The California Farm Bureau and several other agricultural organizations have welcomed the decision by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) to pause Assembly Bill 1156, which they believe could have posed risks to farmland preservation efforts.
Assembly Bill 1156 proposed changes that would make it easier to convert farmland lacking sufficient water into solar farms. The bill also included provisions allowing such land to revert back to agricultural use while retaining tax incentives provided under the Williamson Act.
Peter Ansel, director of policy advocacy for the California Farm Bureau, stated, “We are grateful to Assemblymember Wicks for her decision to place AB 1156 on the Assembly Inactive File.” He explained that this move acknowledges concerns raised by farm groups about potential impacts on prime farmland and tax policy. According to Ansel, “AB 1156 raised questions about the integrity of the Williamson Act…because the bill created a pathway for industrial-scale solar and battery projects on prime farmland without a contractually agreed-upon early termination fee.”
Ansel added that delaying action on the bill gives lawmakers more time to consider how best to balance sustainable agriculture with broader state goals.
The Department of Conservation has reported that California lost over 1.6 million acres of agricultural land between 1984 and 2018, averaging an annual loss of approximately 47,000 acres during that period.
Tom Stein, California regional director for American Farmland Trust (AFT), commented that his organization remains focused on promoting solar development compatible with agriculture and supporting both clean energy production and groundwater management objectives.
