Columbia Basin Trust launches solar and resilient crop grants

The Columbia Basin Trust has launched two granting programs, Farm Solar and Resilient Food Crops, to bolster local food production and regional resilience in the Columbia Basin.

The Farm Solar grants assist food producers in installing solar panel arrays on buildings or the ground. This initiative aims to lower energy costs for essential operations such as irrigation, heating, and cooling, making local food more affordable for both producers and consumers. For example, Honey Bee Zen Apiaries in Wynndel will use the funding to install solar arrays on two main buildings to ensure a reliable power supply during its peak production period from June to October.

The Resilient Food Crops program encourages producers to trial and transition to new crop varieties better suited for a shifting climate. By diversifying local agriculture with varieties not commonly grown in the area, the program seeks to create a more reliable and stable food system. In the initial intake, eight farms will implement solar arrays and four producers will begin testing new trial crops.