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Drive through the plains of Iowa or Kansas and youll see more than rows of corn, wheat and soybeans. Youll also see towering wind turbines spinning above fields and solar panels shining in the sun on barns and machine sheds. For many farmers, these are lifelines. Renewable energy provides steady income and affordable power, helping farms stay viable when crop prices fall or drought strikes. But some of that opportunity is now at risk as the Trump administration cuts federal support for renewable energy. Wind power brings steady income for farms Wind energy is a significant economic driver in rural America. In Iowa, for example, over 60% of the states electricity came from wind energy in 2024, and the state is a hub for wind turbine manufacturing and maintenance jobs. For landowners, wind turbines often mean stable lease payments. Those historically were around US$3,000 to $5,000 per turbine per year, with some modern agreements $5,000 to $10,000 annually, secured through 20- to 30-year contracts. Nationwide, wind and solar projects contribute about $3.5 billion annually in combined lease payments and state and local taxes, more than a third of it going directly to rural landowners. States throughout the Great Plains and Midwest, from Texas to Montana to Ohio, have the strongest onshore winds and onshore wind power potential. These are also in the heart of U.S. farm country. The map shows wind speeds at 100 meters (nearly 330 feet), about the height of a typical land-based wind turbine. [Chart: NREL] These figures are backed by long-term contracts and multibilliondollar annual contributions, reinforcing the economic value that turbines bring to rural landowners and communities. Wind farms also contribute to local tax revenues that help fund rural schools, roads and emergency services. In counties across Texas, wind energy has become one of the most significant contributors to local property tax bases, stabilizing community budgets and helping pay for public services as agricultural commodity revenues fluctuate. In Oldham County in northwest Texas, for example, clean energy projects provided 22% of total county revenues in 2021. In several other rural counties, wind farms rank among the top 10 property taxpayers, contributing between 38% and 69% of tax revenue. The construction and operation of these projects also bring local jobs in trucking, concrete work and electrical services, boosting small-town businesses. The U.S. wind industry supports over 300,000 U.S. jobs across construction, manufacturing, operations and other roles connected to the industry, according to the American Clean Power Association. Renewable energy has been widely expected to continue to grow along with rising energy demand. In 2024, 93% of all new electricity generating capacity was wind, solar or energy storage, and the U.S. Energy Information Administration expected a similar percentage in 2025 as of June. Solar can cut power costs on the farm Solar energy is also boosting farm finances. Farmers use rooftop panels on barns and ground-mounted systems to power irrigation pumps, grain dryers and cold storage facilities, cutting their power costs. Some farmers have adopted agrivoltaicsdual-use systems that grow crops beneath solar panels. The panels provide shade, helping conserve water, while creating a second income path. These projects often cultivate pollinator-friendly plants, vegetables such as lettuce and spinach, or even grasses for grazing sheep, making the land productive for both food and energy. Federal grants and tax credits that were significantly expanded under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act helped make the upfront costs of solar installations affordable. However, the federal spending bill signed by President Donald Trump on July 4, 2025, rolled back many clean energy incentives. It phases down tax credits for distributed solar projects, particularly those under 1 megawatt, which include many farmscale installations, and sunsets them entirely by 2028. It also eliminates bonus credits that previously supported rural and lowincome areas. Without these credits, the upfront cost of solar power could be out of reach for some farmers, leaving them paying higher energy costs. At a 2024 conference organized by the Institute of Sustainability, Energy and Environment at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where I work as a research economist, farmers emphasized the importance of tax credits and other economic incentives to offset the upfront cost of solar power systems. Whats being lost The cuts to federal incentives inlude terminating the Production Tax Credit for new projects placed in service after Dec. 31, 2027, unless construction begins by July 4, 2026, and is completed within a tight time frame. The tax credit pays eligible wind and solar facilities approximately 2.75 cents per kilowatt-hour over 10 years, effectively lowering the cost of renewable energy generation. Ending that tax credit will likely increase the cost of production, potentially leading to higher electricity prices for consumers and fewer new projects coming online. The changes also accelerate the phaseout of wind power tax credits. Projects must now begin construction by July 4, 2026, or be in service before the end of 2027 to qualify for any credit. !