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Changes Ahead for LSP in 2023

Mike McMahon Departing as Executive Director

By The Board & Staff of LSP
December 18, 2022

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As the Land Stewardship Project begins the new year, Mike McMahon will be wrapping up his tenure as the executive director of LSP and the organization’s 501(c)4 political leadership development partner, the Land Stewardship Action Fund.

Mike McMahon

McMahon would like to share this message with LSP’s members: “The Land Stewardship Project is a special organization and it’s been a big part of my life. In my time with LSP, I have been fortunate to work closely with both members and staff to organize campaigns, to develop leaders, to grow the membership, to fundraise for the work, and more. As grateful as I am for this opportunity, I believe this is the time for me to depart. During my time as executive director, I have been increasingly drawn to work that will keep me more directly engaged in organizing, and I would like to pursue those opportunities.”

McMahon is working with the board of directors on a transition plan and timeline for his departure, which will be in early 2023. During the transition, Amy Brugh will be serving as a consultant to help with the process and serve as our interim executive director. Amy is an experienced interim executive director, planner, and facilitator. Her background is in public health, and she worked for 15 years in legislative policy before starting her own consulting firm.

McMahon has deep connections to the Land Stewardship Project. He joined LSP’s policy and organizing team in 1998, where, among other things, he organized hog farmers around the national pork checkoff campaign. He went on to work extensively with building LSP’s membership program, eventually becoming director of membership and individual giving. He served as LSP’s co-managing director in 2020, after which he left to work as the advancement director for Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement. Mike returned to LSP as its executive director in early 2022.

“The board has accepted Mike’s resignation with deep appreciation for the stability and coherence he has brought to our organization during his tenure and an equally deep understanding of his passion for on-the-ground, grassroots organizing for the land and its people, work that is his calling,” said Beth Slocum, chair of LSP’s board of directors. She added, “Deep roots — that’s what sustains LSP, our staff, our members, and supporters, as well as our allies. In his multiple roles at LSP, Mike has demonstrated those deep roots within our organization. We know that wherever this next chapter opens up for Mike in organizing for people and the land, he will continue to grow from the roots he set down with LSP. We wish him the best.”

During the past year, McMahon’s stable and competent leadership steered the organization through a phase of emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic while continuing to expand its work in the areas of beginning farmer training, intergenerational transfer of farms, grassroots organizing, advancing soil health, and revitalizing community food systems. Mike also oversaw the implementation of the organization’s first collective bargaining agreement with the newly formed Land Stewardship Workers Union, along with improvements to the organization’s internal, administrative operations.

Leadership transitions are never easy, but the Land Stewardship Project has in place a board of directors, staff, and management team that are in an excellent position to develop new leadership during the upcoming year. Even more importantly, LSP has members like you who continue to organize and work together to advance the mission and vision of the organization.

As LSP wraps up its 40th year of working to “keep the land and people together” and looks forward to 2023, we are excited to continue as well as build upon the work related to beginning farmers, soil health, public policy development, community-based foods, creating a just food and farm system for everyone, and challenging corporate consolidation.

Please stay tuned-in during the new year for updates on LSP’s leadership transition. In the meantime, if you have any questions, contact Brian DeVore at 612-816-9342 or bdevore@landstewardshipproject.org.

Category: Blog
Tags: Land Stewardship Project • LSP leadership • Mike McMahon

Upcoming Events

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May 2025

Thursday May 29

9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Storytelling for Sales: Digital Marketing for Sustainable Farmers
Thursday May 29
9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Storytelling for Sales: Digital Marketing for Sustainable Farmers
Zoom Online

Storytelling for Sales: Digital Marketing Best Practices to Get Your Farm’s Next Customer is designed to help farmers grow their customer base by sharpening their storytelling and digital marketing skills—whether they’re selling through farmers’ markets, CSAs, or direct-to-retail. This Greener Pastures and Meet the Minnesota Makers workshop will cover how websites and social media can actually convert viewers into buyers to creating content that builds community loyalty.

This workshop is also designed for ag educators, professionals, and partner organizational staff who support farmers directly and want to be well-versed on the marketing best practices to support direct-to-consumer farms. 

For details and to register, click here.

