Farmland preservation plan update opens for public comment; committee flags solar siting questions

Ashland County staff told the Land Conservation Committee that the county’s updated farmland preservation plan has been completed, is open for public comment on the county website and has been submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) for approval.

Seth Hackbarth and other staff said the update incorporates the county’s required materials and that the board will see the plan on an upcoming county board agenda. The county also expects to seek state grant reimbursements for consulting costs tied to the plan update.

Committee members raised questions about how utility-scale solar installations could affect farmland-preservation eligibility and the small per-acre payments associated with the program (the meeting referenced a $10-per-acre payment that may be affected if land is repurposed). Members noted that siting, zoning and permitting (including Public Service Commission review for large solar farms) could create complex interactions with farmland-preservation designations and asked staff to research the issue and report back.

Why it matters: Large-scale solar siting is an emerging pressure on farmland across the state, and committee members said they want clarity about land-use and eligibility implications before encountering specific permit applications. Staff said they would return with follow-up research and guidance to clarify whether and when land enrolled in farmland-preservation must be removed from that program to accommodate utility-scale solar projects.

The committee did not take formal action on the topic at the meeting; staff encouraged members and the public to review the updated plan while it is in the public-comment period.