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}})}(); Meanwhile, the Investment Tax Credit, which covers 30% of installed cost for solar and other renewables, faces similar limits: Projects must begin by July 4, 2026, and be completed by the end of 2027 to claim the credits. The bill also cuts bonuses for domestic components and installations in rural or lowincome locations. These adjustments could slow new renewable energy development, particularly smaller projects that directly benefit rural communities. While many existing clean energy agreements will remain in place for now, the rollback of federal incentives threatens future projects and could limit new income streams. It also affects manufacturing and jobs in those industries, which some rural communities rely on. Renewable energy also powers rural economies Renewable energy benefits entire communities, not just individual farmers. Wind and solar projects contribute millions of dollars in tax revenue. For example, in Howard County, Iowa, wind turbines generated $2.7 million in property tax revenue in 2024, accounting for 14.5% of the countys total budget and helping fund rural schools, public safety and road improvements. In some rural counties, clean energy is the largest new source of economic activity, helping stabilize local economies otherwise reliant on agricultures unpredictable income streams. These projects also support rural manufacturing such as Iowa turbine blade factories like TPI Composites, which just reopened its plant in Newton, and Siemens Gamesa in Fort Madison, which supply blades for GE and Siemens turbines. The tax benefits in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act helped boost those industriesand the jobs and local tax revenue they bring in. On the solar side, rural companies like APA Solar Racking, based in Ohio, manufacture steel racking systems for utility-scale solar farms across the Midwest. An example of how renewable energy has helped boost farm incomes and keep farmers on their land. As rural America faces economic uncertainty and climate pressures, I believe homegrown renewable energy offers a practical path forward. Wind and solar arent just fueling the grid; theyre helping keep farms and rural towns alive. Paul Mwebaze is a eesearch Economist at the Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Environment at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Starbucks announced its third-quarter financial results on Tuesday, July 29, presenting a company in a high-stakes race to institute major changes, but not quite there. The coffee chain reported its sixth quarter in a row of declining same-store sales. These numbers dropped 2% globally, though most stores outside North America reported flat sales. In the United States, a 2% drop was better than the 2.5% decline that Wall Street had predicted, according to consensus estimates cited by CNBC. In China, Starbuckss second largest market, comparable store sales increased by 2% due to a rise in transactions. While our financial results dont yet reflect all the progress weve made, the signs are clear were gaining momentum, Brian Niccol, chairman and CEO of Starbucks, stated in an accompanying video. Niccol, who joined Starbucks as chief executive in September of last year, previously orchestrated a turnaround at Chipotle Mexican Grill, following a food safety crisis at the burrito chain. Starbucks reported $9.5 billion in consolidated net revenuesan increase of 4%. ‘We’re ahead of schedule’ A pep talk from Niccol appears to have helped to satiate investors, with Starbucks stock (Nasdaq: SBUX) rising over 5% through after-hours and into premarket trading on Wednesday. Weve fixed a lot and done the hard work on the hard things to build a strong operating foundation, and based on my experience of turnarounds, we are ahead of schedule, Niccol stated in a release. In 2026, well unleash a wave of innovation that fuels growth, elevates customer service, and ensures everyone experiences the very best of Starbucks. Were building back a better Starbucks experience and a better business. Niccol has been championing a Back to Starbucks plan. It focuses on exceptional service, simplified routines, and deeper customer connections. Basically, Starbucks wants to rehumanize itself. This process includes expanding the assistant store manager role and internally hiring 90% of retail leadership. Oh, and Starbucks is bringing back seats. In an era of machines, mobile orders, and depersonalization, Niccol has decided that Starbuckss cafes should be warm, textured, and have ample seating.
