(The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker enacted a law launching the Farmland Transition Commission, a lifeline for young farmers struggling to secure land. This comes as an Illinois state Senator says farmland is disappearing to solar and wind projects.

State Sen. Sally Turner, R-Beason, sponsored legislation to create the commission. She said the commission will address barriers and support Illinois’ next-generation farmers, calling it “very much so necessary” as more than 129,000 acres of farmland have been taken out of production for solar projects across the state.

“That’s a lot,” Turner said. “We’ve got 3,000 acres south of Springfield, another solar project in Effingham, another 2,000-acre one in eastern McLean County and more coming. It’s taking up all the good farm ground,

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