American Solar Grazing Association (ASGA)

The American Solar Grazing Association (ASGA) is proud to announce that Stacie Peterson, Ph.D., a recognized leader in agrivoltaics and energy, will serve as its new Executive Director. With her extensive expertise in environmental engineering, sustainable energy, and community engagement, Stacie is poised to expand ASGA’s reach and elevate its impact as the leading voice of solar grazing in the United States. “I am honored and excited to join ASGA as its next Executive Director. Having worked alongside ASGA for the past five years to support and advance agrivoltaics, I know firsthand that its certifications, research, technical assistance, and resources are second to none.” Stacie was introduced as Executive Director at ASGA’s 5th Annual Membership Meeting on Sunday, March 2nd. #agrivoltaics #solargrazing

Another great resource is now available from the American Sheep Industry Association. ASGA provided valuable input on the chapter about solar grazing. Looking to start a targeted grazing business?? Targeted Grazing 101 is your go-to “How-To” book!? ?? Packed with practical, applied skills ?? Insights from over three dozen experienced targeted grazers ?? Designed to help aspiring grazers thrive in the industry ?? Available in two formats: Hard copy – $39.95 USB (includes the 2006 handbook) – $14.95 https://lnkd.in/efq2vahn

The American Solar Grazing Association is excited to announce that the American Lamb Board will be hosting an ASGA Certified Solar Grazing Training for farmers from May 5th to 7th in Sulphur Springs, TX. The workshop is sponsored by Enel North America and the onsite portion of the training will be hosted on their Stampede Solar Site in Hopkins County, TX. Stampede Solar is a utility scale solar site grazed by JR Howard of Texas Solar Sheep, an ASGA Advisory Board Member. American Lamb Board’s Camren Maierle will lead the workshop. Over the 3-day training, participants will learn the solar grazing training standards set by ASGA, which covers the basic subjects a sheep rancher should be versed in to manage vegetation on a solar site. The workshop includes a live demonstration on a site grazed by solar sheep. Register for the workshop here: https://lnkd.in/gCKkCt83 The ASGA Certification Program is part of our ongoing efforts to develop a workforce of qualified solar graziers and help sheep farmers realize the incredible opportunity solar grazing presents. To receive the ASGA Certification, workshop participants are required to also be ASGA members. Join ASGA here: https://lnkd.in/gpkE2i5b We thank Enel North America and their Director of Sustainability Projects and Community Affairs, Jesse Puckett, for supporting this workshop and our farmer Certification program! Learn more about ASGA’s Certification program here: https://lnkd.in/evPWDzk8

Check out this great resource for solar grazing, put together by our friends at National Center for Appropriate Technology.

Join us on Sunday, March 2nd at 4pm ET for the 5th Annual Meeting of the American Solar Grazing Association as we reflect on the accomplishments of 2024 and look towards the exciting opportunities that 2025 will bring as solar grazing continues its nationwide growth. ASGA members will vote in new Board Members, but all are welcome to attend! Please make sure to RSVP to access the Zoom link! https://lu.ma/uhmg7pwc

Another Solar Grazing Workshop is coming up! There are a few scholarships available to cover tuition and meals. To apply, email [email protected]. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!

Ovine footrot is an old disease with few changes to prevention, management, and treatment in the past decades. While many of the "old ways" are still appropriate and relevant, more can be done to reduce the prevalence and incidence of this multifactorial disease. ASGA is pleased to welcome Dr. Hannah Varnell of Heritage Vet Partners to our upcoming ASGA workshop. Dr. Varnell has been working with Cambridge Technologies to develop an autogenous footrot vaccine specific to strains found in US sheep. During the workshop, she will also discuss the other means of managing this disease, as it continues to be a welfare issue and causes severe economic losses for the industry. Jess Gray of Gray’s LAMBscaping, LLC will be co-hosting this workshop. Join Dr. Varnell and Jess on Thursday (2/13) at 6:00pm ET via Zoom. If you're an ASGA Member, RSVP on our events calendar: https://lnkd.in/g3iAR9yt If you're not a member, join ASGA today: https://lnkd.in/e2VYdy-b

