Iowa farmer earns about $30,000 a year from 4 wind turbines on his land
Iowa farmers are increasingly leasing land for wind turbines, providing a steady secondary income stream that helps stabilize their agricultural businesses. Many farmers view the turbines as an economic opportunity rather than a political statement on climate change.
Why it matters
It shows how renewable energy infrastructure can provide economic diversification for rural communities, transcending political divides.
Iowa is known for its farms, but its landscape is also filled with wind turbines. The state produced 59% of its energy from wind in 2023, the highest share of any US state. For many farmers, wind energy is not about politics or climate change. It is also a way to earn a steady income from their land.Dave Johnson, a livestock farmer in northern Iowa, leases part of his land to a utility that installed four wind turbines on his property, Vox reported. The turbines bring him about $30,000 a year in total. Johnson raises cattle and hogs and says he wanted his farm to generate more value.“I never had a 401(k),” Johnson said. “I farmed and stuck everything back into the farm. This is the 401(k) that I never had,” he told Vox.Johnson is a Republican and said he voted for Donald Trump.
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