Farming With Solar: How Okovate Supports Maryland's Crops & Livestock with Agrivoltaics

Farming in Maryland’s Heartland

Maryland farmers know that thriving agriculture is driven by a diverse mix of crops and livestock and that resilience matters more than ever. At Okovate, our mission is simple: keep your land productive and profitable, while introducing solar as a smart, regenerative partner. Agrivoltaics offers a balanced solution, supporting yields, stabilizing income, and enhancing climate resilience for Maryland’s commodity growers.

Maryland’s Agricultural Backbone

Before we dive in, let’s frame the context with real numbers:

• Farms & Scale: Maryland has approximately 12,600 farms, covering nearly 2 million acres, averaging around 159 acres per operation.
• Row Crops & Grains: Corn (grain) tops the charts with about 390,000 planted acres, producing 55.77 million bushels ($202 million). With wheat, hay, and haylage also contributing significantly.
• Livestock & Dairy:
  
  • Cattle (including calves): Inventory near 154,000 head as of January 1, 2025.
  • Milk production: 846 million lbs of milk produced, valued at nearly $185 million, from ≈40,000 cows.
• Poultry & Eggs: Maryland’s poultry sector is powerful—1.8 billion lbs of broiler meat produced in 2023, generating around $1.3 billion in value. Egg production in January 2023 totaled 58.5 million, predominantly table eggs.
• Specialty Crops & Fruits: Over 21,500 acres of vegetables/melons brought in $106 million. Apples, peaches, and other fruits accounted for $32.7 million in sales.

These figures highlight the breadth of Maryland agriculture, from row crops and vegetables, to cattle, dairy, and poultry.

Why Agrivoltaics Makes Sense for Maryland

Okovate sees agrivoltaics not as a replacement but as a complement to existing systems. Here’s how it dovetails with major commodity operations:

1. Row Crops

• Microclimate benefits: Solar panels cast shade that can reduce heat stress and conserve soil moisture, especially valuable during hot, dry summers when corn or hay quality may suffer.
• Underutilized spacing: Grains and cerals are typically planted in rows that can accommodate strategic panel placement while allowing machinery access.

2. Sheep and Cattle Operations

• Grazing under panels: Livestock can graze in shaded areas creating a win-win where panels and pasture coexist. Shade can ease heat stress in livestock, which can improve health and productivity while also supporting pasture health.
• Bottom-line boost: Leasing land for solar while continuing grazing preserves the farm’s income stream without sacrificing acreage.

3. Poultry

• Outdoor run resilience: Poultry operations that use outdoor areas can benefit from solar structures as they provide partial shelter, reducing heat and rain exposure.
• Diversified income: Extracting value via solar leasing doesn’t interrupt primary poultry production but can offset those high summer bills and support conservation goals.

4. Vegetables, Melons, Fruits, Specialty Crops

• Shade-tolerant success: Crops like leafy greens, broccoli, and berries often thrive under partial shade, with research pointing to improved leaf quality and water efficiency.
• Complementary planting: Rows of vegetables or berries can be arranged to fit around panel arrays, keeping production high while unlocking solar benefits.

Building Resilient Farms

Climate vagaries like heatwaves and dry spells are becoming more common. Agrivoltaics offers a layered defense:

• Climate hedge: Shade reduces evapotranspiration and soil drying.
• Income buffer: Solar lease payments provide stable, long-term revenue against volatile commodity prices.

Internal Resources & Local Synergy

Okovate is grounded locally, with knowledge of Maryland’s crop rotations, soil types, and machinery practices. Our farmer liasons and agronomists work directly with farmers, offering:

• On-farm needs assessment
• Lease alignment that suits crop/livestock cycles
• Support through compliance, permitting, and best agronomic practices

A Joint Future for Solar & Farming

Maryland’s legacy of diverse, hardworking farms doesn’t stop with innovation, it’s powered by it. With agrivoltaics, Okovate is excited to offer a model where row crops, livestock and produce can continue to thrive under smartly designed solar arrays.  Let’s cultivate resilience together. Your farm remains your domain, just with extra protection and opportunity.

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