorb ultraviolet and infrared radiation—wavelengths that damage plant cells and drive up heat stress—while allowing most PAR to pass through or diffuse underneath. During the 2022 European heatwave, French vineyards under agrivoltaic canopies maintained berry quality and avoided the heat damage that devastated conventional vineyards nearby.

The energy side of the equation benefits as well. Solar panel efficiency degrades at high temperatures. When crops grow beneath panels, evapotranspiration cools the array. That 16°F temperature reduction translates to measurably higher electrical output—the Arizona-Maryland study documented a 2% generation increase, enough to meaningfully improve project economics over a 25-year lifespan.

Critical to all of this is precise monitoring. Open-source PAR sensors, developed by researchers at institutions like the University of Pennsylvania, now allow farmers to track light levels in real-time across their fields. These devices, costing around $50 compared to $500+ for commercial equivalents, use eight-channel spectral analysis to measure photosynthetically useful light with 1-5% accuracy. Feed that data into IoT irrigation systems and you've created a closed-loop optimization platform: panels adjust for maximum generation, crops receive precisely calibrated light and water, and the system continuously self-corrects.

Societal Transformation Potential

Agrivoltaics could fundamentally reshape rural economies. Consider the numbers: system owners in California's Central Valley average $50,000 per acre in combined crop and electricity revenue. Renters who lease their land to solar developers collect about $1,100 per acre without bearing installation costs. Even conservative estimates show payback periods of 4-6 years with internal rates of return between 6-12%, depending on crop selection and energy market conditions.

This isn't just about adding income—it's about stabilizing it. Agricultural commodity markets swing wildly based on weather, global supply chains, and trade policies. Electricity markets, by contrast, offer relatively predictable revenue streams, especially under power purchase agreements that lock in rates for 20-25 years. Diversifying into energy generation buffers farms against the price volatility that has driven so many rural families out of agriculture.

The social license aspect matters more than most industry analysts recognize. A survey of rural U.S. residents found 81.8% would be more likely to support solar development in their community if it integrated farming. That's a dramatic shift from the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) resistance that utility-scale solar often encounters. Agrivoltaics transforms solar from an industrial imposition into a community asset that preserves agricultural character while advancing climate goals.

Globally, the implications grow even larger. India, with over 180 million hectares of arable land, could theoretically deploy between 3.1 and 13.8 terawatts of agrivoltaic capacity—enough to power the entire nation multiple times over while maintaining food production. In sub-Saharan Africa, where 600 million people lack reliable electricity and climate change threatens crop yields, agrivoltaics offers a pathway to address energy poverty and food insecurity simultaneously.

The employment picture shifts too. Installation, maintenance, and monitoring of agrivoltaic systems create skilled jobs that keep young people in rural areas. Solar shepherding—managing sheep that graze between panel rows—has revived domestic sheep industries in the United States. Lightsource bp, one of the largest solar developers, will have implemented solar grazing across 3 gigawatts of its U.S. portfolio by the end of 2024, managing over 14,000 sheep. They're even producing "solar honey" at sites in Texas and Indiana where beekeepers place hives among pollinator-friendly plantings beneath the arrays.

Economic Benefits: Dual Revenue Streams and Cost Savings

Let's break down the financial model with real numbers. A typical agrivoltaic installation costs between $1.50 and $3.00 per watt—higher than conventional ground-mounted solar due to specialized mounting structures and increased clearance requirements. For a 1-megawatt system (enough to power roughly 300 homes), that's $1.5 to $3 million in capital expenditure.

But federal and state incentives substantially reduce that burden. The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act provides a 30% investment tax credit for solar installations, plus bonus credits for projects on contaminated lands or in designated energy communities. Many states offer additional rebates, accelerated depreciation, or property tax exemptions for agricultural land that maintains active farming.

On the revenue side, farmers collect income from three sources: crop sales, electricity sales to the grid, and potentially lease payments if they're hosting a third-party solar installation. That third revenue stream—electricity—represents 25-60% of total system revenues depending on local energy prices and crop selection.

