Rapid development of utility-scale solar farms across the country has stimulated significant need for sheep grazing as a means of vegetation management. There are also increasing opportunities for sheep grazing contracts in wildfire-prone areas and vineyards. Sheep grazing helps to eliminate dried plants that might otherwise become wildfire fuel and grazing in vineyards, and in other areas helps clear weeds while reducing or eliminating herbicide use.
These paid grazing contracts present opportunity for growth of the U.S. sheep flock, improving the availability and price competitiveness of American lamb and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through green-energy production and biological vegetation management. These grazing opportunities offer current and emerging sheep producers the opportunity to increase their profitability and grow flock numbers.