Farming the sun instead of corn

With recent economic challenges in the US, farmers are looking to diversify their land use by inviting solar power companies. One farmer in Illinois stated that his less-than-desirable farmland generates a profit of $150-$200 an acre, while leasing it out instead for solar farms would generate a profit of $1000 an acre. While some states, like Illinois, are pushing for renewable energy, other states are taking a more cautious approach. For example, a county in Washington state banned the construction of new solar plants on farms, fearing that the agricultural compromise will come back to bite them in the future.