October 21, 2019
Local legislators visited the dual-use agriculture and solar PV research site at the UMass Crop and Animal Research and Education Center in South Deerfield. State Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, State Rep. Natalie M. Blais, D-Sunderland, and State Rep. Mindy Domb, D-Amherst, met with UMass Extension staff and representatives from Hyperion Systems LLC to discuss the compatibility of solar photovoltaics and farm production. The site is home to 106 solar panels producing 16.8 kilowatts of renewable energy as part of a photovoltaic dual-use research project aimed at growing crops and generating electricity.