Beyond Exports: Rebuilding Local Markets Workshop
Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026
9am to 3pm
Rochester International Event Center — Rochester, Minn.
9:00 am Welcome (coffee and pastries provided)
9:15 Organizing the Oat Mafia
Morning Keynote: Martin Larsen
The workshop’s morning keynote speaker will be Martin Larsen, a farmer and founding member of the “Oat Mafia” in southeastern Minnesota. He will highlight the challenges and opportunities facing all farmers as they look beyond selling into the export market at the elevator and instead consider recreating the local markets that once served our farmers and consumers. Larsen will share his journey establishing food grade oat production on his farm and founding the Oat Mafia, and the agronomic and economic results.
10:30 Break and Transition to Breakout Session 1
10:45 Breakout Session I
Option 1: Economics of Diversifying Your Rotations
Summary: “Diversifying” your crop rotation is a little like apple pie and puppies: everybody’s in favor of it. But the bottom line is diversifying must make financial sense to be successful. After all, there’s a reason so many of us are sticking with the basic corn-soybean rotation. During this session, two farmers with extensive experience diversifying their crop rotations will lead a practical, real-world discussion about how they have crunched the numbers and weighed the risks, all while penciling out the benefits.
Session Leaders: Al Jostock, diversified farmer and LSP Soil Health Steering Committee member; James Hepp, diversified farmer and member of the Iowa Strip Till Mafia.
Option 2: Marketing Your Alternative Crops
Summary: Raising the most diverse set of crops that’s agronomically possible does little good if you can’t find a viable, consistent market in your region. During this session, a trio of farmers will discuss innovative, practical approaches they’re utilizing to gain access to profitable markets for crops that represent an alternative to the export-driven commodity system.
Session Leaders: Matt Kruger, Green Acres Mill/farmer; John Strohfus, diversified farmer and marketer; Tom Finnegan, farmer and LSP Soil Hub Member.
11:45 Lunch & Announcements (lunch provided)
12:30 pm Break Transition to Breakout Session 2
12:45 Breakout Session II
Option 1: Economics of Diversifying Your Rotations
Summary: “Diversifying” your crop rotation is a little like apple pie and puppies: everybody’s in favor of it. But the bottom line is diversifying must make financial sense to be successful. After all, there’s a reason so many of us are sticking with the basic corn-soybean rotation. During this session, two farmers with extensive experience diversifying their crop rotations will lead a practical, real-world discussion about how they have crunched the numbers and weighed the risks, all while penciling out the benefits.
Session Leaders: Al Jostock, diversified farmer and LSP Soil Health Steering Committee member; James Hepp, diversified farmer and member of the Iowa Strip Till Mafia.
Option 2: Marketing Your Alternative Crops
Summary: Raising the most diverse set of crops that’s agronomically possible does little good if you can’t find a viable, consistent market in your region. During this session, a trio of farmers will discuss innovative, practical approaches they’re utilizing to gain access to profitable markets for crops that represent an alternative to the export-driven commodity system.
Session Leaders: Matt Kruger, Green Acres Mill/farmer; John Strohfus, diversified farmer and marketer; Tom Finnegan, farmer and LSP Soil Hub Member.
1:45 Transition to Main Room
2:00 What’s Possible with Farmer Cooperation
Afternoon Keynote: Landon Plagge
The afternoon keynote speaker will be Landon Plagge, the 2025 Leopold Conservation Award winner for Iowa and founder of Green Acres Milling, a farmer-owned oat processing facility under construction in Albert Lea, Minn. Plagge will speak from his personal experience in organizing Green Acres Milling on how farmers can cooperate together to take back power from multi-national conglomerates and rebuild the local supply chains that once served each region.
2:45 Closing and Final Remarks
3:00 End – Thanks for coming!