Khanna co-authors recommendations for land use planning

A new publication of policy recommendations for land use, energy, and agriculture has been released as part of the U.S.-German Forum on the Future of Agriculture, led by the Aspen Institute Germany together with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

The publication, “Land Use Planning at the Intersection of Agriculture and Renewable Energy,” was developed by the project’s 2025 cohort – a group of agricultural producers, researchers, and agribusiness representatives from the United States and Germany. 

The cohort included Madhu Khanna, College of ACES distinguished professor of environmental economics, who participated in the project from January to August 2025. Khanna is also the Alvin H. Baum Family Chair & Director of the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment and Director of the USDA funded project on Sustainable Colocation of Agricultural and Photovoltaic Electricity Systems (SCAPES) at the University of Illinois.

“As part of this forum, I made connections with farmers, researchers, lawyers, and others working at the interface of agriculture and renewable energy development in the U.S. and Germany, and I gained a deeper appreciation of the diverse perspectives about using cropland for renewable energy production and the appeal of technologies such as agrivoltaics that enable colocation of food and energy production on the same land. It was a unique opportunity for me to bring a science-based perspective from my research in the SCAPES project into the discussions towards these recommendations,” said Khanna. 

The publication presents strategies to ensure food and energy security, expand economic opportunities for farmers, and develop infrastructure to support integrated agricultural and renewable energy production. The recommendations are intended for policymakers and other agriculture stakeholders at both the national and subnational levels and also emphasize the importance of strengthening transatlantic cooperation.

The U.S.-German Forum on the Future of Agriculture, which is in its third year, brings together stakeholders from Germany and the United States to address pressing agricultural challenges, exchange best practices, and co-create solutions. This year’s cohort focused on the critical topic of land use for energy and agriculture. Over several months, participants engaged in moderated virtual sessions and study trips to Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, and Boulder, Colorado. 

A virtual final event for this year’s project is planned for Sept. 24, 2025 from 4 - 6 p.m. CST and will convene participants from Germany, Europe, and the United States to discuss the policy recommendations developed in the context of the project with representatives from politics, research, business, and praxis. The event is open to the public. Click here to register. 

Read the final publication with the recommendations.. 

Read more about the U.S. - German Forum on the Future of Agriculture. 

Members of the 2025 cohort include: Angela Heinssen (Kanzlei an der Lühe); Breanna Reed (Bee-Ewe-tiful Farms); Arne Guttulsröd (AGN Neunheilingen GmbH); Benjamin Riensche (Blue Diamond Farming Company); Joel Tatum (American Farmland Trust); Jonas Trippner (DLG e.V. – German Agricultural Society); Genevieve Byrne (Vermont Law and Graduate School); Denny Tumlirsch (Landesbauernverband Brandenburg); Sylvia Lauer (Maientalerhof); Cetta Barnhart (Seed Time Harvest Farms); Eden Vardy (The Farm Collaborative); Madhu Khanna (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign); Sophie Charlotte Schumacher (NORIKA GmbH/ Schumacher GbR); Manuela Schneider (Domäne Hofschwicheldt & Erlebnisspeicher); Lukas Mißlbeck (Ostharzer Bodenkultur GmbH & Co. KG).

The project is supported by the Transatlantic Program of the Federal Republic of Germany, funded by the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).