Energy income proves remarkably stable. Power purchase agreements lock in rates, insulating farms from the volatility that plagues agricultural markets. In France, agrivoltaic projects commissioned in early 2026 are securing tariffs between €63 and €70 per megawatt-hour. Over a 20-year period, that predictability allows for precise financial planning impossible in crop-only operations.

Operating costs decrease too. Panels reduce irrigation needs by 20-30% on average, cutting both water and energy expenses for pumping. In regions with expensive or unreliable grid electricity, systems can power farm operations directly—irrigation pumps, cold storage, processing equipment—essentially making the farm energy self-sufficient. A floating solar installation in India's Nagpur region powers lift irrigation for 465 acres, enabling three crop cycles annually instead of one while slashing energy costs.

The maintenance burden is lighter than many assume. Solar panels require periodic cleaning and occasional repairs, but lack moving parts in fixed systems. Sheep or other livestock provide "biological maintenance" by grazing vegetation that might otherwise shade panels. One analysis found sheep-based agrivoltaic projects carry capital costs 9% lower than cattle operations—about €850,000 per megawatt compared to €933,000—because sheep navigate between panels more easily and require less intensive management.

Insurance dynamics shift favorably too. Panels provide physical protection from hail, reducing crop insurance premiums. Some viticulture studies suggest panels could eliminate the need for hail nets entirely, removing an input cost while adding revenue. The physical presence of panels may also deter theft of high-value crops in regions where that's a concern.

Challenges Ahead: Technical, Financial, and Regulatory Barriers

Despite the promise, agrivoltaics face substantial headwinds. The single biggest obstacle is capital intensity. That $1.5-3 million price tag for a megawatt installation represents a crushing upfront cost for most farmers, particularly in developing economies. Traditional agricultural lenders often lack expertise to evaluate dual-use projects, seeing them as "too industrial" for farm loans but "too agricultural" for commercial energy financing. Byron Kominek's experience—having to collateralize his entire farm—illustrates the risk aversion built into existing financial structures.

Technical complexity presents another barrier. Optimal panel height, spacing, orientation, and transmissivity vary dramatically by crop, climate, and latitude. Tomatoes and corn have vastly different light saturation points—the threshold where additional sunlight no longer increases photosynthesis. Get the engineering wrong and you've either sacrificed crop yields or energy output, potentially making the whole system economically unviable.

The crop selection matrix grows fiendishly complicated. Shade-tolerant species like lettuce, spinach, beans, and berries perform well under most agrivoltaic configurations. Sun-loving crops like wheat, corn, soybeans, and many orchard fruits often show yield reductions under partial shading. A German vineyard study found that even semi-transparent panels reduced grape yields by 5-12%, and economic modeling showed agrivoltaic viticulture only became profitable when premium wine pricing, elevated feed-in tariffs, and high self-consumption rates aligned simultaneously.

Regulatory frameworks lag woefully behind the technology. In many jurisdictions, land-use codes don't recognize dual-use agriculture, forcing projects into extended permitting battles. Some agricultural zoning rules prohibit any commercial structures, inadvertently banning agrivoltaics. Others impose coverage limits—Italy requires 70% of agrivoltaic plots remain in active agricultural production—that sound reasonable but complicate optimal panel placement.

Property tax classification creates perverse incentives. In some regions, adding solar panels reclassifies agricultural land as industrial or commercial, triggering massive tax increases that obliterate project economics. Germany partially solved this by exempting agrivoltaic installations that maintain at least 66% of reference crop yields, allowing them to retain favorable agricultural tax status. But most countries lack such provisions.

Grid interconnection poses yet another challenge. Rural electrical infrastructure was never designed for distributed generation. Connecting a megawatt-scale agrivoltaic system often requires costly transmission upgrades that fall on the project developer. Some utilities impose discriminatory interconnection fees or slow-walk approval processes, effectively blocking projects.

