The Farmland Myth: Why We Don’t Need All That Land to “Feed the World”
We’ve been told that vast amounts of farmland are necessary to feed our country and much of the rest of the world. This idea underpins agricultural policy, subsidies, and land use in the United States, especially in rural areas. Bumper stickers and signs that read, “No farms, no food,” and protests of renewable energy projects in rural areas are responses to the idea that any loss of productive farmland is a threat to our long-term survival and must be prevented. However, the truth is more complicated and challenges the conventional wisdom that we need to maximize food production at all costs.
The Corn Conundrum: Subsidizing the Wrong Crop
A prime example of this misguided policy is the immense subsidies provided to corn production. Corn, one of the most heavily subsidized crops, is primarily grown not to feed people but for livestock feed and ethanol production. Only a tiny fraction of U.S. corn is used for direct human consumption.
Despite these massive subsidies, we have more corn than we know what to do with. Grain prices today are almost the same as in 1974 because we have so much grain in storage that it’s barely being used (US Farmers Shun Buyers, Cling to Unsold Corn as Prices Slump). Yet, we continue to push the narrative that this overproduction is essential for feeding the world.
The Real Cost of Agricultural Tax Exemptions
The most prominent subsidies are significant tax exemptions, which can reduce the amount of agricultural land taxed by up to 70%, depending on the soil class. The better the soil, the greater the exemption. But here’s the problem: not only are these tax cuts not immediately supportive to struggling farmers trying to sell their produce, these exemptions assume that farmland is used to produce food. Much of this land is devoted to non-food uses like ethanol production. The loss in tax revenue for small towns from these exemptions leads to the burden shifting to local taxpayers, who are really paying for an inefficient biofuel.
Another issue that is leading to overproduction and low prices is that the U.S. has a much lower global demand, particularly from China, who used to be one of our largest foreign buyers. Tariffs have pushed countries like China to increase their own corn production as well as look for different producers (Huge Chinese, Brazilian Corn Crops May Limit US Exports into 2025).
If global demand for U.S. grain decreases, are we truly making the best use of our productive farmland? The focus on overproducing an outdated market leads to waste and inefficiency.
Moreover, advancements in alternative energy sources, like solar, challenge the idea that we need so much land for ethanol production. If solar energy can meet these energy demands more efficiently, using a much smaller area of land, why are we using valuable farmland for corn-based ethanol? Large-scale solar development can bring in more tax and other benefits to towns than even unsubsidized agricultural land, as well as provide lease payments to land owners - these same farmers who are currently suffering under collapsing grain prices.
Land Use and Zoning: Who Decides?
Ironically, many rural towns in the U.S., particularly in regions like the Southern Tier of New York State, have little to no zoning regulations. Zoning, which controls land use, is often resisted by communities that want to preserve the autonomy of landowners. Farmers, in particular, resist being told what they can and can’t do with their land.
Yet, at the same time, some municipalities have passed laws protecting farmland from being used for solar energy projects, even though solar could provide a more sustainable, profitable, and environmentally friendly use of that land for the town and the landowner. These solar laws prevent farmers from putting solar panels on their properties, restricting their land use in ways contradictory to the anti-zoning mindset in these areas.
In New York State alone, many rural towns have no zoning laws, emphasizing the importance of landowner autonomy. Yet, these same towns sometimes restrict renewable energy development on farmland, highlighting the inconsistency in land use policy.
A New Approach to Farmland
It’s time to rethink our approach to farmland and agricultural policy. If we’re overproducing grain, with much of it sitting in storage, and if the global market for U.S. grain is shrinking, why are we continuing to subsidize and exempt land from taxes under the premise of feeding the world?
At the same time, we should consider more sustainable and efficient uses of farmland, like renewable energy projects. Allowing farmers to diversify their land use, rather than restricting it through outdated laws and policies, could create new economic opportunities while reducing the tax burden on local communities. Instead of clinging to outdated assumptions about the need for endless farmland, we should embrace innovation and flexibility in land use—ensuring that both farmers and communities thrive in the future.
This story is told by Shawn Grasby and written by Anna Castonguay.
