The state Senate on Wednesday killed a bill that would have allowed solar farms on prime agricultural land.

The bill faced an outpouring of opposition from environmental groups concerned it would undermine the state’s goal of increasing local food production.

House Bill 593 received support from key lawmakers, Sen. Kai Kahele, who chairs the Water and Land Committee and Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, who chairs the Ways and Means Committee. But Dela Cruz didn’t have the votes on Wednesday to push the measure through his committee.

The bill had also attracted support from veteran farmers Richard Ha and Dean Okimoto, who in recent years shut down their farms. They argued that renewable energy projects could help make local food production financially sustainable for struggling local farmers.

But others saw the measure as a slippery slope and said there was plenty of other land for large-scale solar projects.

Brian Miyamoto, executive director of the Hawaii Farm Bureau, said in testimony against the bill that land best suited for solar installations is often also best suited for growing food and raising animals. And once land is developed for a solar installation, he said, it’s unlikely to be reverted back to agriculture because the flattening and compacting of the land associated with solar farms often makes it unsuitable for farming.

He also warned that leasing land for solar farms is more profitable than producing crops and provides a more stable revenue stream.

“Rising demand for solar energy could swallow up huge swaths of farmland as struggling farmers may be coerced into selling or leasing to these developments,” wrote Miyamoto.

The measure was also seen as benefiting one solar company in particular, Ho‘ohana Solar. Earlier this year, it was awaiting approval from the Public Utilities Commission to situate a 52-megawatt solar farm on land in Kunia that included agricultural lands that are rated A, which is prohibited by state law.

Ho‘ohana Solar recently backed off on its plans to put part of the solar farm on prime ag lands, said Jon Wallenstrom, a representative for the company, and will use other land on the property.