Solar grazing deserves serious consideration from Yorkshire's farmers: Yorkshire Post Letters

Yorkshire farming has faced floods, foot-and-mouth, subsidy reform and now the most volatile commodity markets in living memory.

Against that backdrop, solar grazing deserves serious consideration from anyone who cares about the future of agriculture in this county.

The principle is straightforward: solar panels are installed on farmland, and livestock — sheep on established UK sites, with cattle now being trialled in America — graze beneath them on the same ground.

Animals benefit from the shade, grow more efficiently and require less water.

The soil improves in health and moisture retention.

And the farmer earns a second income from the solar lease — income that can service farm debt and provide the financial stability needed to hand a viable business to the next generation.

For Yorkshire's farming families, that matters.

Rising fertiliser costs, unpredictable weather and the end of direct payments have put real pressure on farm balance sheets.

The option to lease land for solar generation — without taking it out of agricultural use — offers a practical route through.

This is not about changing the Yorkshire countryside.

It is about keeping the people who tend it.

Government planning support for solar grazing is overdue. Yorkshire's farmers have earned it.

Terry Brown, Orchard Road, Skidby.

I am a Nimby, as I object to the massive solar farms that are to built around Skidby.

I know we need to be independent in power generation if we are not to continue be subject to the present farrago now occurring in the Middle East

Rather then one massive such farm would it not be more equitable if the pain was shared more evenly? Perhaps further south where the sun shines more brightly.

I am, of course, powerless to change anything as I understand the minister of state is the only person who can decide.

Let’s not quibble about ideas of democracy or the rights of individuals as they seem to have vanished into smoke.

And my trust in politicians is rapidly following it.

Barrie Crowther, Walton, Wakefield.

Every day in The Yorkshire Post we see letters on energy. Oil, gas, electricity and the pros and cons of each.

There is no doubt that solar and wind have a part to play in clean energy.

However this is at the expense of ruining our farmland and home grown food supplies.

How is it no one ever mentions hydro power which could produce electricity from every river, stream and dam in the country?

A source of power on everyone's doorstep without costly infrastructure. Is there a problem which I am missing on the above?