THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND IS PROPOSING TO CONDUCT RESEARCH ON SOLAR LEASING ON FARMLAND, AND DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS (EXTENSION PUBLICATIONS AND LEGAL EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS) ON THE ECONOMIC, LEGAL AND COMMUNITY ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH SOLAR ENERGY LEASES, IN COLLABORATION WITH OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY AND CORNELL UNIVERSITY. THERE IS LIMITED RESEARCH-BASED INFORMATION FROM THE LAND-GRANT SYSTEM TO GUIDE FARMERS AND LANDOWNERS ON THIS CRITICAL ISSUE, AND RESEARCHER/EXTENSION SPECIALISTS ARE BEING CONTACTED FREQUENTLY FOR ASSISTANCE. OUR INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM WOULD CONDUCT RESEARCH AND DEVELOP A PUBLICATION FOCUSED ON PRACTICE TIPS FOR ATTORNEYS RELATED TO SOLAR ENERGY CONTRACTS, FOCUSING ON THREE STATES WITH LARGE SOLAR FARM LEGAL ISSUES IN THE MID-ATLANTIC, SOUTHERN PLAINS, AND NORTHEAST - BUT PROVIDING INFORMATION USEFUL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. WE WOULD IMPLEMENT A TRAIN-THE-TRAINER APPROACH TO EDUCATE EXTENSION STAFF IN MD, OK, AND NY, AND HOST ONE-DAY WORKSHOPS IN EACH STATE TO TRAIN FARMERS, LANDOWNERS, AG SERVICE PROVIDERS AND STATE OFFICIALS TO PROVIDE A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE LEGAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES OF SOLAR ENERGY LEASES AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE. RESEARCH FOR THIS PROJECT WOULD BE GUIDED BASED ON CONCERNS RAISED BY LANDOWNERS THROUGH INTERVIEWS AND OTHER SURVEY METHODS. FINALLY, WE WOULD DEVELOP AND HOLD ONE-DAY WEBINAR FOCUSED ON ATTORNEYS TO EDUCATE THIS AUDIENCE ON HOW TO HANDLE SOLAR ENERGY LEASES. OUR APPROACH WILL PROVIDE RURAL COMMUNITIES AND LANDOWNERS THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO NAVIGATE EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES AND POTENTIAL CONFLICTS ASSOCIATED WITH LARGE RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS ON FARMLAND, THAT DIRECTLY ALIGN WITH PROGRAM AREA A1661.