Then there's the knowledge gap. Agronomy programs don't teach solar engineering. Solar companies don't employ agronomists. The required interdisciplinary expertise barely exists, leaving farmers to navigate uncharted territory with limited technical support. A case study in Yemen found farmers received "little to no training on SPIS installation, operation, or maintenance," relying instead on vendor information of variable quality. Poor system design or operation leads to disappointing results, which then poison perception of the technology in farming communities.

Cultural resistance shouldn't be underestimated either. Farming is deeply traditional. Solar panels represent an industrial intrusion into landscapes that have looked essentially the same for generations. Some farmers view agrivoltaics as a surrender of agricultural identity or a harbinger of land conversion. Others worry about long-term soil impacts, though research to date shows neutral or positive effects on soil health, particularly when sheep grazing is incorporated.

Benefits and Opportunities Beyond Economics

The environmental case for agrivoltaics extends far beyond carbon accounting. These systems create habitat corridors for pollinators in landscapes increasingly dominated by monoculture. Plantings beneath panels—native wildflowers, clover, pollinator mixes—support bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects that boost pollination in surrounding conventional fields. Some developers report that solar farms have become de facto refuges for species struggling in intensively farmed landscapes.

Soil health improves under managed grazing systems. Sheep that graze between panels trample organic matter into the soil, accelerating decomposition and carbon sequestration. Research shows managed solar grazing can increase soil carbon stocks measurably over 5-10 year periods—a climate benefit in addition to the emissions avoided by replacing fossil fuel electricity.

Water quality benefits emerge too. Permanent ground cover under solar arrays prevents erosion and reduces agrochemical runoff. In watersheds plagued by nutrient pollution from intensive agriculture, agrivoltaic installations that replace annual row crops with perennial vegetation can meaningfully reduce phosphorus and nitrogen loading to rivers and lakes.

The biodiversity story grows more interesting in grassland ecosystems. A four-year study in Colorado found that plants growing on the east side of solar panels were 90% more productive during dry years than vegetation on control sites. The panels created microclimates where native grasses that would normally desiccate during harsh summers survived and even flourished. This suggests agrivoltaics could be a tool for grassland restoration in degraded rangelands—generating clean energy while reversing desertification.

Urban and peri-urban agrivoltaics open another avenue. Rooftop systems that combine solar generation with rooftop farms increase capacity utilization by 2.9% while decreasing levelized cost of energy by 23.7% compared to conventional rooftop solar. In land-scarce cities, this represents genuinely additive food production from space that would otherwise sit idle or be used only for energy.

The food security dimension deserves emphasis. Climate change is already reducing yields in many agricultural regions. Agrivoltaics offers a hedge: if extreme heat devastates open-field crops, shaded crops beneath panels may survive. If drought strikes, the moisture conservation under arrays stretches limited water supplies further. It's a form of agricultural insurance that also generates income.

Global Perspectives: How Different Regions Are Adapting the Technology

China has embraced agrivoltaics at a scale that dwarfs all other nations combined. By 2020, the country had deployed roughly 40 gigawatts of agrivoltaic solar capacity. The showcase project—a 2.2-gigawatt installation in Qinghai province—combines panels mounted 1.9 meters high with cultivation of herbs and vegetables. The shading reduces soil evapotranspiration by 30-40%, making agriculture viable in a region with minimal precipitation. Another massive installation, dedicated to goji berry production and rated at 1 gigawatt, demonstrates how agrivoltaics can support specialty crops at industrial scale.

Japan has taken a different approach, focusing on precision and integration. The Farmdo Corporation installation in Chiba Prefecture achieved a 32% increase in land-use efficiency by allowing 40% ground coverage with elevated panels while maintaining crop yields. Japanese regulations require agrivoltaic installations to maintain at least 80% of reference crop productivity, forcing careful optimization. The country now has hundreds of installations cultivating everything from rice to mushrooms under solar arrays.

