Some farmers are at odds with solar farms coming onto their land. With solar farms becoming a growing trend, farmers say they are concerned about how these farms will take over their property.

VILLE PLATTE, La. (KLFY) -- Some farmers are at odds with solar farms coming onto their land. With solar farms becoming a growing trend, farmers say they are concerned about how these farms will take over their property.

Farmers in the area are expressing their issues that the farm can cause, such as impacts on farm land use, property values and safety concerns. Other farmers are upset about their land not being leased for the project. Walter Guillory says its unfair.

"This is the fourth year that they said was going to lease our property, they never have. They surveyed on our property for the first three years, then when they found another land owner, white landowner, they decide to lease his property," said Guillory.

Guillory says he feels like he is being looked over for the opportunity because of discrimination.

"It sounds like it would be discrimination against us black folks trying to lease our property for this solar farm," Guillory said.

Eric Wedesky, lead project developer for Solar, says the project will benefit more, and upset less.

"There's people who live next to the projects who are certainly not going to be excited but I think Evangeline Parish has like 8,000 people there, maybe 100 showed up at the meeting, but its gonna benefit a lot more people than its going to upset," Wedesky explained.

A meeting will be held in Ville Platte next week to discuss the issues of the farms.

Latest Posts