When New York farmer Tony Emmi agreed to lease 30 acres of productive farmland for a solar project in 2023, he knew the decision would be controversial. The Baldwinsville farmer had spent years working land that had been in his family since the 1940s, yet rising labour costs, uncertain farm economics and the difficulty of finding workers made guaranteed income increasingly attractive. Three years later, Emmi says the solar lease pays roughly $1,500 to $1,800 per acre each year, with no property taxes deducted from that income. Spectrum News reports that the arrangement helped diversify Emmi Farms, even as Emmi acknowledges that the land was “really good farmland.” His choice captures a growing New York debate: how can the state expand renewable energy while protecting the soils needed for food production?
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