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Board of Directors

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Put Your Values into Action by Serving on LSP's Board of Directors

The Land Stewardship Project’s board development committee is currently calling for LSP board member nominations.

The Land Stewardship Project’s board development committee is calling for LSP board member nominations. Service on the LSP board of directors is a meaningful way to give back and further our mission to foster an ethic of stewardship for farmland, to promote sustainable agriculture, and to develop healthy communities.

You can nominate yourself or nominate another LSP member. As of June 2024, we have three open board positions, and terms could begin as early as September 2024. Board terms are four years in length, and board members can serve up to two terms. Meetings are held every-other-month, and alternate between virtual and hybrid/in-person meetings. There is a board stipend and mileage offered to board members for their service.

—Nominations Can be Made Via this Google Form —

The LSP board is made up of members that are active in their communities and we put a premium on the lived experience of our board members in helping to pragmatically guide the direction of the organization’s work to meet our mission and vision. The board is a meeting place of diverse folks from around the region aiming to make change for the better. Farmers have long played a prominent role on our board, but we need non-farming eaters and regenerative ag advocates on our board as well.

The board will also consider other strong LSP member-candidates beyond this list of attributes. Who do you know who is doing good work that aligns with LSP’s values? 

Nominations are currently being accepted on a ongoing basis.

Contact board@landstewardshipproject.org if you have any questions.

Current Board of Directors

  • Beth Slocum

    Board Chair
    Farmer-Welch, Minn.
  • Sara Morrison

    Board Secretary/Treasurer
    Food Co-op Manager-Osceola, Wis.
  • Laurie Driessen

    Board Fourth Officer
    Farmer-Canby, Minn.
  • Aleta Borrud


    Retired Physician-Rochester, Minn.
  • Laura Cullip


    Farmer-Hutchinson, Minn.
  • Hannah Bernhardt


    Farmer - Finland, Minn
  • Dan McGrath


    Organizer/Consultant-St. Paul, Minn.
  • Josh Bryceson


    Farmer-Clear Lake, Wis.
  • Les Macare


    Farmer-Colfax, Wis.
  • Paula Williams


    Life Coach-Barnum, Minn.

LSP Board Policy Statements

• Climate Change, Agriculture & Energy (Feb. 2018)

To foster an ethic of stewardship for America’s farmland, the Land Stewardship Project (LSP) advances regenerative farming and food systems that protect soil, water and wildlife resources; promote fairness and economic opportunities for family farms and rural communities; and provide safe and healthful food for all people. However, dangerously high levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which are continuing to rise, seriously threaten future progress. Read the full statement here.

• Gender Equity (Feb. 2018)

One aspect of the Land Stewardship Project’s mission is to advance the development of healthy communities
based upon our principles of democracy, justice and equity. To achieve the vibrant, resilient communities we envision, there must be gender equity, meaning all persons, regardless of gender or gender identity, must have the same opportunities, rights, benefits and obligations. In acknowledging our shared history of gender oppression, we also recognize that if we are to enjoy the full potential our community holds, this often means ensuring that people who were denied opportunities in the past now receive them. Read the full statement here.

• Racial Equity (July 2010)

As the Land Stewardship Project board of directors, we recognize that we are living in very challenging eco-nomic times. On the farm, in small towns, and in our larger cities, we are witnessing a level of economic dis-
tress not seen since the Great Depression. There is considerable financial uncertainty for many individuals and families, much of which has been brought about by an economy that has been based on excessive corporate profits, the extraction of wealth from rural communities, and the exploitation of people and the land. Faced with high unemployment and foreclosure rates, and a lack of access to meaningful, well-compensated work, many white, middle class, and low-income people are hurting. Similarly, middle-class and low-income people of color and American Indians, already saddled with huge disparities in access to health, education, jobs, land, nutrition, housing, and deep unfairness in our criminal justice system, face deeply challenging economic prospects as well. Throughout our nation’s history, we note that times of deep economic uncertainty have often fueled bigotry, scapegoating, anti-immigrant sentiment and racist public policy. In this current economy, we have already begun to see these elements take root once again. Read the full statement here.