Europe moves ahead on multiple fronts. France enacted Act APER in March 2023, providing regulatory clarity and targeting 100 gigawatts of solar capacity by 2050 with significant agrivoltaic contribution. The European Commission approved Italy's €1.7 billion state aid scheme to support 1.04 gigawatts of agrivoltaic installations by 2026. Germany's Next2Sun vertical systems power over 1,400 households from an 11-hectare site while permitting full agricultural operations between panel rows.

In East Africa, where agrivoltaics could be genuinely transformative, adoption remains in pilot stages. The University of Sheffield collaborative study demonstrated that shading from solar panels helped crops survive heat waves and conserved water in Tanzania and Kenya. A 2022 field trial in Kenya produced cabbages 24% larger than open-field controls while using 47% less irrigation water. But scaling from demonstration projects to widespread deployment faces enormous financing and technical support barriers.

India presents perhaps the most complex picture. The country has identified massive agrivoltaic potential—up to 13.8 terawatts if 1% of agricultural land were converted. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy estimates 630 gigawatts could be deployed on just that fraction of farmland. Over 25 pilot projects totaling around 10 megawatts now operate nationwide, testing systems on crops from strawberries to goji berries. Yet adoption faces stubborn obstacles: high upfront costs, inadequate financing mechanisms, inconsistent state policies, and limited technical expertise in rural areas.

The United States has reached an inflection point. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has verified over 560 agrivoltaic sites producing more than 10,000 megawatts collectively. California passed legislation in 2025 approving dual-use solar zoning for over 20,000 acres of Central Valley farmland. Several states now offer property tax exemptions or accelerated depreciation for agrivoltaic installations. The Inflation Reduction Act provides substantial federal support through investment tax credits and bonus incentives for projects on contaminated or formerly industrial lands.

Latin America, the Middle East, and Australia remain in earlier stages. A handful of demonstration projects operate, but policy frameworks and financing structures lag. In arid regions like Chile's Atacama Desert or Australia's outback, agrivoltaics could pair solar generation with protected horticulture, but capital constraints and technical unknowns slow progress.

Preparing for the Future: Technologies, Policies, and Investment Opportunities

The next generation of agrivoltaic technology is arriving now. Perovskite solar cells—a newer photovoltaic technology—can be tuned to transmit specific light wavelengths. Imagine panels that block heat-inducing infrared radiation and excess UV while allowing through precisely the photosynthetically active wavelengths crops need most. Such "smart spectral" panels could boost both energy output and crop yields simultaneously, eliminating current trade-offs.

Flexible thin-film panels open design possibilities impossible with rigid crystalline silicon modules. Lightweight films could drape over vineyard trellises, conforming to existing agricultural infrastructure rather than requiring purpose-built support structures. Installation costs would plummet and aesthetic objections would diminish.

Digital optimization tools powered by artificial intelligence are just beginning to influence system design. AI-driven site analysis can now integrate soil types, microclimates, seasonal solar patterns, crop photoperiodism, and real-time weather data to recommend optimal panel configurations for specific locations. One platform uses satellite imagery and machine learning to segment agricultural parcels by suitability for different agrivoltaic approaches—fixed tilt for shade-tolerant crops, tracking systems for high-value vegetables, vertical arrays for row crops.

IoT sensor networks allow dynamic management. Panels with motorized tilt adjustment receive signals from soil moisture sensors, weather stations, and crop health monitors, automatically reorienting to balance energy generation with crop light needs throughout the growing season. During a heat wave, the system might increase shade. After heavy rain, panels tilt to maximize solar exposure. This kind of real-time optimization could squeeze another 10-15% of value from installations.

Policy innovation matters as much as technology. Performance-linked incentives—subsidies tied to both kilowatt-hour output and crop yield—are emerging in France and Italy. Green agritech bonds allow institutional investors to finance agrivoltaic installations with returns backed by agricultural revenue plus energy sales, diversifying risk. Feed-in tariff structures that recognize the enhanced value of dual-use land could accelerate deployment in markets where electricity prices alone don't justify investment.