Saturday May 31

10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Multi-species Pasture Walk
Saturday May 31
10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Multi-species Pasture Walk
872 320th Ave, Frederic, WI 54837, USA

The NW Wisconsin Graziers Network, River Country RC&Dand UW-Madison Extension invite you to a multi-species pasture walk hosted by JohnsonFamily Pastures LLC. The farm is located five miles east of Frederic in PolkCounty. This educational event willemphasize direct marketing, multi-species grazing, part-time family agricultureand silvopasture development. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.

TheJohnson Family Pastures farm is home to Chris and Tamara Johnson and their twochildren. They raise grass-fed beef, silvopastured goats, and recently raised anumber of other species. The farm consists of about 160 acres of gently rollingpastures, silvopasture, and forest. Use of both temporary polybraid fencing andhigh tensile permanent fences allow for rotational grazing of small ruminants andout-wintering of beef cattle. Use of long-term farm transition strategies, cost-shareprograms, silvopasture development with goats, regenerative grazing, cattlehandling facility and bale grazing will be discussed along with answering anyand all questions from pasture walk participants.

An extensive and diversified direct marketing programhas been developed by Tamara and Chris that has included farmer markets, e-maillists, newsletters, website ordering, on-farm freezer storage, and other strategiesand tools to support direct sales and services for their customers.  Come and learn all about their successfulapproach.

For more information,contact Chris Johnson at 920-960-4475 or Lynn Johnson 715-225-9882 at NW Graziers.

June 2025

Wednesday June 25

2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
LSP-PFI Grazing Field Day at Hoosier Ridge Ranch
Wednesday June 25
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
LSP-PFI Grazing Field Day at Hoosier Ridge Ranch
Hoosier Ridge Ranch, 15998 Wabasha County Rd 26, Altura, MN 55910, USA

Over the last 50 years, livestock have left many farms. Eric Heins is doing the reverse: bringing cattle – and their poop, pee and hooves – back to his land. Come see how Eric is using his Normande-shorthorn crosses in a variety of grazing situations. During this Land Stewardship Project-Practical Farmers of Iowa field day, you can view permanent pasture, where Eric (like everyone) is battling the cool-season grass takeover. You’ll also learn how Eric is using his cattle in cover crop mixes, prairie and woodlands.

Since purchasing the farm in 2020, Eric has converted the cropland to pasture. He also custom-farms a diverse rotation of crops, covers and small grains on neighboring farms, including an established prairie on Iowa Department of Natural Resources land. A possible bonus: Eric is hoping to have virtual fence collars by the time of the field day, but no guarantees!

A meal featuring Hoosier Ridge Ranch burgers will follow the field day.

See & Discuss

  • Cash-flowing the conversion to pasture on owned versus rented cropland
  • Stockpiling pasture for winter grazing
  • Mechanical buckthorn clearing for silvopasture
  • Grazing agreements on DNR prairie and neighboring cropland
  • A sudangrass mix after a canning pea crop
  • An extended rotation with oats, barley and Kernza

For details and to register, click here.

Saturday June 28

4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
LSP's Boots & Roots: A Celebration of Land & People
Saturday June 28
4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
LSP's Boots & Roots: A Celebration of Land & People
Dream Acres, Co Hwy 8, Spring Valley, MN 55975, USA

Join Land Stewardship Project members and supporters to kick-start the Driftless summer with an evening of good food, good music, and good times. We’ll have activities for all ages that will get you out in nature, exploring the connection between our region’s farms and your community’s food, land, and water. Bring a side or dessert to share for dinner, and the Dream Acres wood-fired oven will provide locally-sourced pizzas and flat breads. Dinner will be followed by live music and contra dancing by the Crater City String Band.  

To reserve a spot, click here.

Camping sites are available at nearby Masonic Park and Forestville Mystery Cave and Lake Louise State Parks. Camping at Masonic is rustic,first-come-first-serve, free, and does not require a reservation. Fillmore County, who manages the park, only asks that you call the dispatchers at507-765-3874 when you arrive with your vehicle information and phone number in case of emergency. State Park reservations cost $25 a night and can be made online.

July 2025

Tuesday July 15

5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Organic Fruit & Vegetable Field Day
Tuesday July 15
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Organic Fruit & Vegetable Field Day
1805 Dudley Ave, Falcon Heights, MN 55113, USA

Join U of M researchers and Extension for updates on organic fruit and vegetable research and tour the Student Organic Farm and the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station in Saint Paul. Topics include: organic insect management, integrating livestock into vegetable farms, new crops for Minnesota, irrigation strategies, and more. Free to the public.
 
For details and to register, click here.

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