 

Contact

Scott Elkins, LSP executive director, e-mail

LSP Board Committees

Sub-committees of the Board of Directors

LSP Steering Committees & Working Groups

Leadership committees that help develop the strategies and tactics LSP uses to create change in our farm and food system.

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Upcoming Events

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February 2026

Sunday February 1

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Showing of This Land: Access & Equity in Minnesota
Sunday February 1
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Showing of This Land: Access & Equity in Minnesota
255 Main St, Winona, MN 55987, USA

The documentary, This Land: Access & Equity in Minnesota will help open the Frozen River Film Festival, being held Feb. 1-8 in Winona, Minn. 
 
This Land is a documentary film directed by artist and activist Michelle de la Vega and LSP member Eva Barr. The videographers are Gisell Calderon and Stan Juzwiak. This project asks the question: Why aren’t there more Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers in Minnesota? BIPOC people have exceptionally limited access to land. The 2020 Emerging Farmers in Minnesota Legislative Report states: “principle operators of Minnesota farms are 99.16 percent white….Nationally, non-white farmers own less than 4 percent of agricultural land, and in Minnesota, that rate is even lower.” The film follows the stories of land seekers, landowners, and land sharers to raise and explore questions about land justice in the U.S.

Tuesday February 3

8:45 am – 3:45 pm
2026 Extension Women in Ag Conf.
Tuesday February 3
8:45 am – 3:45 pm
2026 Extension Women in Ag Conf.
The Park Event Center, 500 Division St, Waite Park, MN 56387, USA

This one-day conference includes a farmer panel to kick off the morning, interactive break-out sessions, and multiple opportunities to re-connect with friends while making new ones. As always, interact with conference sponsors in the exhibitor hall and enjoy the wellness space to relax and recharge throughout the day. If your schedule allows, please attend the optional pre-conference session the day before on Monday, Feb. 2. 

To learn more about the conference, view the conference website: z.umn.edu/WAGN2026.

11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Beyond the Crop: Birds, Biodiversity, and the Power of Edge Habitat
Tuesday February 3
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Beyond the Crop: Birds, Biodiversity, and the Power of Edge Habitat
Online

This 10-lesson Wild Farm Alliance virtual course teaches agricultural professionals and farmers how to support beneficial birds and manage pest birds on farms. By learning how to assess the farm’s avian needs and opportunities, farms can be designed to provide for a diversity of beneficial birds. 

If pest birds are a problem, they can be discouraged with specific practices during the shorter periods when they cause damage. The sessions cover the latest research, tools and resources, and are given by experts in avian pest control, entomology, ornithology and conservation. While many topics and species are specific to the Midwest, most of the principles discussed are applicable across regions. 

Continuing Education Credits have been requested and are expected to be approved from American Society of Agronomy.

For details and to register, click here. 

The Course Schedule:

LESSON 1

Why Birds Belong on the Farm: Biodiversity, Pest Control & A Thriving Landscape

Tuesday, September 23, 2 p.m. CT


LESSON 2

Birds as Pest Control Allies on the Farm

Tuesday, October 14, 11 a.m. CT


LESSON 3

Birds in the Balance: Pest Control Services Across Crop Types

Tuesday, November 4, 11 a.m. CT


LESSON 4

Integrating Habitat into Croplands: Prairie Strips and Bird Conservation

Tuesday, December 2, 11 a.m. CT


LESSON 5

Birds on the Farm: Balancing Biodiversity and Food Safety

Tuesday, January 13, 11 a.m. CT


LESSON 6

Beyond the Crop: Birds, Biodiversity, and the Power of Edge Habitat

Tuesday, February 3, 11 a.m. CT


LESSON 7

Bridging Forestry, Farming, and Habitat

Tuesday, February 24, 11 a.m. CT


LESSON 8

Perennial Pathways: Agroforestry for Birds and Biodiversity on Farms

Tuesday, March 17, 11 a.m. CT


LESSON 9

Birds on the Range: How Grazing Practices Shape Habitat for Grassland Species

Tuesday, April 7, 11 a.m. CT


LESSON 10

Birds at Risk: How Pesticides Shape Safety on Agricultural Lands

Tuesday, April 28, 11 a.m. CT

5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
LSP Farm Transition Planning Course
Tuesday February 3
5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
LSP Farm Transition Planning Course
Zoom Online

The Land Stewardship Project’s long-running course for farmers and other landowners looking to transition their agricultural operations to the next generation is expanding into South Dakota in 2026. The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) Winter Farm Transition Planning Course, which enters its 10th session in 2026, provides a holistic opportunity to dig into important topics and learn from experienced farmers and professionals about the options that farmers and landowners have when looking to pass their farm on.