Standardized technical guidelines would reduce project risk. Currently, each installation is essentially custom-designed. Industry groups are developing best-practice handbooks that specify panel heights, row spacing, and tilt angles for common crop-climate combinations. This "productization" of agrivoltaics will bring down engineering costs and increase lender confidence.

For investors, the opportunity landscape is widening. Institutional capital is beginning to flow toward specialized agrivoltaic project funds. One advantage: agricultural revenue partially insulates investments from renewable energy market volatility. If electricity prices crash, crop income cushions returns. Conversely, if crop markets soften, energy revenue provides stability. This risk diversification appeals to pension funds and insurance companies seeking steady returns.

Equipment manufacturers see a growth market. Mounting structure specialists are developing modular systems optimized for agrivoltaics. Inverter companies are designing products for the unique electrical characteristics of distributed, elevated arrays. Drone operators offer aerial monitoring services using multispectral cameras to assess both panel performance and crop health simultaneously.

The Road Ahead: Why This Decade Matters

We're approaching a collision of trends. Global electricity demand is projected to grow 60% by 2040, driven by population growth, economic development, and electrification of transportation. Simultaneously, climate change is making agriculture more precarious—droughts intensify, heatwaves increase, and water scarcity threatens food systems worldwide. Meanwhile, available land becomes scarcer as urbanization consumes farmland and conservation priorities expand.

Agrivoltaics addresses all three challenges at once. It generates clean electricity without consuming additional land. It makes agriculture more resilient to climate stress. And it diversifies rural incomes, keeping food production economically viable in regions where farming alone no longer pays.

The window for scaling this technology is narrow. Solar manufacturing capacity is exploding, driving module prices down. That makes installations more affordable now than they'll ever be again. Incentive programs like the Inflation Reduction Act won't last forever—political winds shift, budgets change, priorities evolve. Farmers and investors who move in the next five years will capture advantages that later adopters will miss.

Research gaps remain, certainly. We need long-term studies on soil impacts—most data spans less than a decade. We need crop variety trials to identify or breed cultivars specifically optimized for partial shade. We need better economic models that account for risk, regional variation, and evolving energy markets. We need workforce development programs to train the technicians who'll design, install, and maintain these hybrid systems.

But we know enough to act. Hundreds of installations worldwide have demonstrated viability. The technology works. The economics pencil out in many contexts. The environmental benefits are real and measurable.

What's missing isn't knowledge—it's deployment at scale. That requires capital, policy support, and cultural acceptance. The capital is increasingly available. Policy frameworks are beginning to catch up. Cultural acceptance grows as successful installations demonstrate that solar panels and thriving farms can coexist.

By 2034, market analysts project the agrivoltaic sector will reach $11.1 billion in annual value, up from $6.3 billion in 2024. That's a compound growth rate of 5.6%, implying tens of thousands of new installations worldwide. Europe aims for 100 gigawatts of solar by 2050 with substantial agrivoltaic contribution. India's potential exceeds 10 terawatts. China continues expanding from its already-massive base.

This isn't incremental change. It's a fundamental rethinking of how we use land, how we produce food, and how we generate energy. In an era defined by resource constraints and climate imperatives, agrivoltaics offers something increasingly rare: a genuine win-win-win scenario where farmers prosper, energy systems clean up, and food security improves.

The question isn't whether agrivoltaics will scale. It's whether we'll move fast enough to capture the full benefit while we still can. The sun keeps rising. The crops keep growing. The panels are ready to install. What happens next depends on choices made in boardrooms, legislatures, and farmhouses across the planet—choices that will shape landscapes and livelihoods for generations to come.

Stand in that Colorado field with Byron Kominek, tomatoes ripening at your feet and panels gleaming overhead, and you glimpse what's possible when we stop treating land as a zero-sum game. The future of farming might just hang there in the space between earth and sky, waiting for us to reach up and claim it.

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