(The Center Square) – Taxpayers giving breaks to the solar industry at the expense of some of “the best farmland in the state” is a misdirection of the General Assembly’s intention, a farmer and bill sponsor told a North Carolina legislative committee Wednesday.

“When this was being sold to the General Assembly, it would be on nonproductive land,” said Rep. Jimmy Dixon, R-Wayne. “I can’t tell you how many times I heard that this would be on nonproductive, low-performing land. Over and over, that was one of the selling points for it.”

But instead, the solar panels have been positioned on “the best farmland in the state,” Dixon said.

The legislator said he is a firm believer in property rights that allow farmers to lease their land for solar panels. But the tax breaks are a “subsidy” paid by all taxpayers, he said.

Dixon is chairman of the Agriculture and Environment Committee. Discussion centered on the Farmland Protection Act, or House Bill 729. North Carolina’s No. 1 industry is agriculture and agribusiness, estimated at a $111.1 billion economic impact.

Growth in agriculture and agri-business since 2022 is by $18 billion. About 42,500 farms are operated on 8.1 million acres.

Dixon originally favored reducing the tax break from 80% to 40%, but now wants it reduced to zero.

“There will be no exclusion going forward,” he said of the latest version of the bill.

For future solar projects, the Farmland Protection Act would eliminate the 80% property tax break on equipment, Dixon said. Millions in revenue for counties is lost by the law as it stands, he said.

Kevin Leonard, executive director of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, spoke in favor of the bill Wednesday.

“Our association’s full support of this legislation is not a statement on clean energy,” Leonard said. “Many of our commissioners support those issues. For us, this is our association’s and our counties’ concerns about the impacts of unfunded mandates to exempt property taxes.”

Counties have limited ways to raise revenue to fund services, he said.

Thirteen North Carolina counties each suffer $1 million per year losses due to the solar equipment, Leonard said.

“Repealing this would have a major positive impact for those counties to support the functions that they are required by this body to provide,” Leonard told legislators.

But George Draper, who owns 38 acres in Anson County, defended the tax breaks. He has leased some of his land to a solar company since 2015.

“My wife and I are both retired and we rely on this income.” he said. “This bill could have a detrimental effect on landowners across North Carolina.”

Dixon stressed his intent was to halt the tax breaks on future projects. 

The committee heard comments on the legislation Wednesday but did not vote on it. Dixon described it as a “work in progress.”

(The Center Square) – Making the age 21 to buy hemp products is included in a regulations proposal at the North Carolina General Assembly.

The Protect Children from Cannabis Act, also known as House Bill 680, pushes for oversight and accountability of the industry. Rep. Dr. Tim Reeder, R-Pitt, authored the legislation alongside Republican Reps. Allen Chesser of Nash County and Tricia Cotham of Mecklenburg County.

The bill says between 2019 and 2023 emergency department visits for tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive component determining whether hemp or marijuana, rose 600% for youth ages 17 or younger. For 18- and 19-year-olds, the rate was more than 1,000%.

“Evidence also shows,” the bill says, “that cannabis use during adolescence and young adulthood may harm the developing brain, and youth who use intoxicating cannabis can experience multiple negative impacts such as problems with memory, learning, school and social life; impaired driving; the potential for addiction; and increased risk of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, psychosis, schizophrenia, and suicidal behaviors.”

Alcohol Law Enforcement will have authority for enforcement, the proposal says. Licensing requirements will be in place for sellers.

Hemp was declassified as a controlled substance in 2022. The concentration of delta-9 THC, for North Carolina law purposes, determines if the plant cannabis sativa is hemp or marijuana. More than 0.3% is illegal marijuana; less than 0.3% is hemp.

Oils, gummies and topicals are sold statewide.