Finding Opportunities in a Tough Farm Economy
Tim Hammerich
News Reporter
The agricultural industry is changing every day. Nebraska farmer Quentin Coneally says two trends he’s watching closely are agri-voltaics and finding new markets for healthier crops. He says he used to have a bias against the idea of trying to farm under solar panels, but changing farm economics has motivated him to look for more innovative options.
Coneally… “ This agri-voltaic thing underneath solar panels—so I know solar panels get a horrible wrap, covering over fertile farm ground. I was a big advocate of that before I got the full story. And with this agri-voltaics and the possibilities underneath the solar farms, I think especially with what happened in the markets this week—I mean I love farming, but all it comes down to ROI where you can actually make hundreds of dollars off your acres, why not? And then we can incorporate sheep, cattle, goats. Then, I'm looking at some different plants and crops that I'm hoping might be able to fit underneath there. It's still kind of early, still starting that conversation. Then I think just this traceability stuff and finding better markets for our crops and producing a better crop. That's kind of been on my mind. We got to kind of develop the infrastructure for it. And I've been to some meetings, regenerative stuff on that, and we're not quite there yet to say out loud, but just finding better markets for specialty grains and then a healthier crop.”
Coneally is an example of a farmer that is always trying to learn and innovate.