Film screening alert for solar grazing fans in the Northeast attending RE+ in Boston next week! ASGA will be there for a special screening of our solar grazing documentary film, "Pastures and Panels." After the film, we'll have a panel discussion and Q&A with Kevin Richardson, Daniel Dotterer, Dan Finnegan, and Amber Lessard. All of this is happening at RE+ on Wednesday, February 12th at 4:00 PM. The screening will be at the Energy Transition Theater, Expo Hall, Hall A, BCEC. Check out the schedule here: https://lnkd.in/duV6sB-x Make sure to come join us and support solar grazing! Here's more on the film: Presented by the American Solar Grazing Association, this documentary film introduces audiences to solar grazing through the stories of two sheep farmers whose lives and farms were transformed by it. Solar grazing is an innovative new practice that combines sheep farming and solar energy production. Through their stories and the testimonies of farmers and industry experts, we learn about the incredible opportunities raising livestock under solar panels is creating across the country and how it benefits farmers, communities, and solar asset owners. The film premiered in September 2024 at the RE+ Anaheim Conference and is currently being shown at major agriculture and energy industry events, as well as film festivals across the country. Watch the trailer here: https://lnkd.in/gTP_s--K Thank you to our sponsors and partners! Leeward Renewable Energy, LLC, EDF Renewables North America, Lightsource bp, Array Technologies, Premier 1, US Solar, Pivot Energy, The AES Corporation, Arevon, Nextracker Inc., Urban Grid, Enel North America, emgee strategic communications, Blueline!

Here is a fantastic solar grazing discussion that you don't want to miss: The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) just published a podcast to follow up on the well-received solar grazing panel discussion at their convention last month, "Energizing the Sheep Industry with Solar." That panel was led by an all star cast, including Lexie Hain, Daniel Dotterer, Reid Redden, Loran Shallenberger, Ryan Indart, and David Wen. In the follow up podcast, two of the panelists, Loran Shallenberger (Silicon Ranch Corporation) and Reid Redden (Premier Solar Sheep) got together with host Jake Thorne to discuss several key solar grazing topics from the event. Give it a listen: https://lnkd.in/gSEKgyBt #solargrazing #SheepUSA #agrivoltaics #ASGA

Pondering Lexie Hain’s recent post about the monumental impact of #solargrazing on the U.S. Sheep Industry. The opportunity solar grazing has presented for me personally as a first generation farmer in a county with fierce competition for land access is certainly life-changing, but my real passion within solar grazing is the intangible benefits that agriculture brings to the energy industry and beyond the fence lines of a solar site. I love the challenge of navigating land stewardship in a different way. Several years in now on the same facility, seeing the ecological and soil health benefits of our focused practices (like unrolling hay in areas of low fertility) and the impact they have had on everything around them from water infiltration to a positive shift in plant makeup is humbling. I relish each day watching what we can accomplish with #agrivoltaics Very rarely does something as simple as grazing #sheep under solar panels have such a profound impact on so many people and places. From our employees, to our neighbors who supply hay, grain, equipment maintenance or just want to lend a helping hand when we need an extra set. To the locally owned gas station around the corner, the welder two driveways up and our next door neighbors who haul equipment, all of whom I hope appreciate the near daily revenue we provide to their small businesses. I too, left the American Sheep Industry Assn National Conference feeling energized (pun intended) about the opportunity that exists across tens of thousands of acres for producers who lack the resources to farm traditionally. Knowing what is on tap for research and producer education and assistance through the American Farmland Trust’s #smartsolar work regionally and nationally, the American Solar Grazing Association (ASGA) and the American Lamb Board through Camren Maierle’s lead, there is no better time than now to harness the power of grazing.