**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SOLAR ENERGY AND AGRICULTURE REQUIRE MANY OF THE SAME LAND CHARACTERISTICS (SUNNY, LOW GRADE LAND WITH STABLE SOILS AND ACCESS ROADS). PROJECTIONS INDICATE THAT MILLIONS OF ACRES WILL BE REQUIRED FOR THE SOLAR TRANSITION IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS AND THE ECONOMICS OF SOLAR LEASES ARE GENERALLY FAVORABLE COMPARED TO AGRICULTURAL LEASES. THUS, IT SHOULD BE EXPECTED THAT SUBSTANTIAL AREAS OF AGRICULTURAL LAND WILL BE CONVERTED TO SOLAR ENERGY IN THE COMING DECADES. IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE QUALITY OF AGRICULTURAL SOILS, THE LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY OF THE LAND, AND THE AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE AND CULTURE OF RURAL COMMUNITIES, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT SOLAR DEVELOPMENT PROCEED CAREFULLY ON AGRICULTURAL LANDS TO AVOID LASTING DAMAGE. AT MINIMUM THIS ENTAILS LOW IMPACT CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES SUCH AS WORKING WITH THE NATURAL GRADE OF THE LAND, USING PANEL SUPPORT STRUCTURES THAT MINIMIZE DISTURBANCE, AND MINIMIZING IMPACT FROM HEAVY MACHINERY. A MORE ROBUST SOLUTION FOR AGRICULTURAL STAKEHOLDERS WOULD BE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AGRIVOLTAIC STYLE SOLAR ARRAYS. AGRIVOLTAIC SYSTEMS ARE A NOVEL TYPE OF SOLAR ARRAY DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT THAT CONTINUES ACTIVE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION INTEGRATED WITH SOLAR ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE.THIS PROJECT WILL CONDUCT EXPERIMENTAL AND OBSERVATIONAL RESEARCH RELATED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF AGRIVOLTAIC SYSTEMS WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON INTEGRATING NATIVE VEGETATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES. SPECIFIC SERVICES THAT WILL BE ASSESSED INCLUDE SOIL CARBON SEQUESTRATION, POLLINATION, EROSION CONTROL, WATER CAPTURE, PRODUCTIVITY, AND BIODIVERSITY. ADDITIONALLY, AGRICULTURAL LANDOWNERS AND SOLAR DEVELOPERS WILL BE INTERVIEWED TO INVESTIGATE HOW THE PROCESS OF CONTRACT NEGOTIATION BETWEEN THESE PARTIES SERVES TO PROMOTE OR HINDER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AGRIVOLTAIC STYLE SOLAR ENERGY. THE ULTIMATE GOALS THAT THESE LINES OF RESEARCH ARE DESIGNED TO ACCOMPLISH ARE THE PRODUCTION OF EVIDENCE-BASED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF AGRIVOLTAIC SYSTEMS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FRAMEWORK TO IMPROVE THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS. THESE GOALS WILL BE FURTHER SUPPORTED BY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES SUCH AS ORGANIZING WORKSHOPS, CREATING A CURRICULUM, MENTORING STUDENTS, AND PRODUCING MEDIA FOR A GENERAL AUDIENCE.