SALISBURY, MD — Wicomico County is celebrating a significant policy shift announced by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke L. Rollins, aimed at preserving prime farmland. On August 19, 2025, in Lebanon, Tennessee, Secretary Rollins unveiled a new USDA policy that will no longer allow taxpayer funds to support solar panels on productive farmland or permit the use of foreign-manufactured solar panels in USDA-funded projects. Secretary Rollins highlighted concerns that subsidized solar projects have displaced valuable farmland, driving up land costs and making it harder for new and young farmers to afford land. The new policy aims to protect farmland from such projects and ensure it remains accessible for agricultural use. For Wicomico County, a leader in Maryland’s agricultural production, this announcement is especially important. The county has over 83,000 acres of farmland, making up nearly 40% of its total land area. County Executive Julie Giordano praised the decision, calling it a win for local farmers and rural communities. She emphasized that this policy change ensures farmland remains available for food production, safeguarding the local economy and Maryland’s agricultural leadership.
Photo: U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, County Executive Julie Giordano, Congressman Andy Harris | WicomicoCounty.org