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Leaders known for their emotional intelligence often pride themselves on cultivating trust, psychological safety, and genuine connection with their teams. These are essential assets in any leadership toolkit, particularly in environments that rely on collaboration, creativity, or mission alignment. But inevitably, there are moments when these strengthsempathy, warmth, patienceneed to be supplemented with something sharper: clarity, candor, and the ability to speak directly when the situation calls for it. If you lead with empathy, you may already be adept at sensing how people are feeling and anticipating the downstream consequences of your words. But in certain moments, the harder leadership move isnt to hold space. Its to draw a line and provide someone a necessary reality check. Conversations like these often feel uncomfortable, but they ultimately serve the integrity of your team, your organization, or the individual themselves. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/03\/acupofambition_logo.jpg","headline":"A Cup of Ambition","description":"A biweekly newsletter for high-achieving moms who value having a meaningful career and being an involved parent, by Jessica Wilen. To learn more visit acupofambition.substack.com.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/acupofambition.substack.com","colorTheme":"salmon","redirectUrl":""}} Confusing directness with harm Many conscientious leaders hesitate to be fully direct because they conflate honesty with harshness. The fear is understandable: no one wants to be perceived as punitive, cold, or unfeeling. So we delay giving feedbackhedging our language and prioritizing emotional comfort over organizational clarity. But avoiding the truth rarely protects peopleit usually disorients them. What erodes trust over time isnt directness; its the absence of it. Its the vague feedback that leaves a team member guessing. The unspoken performance concern that festers behind the scenes. The dissonance between whats said in public and whats whispered in private. Said differently: kindness without clarity is often just misplaced anxiety. Directness as a form of respect When a performance issue arises or a behavioral pattern needs to shift, its worth asking: What does this person deserve to know? Assuming your intent is constructivenot punitivebeing direct is a sign of respect. It assumes the person is capable of hearing hard truths and of responding thoughtfully. It also models the type of culture most high-performing teams want: one where feedback is not weaponized, but neither is it avoided. A few ways to ground a direct conversation in professionalism and respect: I want to have a conversation thats candid, because I take your role and your contribution seriously. This might be hard to hear, but I trust your ability to receive itand respond in a way that reflects your strengths. Im raising this because I value your place on the team and I want to make sure were aligned moving forward. This kind of framing cant mask a poorly handled messagebut it can open the door to a conversation grounded in mutual respect, rather than defensiveness. Delivering clarity without cruelty A direct conversation should be just thatdirect. That means no extended preamble, no hedging language, no passive-aggressive tone. Say what you need to say plainly, and without dramatizing or editorializing. Consider this structure: Signal the conversations purpose: I want to give you some candid feedback about how youre showing up on the team. Name the issue specifically: Youve missed several key deadlines this quarter, and its created ripple effects for others. Explain the impact: People are waiting on your contributions, and timelines are slipping. Its affecting morale. Invite dialogue: Im curious how youre seeing thisdo you agree with that assessment? Identify a clear next step or standard: We need to see improvement over the next month, and Im happy to support youbut the expectations are non-negotiable. This approach allows you to balance accountability with collaboration. It removes ambiguity while still inviting the other person into the solution. Anticipate discomfortbut dont personalize it Even a well-structured conversation may evoke a strong emotional response: frustration, embarrassment, disappointment, defensiveness. This is part of the processnot an indication youve mishandled the exchange. Resist the urge to over-explain, soften your message mid-stream, or rush in to repair the other persons reaction. If the message is true and necessary, the short-term discomfort is a feature of the process, not a bug. One helpful internal reframe: This may feel hard, but that doesnt mean its harmful. It means it matters. Of course, how you follow up also matters. If the person is emotionally reactive or distressed, you can acknowledge the emotion without retreating from the content. A simple I know that was a lot to take inlets revisit this in a few days after youve had a chance to reflect can provide space for integration while still maintaining accountability. Clarity shapes culture Handled well, these conversations arent just about individual performancethey shape your organizational culture. When feedback is delayed, filtered, or inconsistently delivered, teams become unclear about whats expected, whats tolerated, and what success actually looks like. Conversely, when leaders are willing to say the hard thingwith steadiness and respectit signals that performance standards matter, and that team dynamics are worth protecting. Direct communication becomes an act of stewardship: protecting the integrity of the organization, safeguarding the cohesion of the team, and supporting the growth of the individuals within it. Final thought Some people are naturally more direct; others more sensitive to tone and relationship dynamics. But having hard conversations isnt about personalityits about discipline. Its a practice. And like any other leadership muscle, it gets stronger with use. For the empathic leader, the goal isnt to stop caring or to suppress emotional intelligence. Its to channel those qualities into a leadership style thats both principled and effective. The best leaders dontchoose between empathy and clarity. They hold both. And they have the courage to speak candidlyeven when its uncomfortablebecause they understand that clarity is what allows empathy to be sustainable over time. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/03\/acupofambition_logo.jpg","headline":"A Cup of Ambition","description":"A biweekly newsletter for high-achieving moms who value having a meaningful career and being an involved parent, by Jessica Wilen. To learn more visit acupofambition.substack.com.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/acupofambition.substack.com","colorTheme":"salmon","redirectUrl":""}}
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