The ASGA community showed up in force at another incredible Solar Farm Summit! Interest in solar grazing reached new heights, with dozens of our solar grazier members and industry partners actively collaborating and envisioning the future of agrivoltaics.
 
 We were honored to stand alongside a growing community dedicated to advancing and scaling this vital practice, and we’re proud to support North America’s largest agrivoltaics expo.

The North American Agrivoltaics Awards and ASGA Members Happy Hour

To kick off the conference, SFS hosted the North American Agrivoltaics Awards in partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, American Farmland Trust, and ASGA. Photos from the award show are by Piero Taico, AFT.

Among the line up of finalists were several ASGA Board and Advisory Board Members who were well recognized for their contributions to agrivoltaics:

• Lexie Hain won Champion of the Year
• Jess & Marcus Gray and JR Howard won Solar Ranchers of the Year
• Peacock Solar (Lightsource bp site grazed by Ely Valdez) won Solar Ranch of the Year
• Burgundy Brook Farm (Bluewave site with Jesse Robertson-Dubois serving as Director of Sustainable Development) won Solar Ranch of the Year
• Allison Wickham won Eco-Steward of the Year
• Greg Barron-Gafford was named Groundbreaker Honoree
•  Daniel Dotterer, Julie Bishop, and Ely Valdez were finalists for Solar Rancher of the Year

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More than 60 ASGA members attended our first Members Happy Hour, where we were able to mix, mingle, and network in person—building relationships beyond the screen. For many, this was the first chance to connect with ASGA members in person. It was incredible to fill a space with like-minded individuals and strengthen our community. A big thank you to Farm-To-Power for generously sponsoring the event!

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ASGA Booth and Connections at the Expo Hall

ASGA, the American Lamb Board (ALB), and the American Sheep Industry Association joined forces as leading voices in the sheep industry for a prime spot in the expo hall. Sharing a front-row booth, the teams showcased the powerful role of sheep in agrivoltaics and beyond. Stacie Peterson, Kevin Richardson, and Alyssa Andrew, along with several ASGA Board Members, proudly represented the community, engaging with attendees and highlighting the many benefits sheep bring to solar and agricultural systems.

ALB Chairman, Jeff Ebert, summed it up nicely by saying: “Exhibiting at the Solar Farm Summit is an excellent opportunity for the sheep industry to explore new grazing options that are profitable for producers… it was great to see multiple organizations come together to represent the interests of sheep producers from across the country.”

The ASGA booth was stocked with several resources for attendees, including our first Solar Grazing Story case study on Chad Raines, a fact sheet on Best Practices for Livestock Guardian Dogs on Solar Sites, an informational flyer for our upcoming Solar Firm Certification Trainings, and more. We even gave away a few hundred adorable stress ball sheep!

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This year’s Expo Hall featured a Solar Farmers Square, offering free samples and stories each day. Cannon Valley Graziers contributed lamb for an impressive butchering and kitchen demonstration, offering attendees a hands-on look at quality processing and preparation. Gunthorp Farms also generously donated lamb for a standout dish crafted by the talented team at Frontera Grill.

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Speaking Events and Exciting Announcements

ASGA played a key role in organizing several standout sessions at the conference, with many of our members sharing their expertise throughout the event. We delivered important updates on ASGA’s work, explored best practices in solar grazing, workshopped integrated grazing-mowing strategies, and dove into critical topics like animal welfare—and much more.

The sessions were buzzing with energy and inspiration, showcasing the incredible range of innovation happening across the agrivoltaics landscape—from bees to crops and everything in between.

Here’s the impressive list of presentations from ASGA team members:

• Farmers & Ranchers Forum
• Grazing 101: Demonstrating Value with Best Practices  
• Sheepwashing: If you don’t have a plan, you are doing it!
• Preventing Animal Health Issues on Solar Grazing Sites
• Surveying the Solar Farming Landscape and Sowing Success
• Aligning Renewable Energy with Rural Development
• ASGA Announcements: Latest & Greatest in American Solar Grazing
• Comprehensive Vegetation Management at Utility Scale: Why the Hybrid Grazing & Mowing Model is Leading the Way
• Growing the Food Economy: Local Foodshed and Agribusiness Development

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SFS gave the perfect opportunity for ASGA to launch our newest update: Graze a Million! Read more about this exciting development and make your commitment here: https://solargrazing.org/graze-a-million/