The standard Zoom online LSP course will be held on seven Tuesday evenings starting on January 27 and running through March 10. The sessions build on one another, so attendance at all sessions ensures the greatest understanding and planning opportunities. The course fee is $250 per family, and registration is open through Jan. 9 at https://landstewardshipproject.org/transition2026.

New this year is an expanded course offering for South Dakota attendees as part of a partnership LSP has formed with Dakota Rural Action and Rural Revival.

The South Dakota course, led by Dakota Rural Action and Rural Revival and using the LSP curriculum, includes seven weekly in-person sessions, with a full-day Saturday kick-off session, and another full-day session to close the training. Sessions two through six will take place on Tuesday evenings for two-and-a-half hours. The dates are: Jan. 31, Feb. 3, Feb. 10,  Feb. 17, Feb. 24, March 3 and March 14. As with the fully online course, the course fee is $250 per family, and the registration deadline is Jan. 9. To register for the South Dakota course, visit https://qrco.de/farmtransitions2026.

Presenters at both workshops will include other area farmers who are implementing farm transition plans, as well as professionals representing the legal and financial fields as they relate to agricultural businesses. Workshop participants will have an opportunity to begin engaging in the planning process as well as to learn about resources for continuing the process after the workshop has ended.

Join with Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/jxm-nrix-qwe

Learn more about Meet at: https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/9282720

5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
South Dakota Farm Transition Planning Course
Tuesday February 3
5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
South Dakota Farm Transition Planning Course
South Dakota

  • Are you a farm family or landowner thinking about the future or next steps for your farm?
  • Are you interested in planning for the next generation of farmers on your land?
  • Do you have a spouse/partner helping to make these decisions? Are you both on the same page?
  • Are you ready to begin the planning process but don’t know where to start?

For the first time, Rural Revival is hosting a holistic Farm Transition Planning Course in collaboration with The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) and Dakota Rural Action (DRA). This opportunity is coordinated alongside the land transition course that LSP has provided for Minnesota farmers over the past 9 years. The course includes seven weekly sessions, with a full day Saturday to kick off, and again to close the training. Sessions 2-6 will take place on Tuesday evenings for 2 1/2 hours. Sessions will bring professionals, farmers and LSP/DRA staff together to dig into values and goals, communications, generational, financial, legal, and long-term care considerations. The sessions build on each other and it is important to plan on attending all of them. The sessions will include participatory activities and there will be work families are encouraged to complete outside of the gathered course time.

The topics, dates, and times for the course are:

  • Saturday, Jan 31st: Goal Setting for LIfe & Land, 10:00am-4:00pm
  • Tues. Feb 3: Values and Why Farm Transition Planning is Needed, 5:30pm-8:00pm
  • Tues. Feb 10: Financial Considerations, 5:30-8:00pm
  • Tues. Feb 17: Legal Considerations, 5:30-8:00pm
  • Tues. Feb 24: Working with the Next Generation Farmers, 5:30-8:00pm
  • Tues. March 3: Long Term Care Considerations, 5:30-8:00pm
  • Saturday, March 14: Resources and Planning Next Steps, 10:00am-4:00pm 

The course fee is $250 per family. The registration deadline is January 9. For more information and to register, click here.

For more farm transition resources, click here. For more course information, contact:

  • DRA’s Megan EisenVos at megan@dakotarural.org, 605-277-3790
  • LSP’s Karen Stettler at stettler@landstewardshipproject.org, 507-458-0349
  • Rural Revival Treasurer, Roy Kaufman at lorokauf@gwtc.net

View Full Calendar

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