A sharp shift in federal policy left American farmers who invested in solar facing new uncertainty — and climate writer Melina Walling was there to document the fallout.
Working in partnership with Grist, Walling delivered a deeply reported look at how the Trump administration’s rollback of renewable energy support is reshaping rural communities. Her reporting uncovered a striking detail: more than halfway through the fiscal year, the Department of Agriculture had not awarded a single dollar in rural energy grants or loan guarantees after scaling back two key programs.
The abrupt halt marked a significant reversal in federal policy and cut off a vital source of funding for farmers who had turned to renewable energy to sustain their operations. Walling translated complex policy changes into clear, real-world consequences for those directly affected.
The story was strengthened by video journalist Joshua Bickel’s visual storytelling, which brought audiences closer to the farmers navigating these challenges and underscored the human impact behind the policy shift.
Together, the team produced a compelling, accessible account of how decisions in Washington are playing out across rural America.
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