CANTON -- St. Lawrence County officials are taking steps to protect land that can be used for agriculture by implementing a solar development mapping tool to aid in decision making.

Solar development have been popping up throughout the county at a significantly increased rate in recent years, officials say, something that has forced officials to take steps for better governance.

County legislators approved the resolution to encourage municipalities to use the solar development mapping tool during the Feb. 5 full board meeting.

Officials say the market value of agricultural products grown in St. Lawrence County was $191 million as of 2017, a figure that has likely continued to grow in recent years.

But with solar farms popping up throughout the county, many times on prime agricultural land, legislators say that land needs to be protected to ensure the success of the farming industry in the county.

"The success of the farming industry in St. Lawrence County relies on the availability of productive soils to grow foods and products and the presence of prime farmland," officials say.

Prime farmland, if drained, is limited to 19% of all land in St. Lawrence County, officials say.

"Large-scale solar arrays typically require five to seven acres of cleared, flat, dry land for every megawatt of power they generate," the resolution states.

In the past decade the county Planning Board has reviewed 45 solar projects that have or will potentially displace 1,400 acres of farmland.

"The rural character, affordable real estate prices and presence of high voltage transmission lines in St. Lawrence County, along with the energy policies of New York State will continue to attract the siting of solar arrays on farmland," officials say.

In response, the Planning Office created the Solar Development Mapping Tool, which is available on the county website, that identifies  areas of the county where solar development will have less negative impacts on agricultural land, and is available and encouraged to use by local governments.