Land Stewardship Project

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Conservation Leases

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Conservation Leases Toolkit

Below is a list of documents and websites meant to support anyone working to improve conservation on rented land — from both the landowners’ and farmers’ perspectives. If you’d like to know more about why conservation on rented land is important, check out this podcast.

Landowners who are thinking about conservation leases are often looking down the road towards what happens next on their land. Resources to help you transition your farm to the next generation are available here.

Finally, if you would like to talk to a LSP staff member about conservation on rented land, e-mail Robin Moore or call her at 612-767-9480.

Toolkit Contents

• Farming & Soil Health General Information includes:
– Soil Health, Water and Climate Change: A Pocket Guide to What You Need to Know — this is a handy primer on the science of building healthy soil
– Why Do Farmers Do What They Do?: The basics of how and why farming practices are what they are in the Upper Midwest today.
• Conservation Lease Information & Templates includes:
– Including Stewardship in Lease Agreements: LSP Fact Sheet #27 provides examples of practices and other considerations when thinking about these leases.
– Frequently Asked Questions on Sustainable and Long-Term Leases in Minnesota. Produced by Farmers’ Legal Action Group, this publication outlines optional approaches to leases.
– Sample leases, links to other conservation lease websites…and more.

• Conversations with Renters

– Owner/Renter Discussion Tips: Developed by LSP with suggestions from the first workshop we held on engaging in productive conversations with a renter.
– Goal Setting for Your Land: A resource from the Farm Transitions Toolkit, which was developed by LSP and the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture.

• Setting a Rental Rate for Soil Health-Building Practices

– Cropland Rental Rates — University of Minnesota Extension
– Minnesota Beginning Farmer Tax Credit. This is a newer option available to Minnesota taxpayers who rent or sell to a beginning farmer.

 

The above Toolkit items can be downloaded as one PDF here.

 

Alternatives for Continuing Your Land Legacy

Accessing secure and affordable land is a barrier for many and a systems change is needed. While working on systems changes that can take time to enact, there needs to be alternative ways for beginning farmers to access land.

Minnesota Commons — Agrarian Trust

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service easements

Land Return

How One Farm Did It

A Land Stewardship Letter profile describes how Harvey

Harvey Benson and Bonita Underbakke, with Aaron and Amy Bishop.

Benson continued his stewardship legacy when he passed his farm onto the next generation by utilizing lots of communication, expert advice, and a creative conservation lease agreement.

Give it a Listen

• Episode 202 of LSP’s Ear to the Ground podcast features a landowner and a soil health expert talking about how to build stewardship into farmland leases.

• Episode 230 of LSP’s Ear to the Ground podcast features Robin Moore talking about how LSP is using soil health to forge stewardship partnerships between non-operating landowners and the farmers who rent from them.

• Episode 232 of LSP’s Ear to the Ground podcast features landowner Jeannie Hill talking about how she prepared for a tough conversation about soil erosion she had to have with her renter.

Related Posts

  • ‘Exploring Conservation on Rented Farmland’ Online Workshop Jan. 24

    January 3, 2023

    MADISON, Minn. — Are you a farmland owner who values good stewardship practices or a farmer looking to invest in soil building on rented land…

    News Releases
    conservation, conservation leases, Conservation Leases Toolkit, landowners, renting farmland, Renting It Out Right, soil health
    ‘Exploring Conservation on Rented Farmland’ Online Workshop Jan. 24
  • Ear to the Ground 295: Patchwork Quilt Stewardship

    John Ledermann’s rental relationships are built on healthy soil.
    More Information
    • LSP’s Conservation Leases Toolkit
    • Land Stewardship Letter article on John Ledermann
    • LSP’s Soil Health web…

    Ear to the Ground 295: Patchwork Quilt Stewardship
  • Ear to the Ground 232: A Difficult Discussion

    Excessive erosion on her farm prompted Jeannie Hill to have a hard conversation with her renter. But first, she did some homework.

    Ear to the Ground 232: A Difficult Discussion

Contact

Robin Moore, land access/land legacy manager
e-mail, 612-767-9480

  • For Farmers & Landowners
    • New Farmers
      • Farm Beginnings Class
      • Journeyperson Course
      • Farm Dreams Workshop
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Accessing Farmland
      • Beginning/Retiring Farmer Tax Credit
      • Beginning Farmer Profiles
    • Retiring Farmers & Landowners
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Conservation Leases
      • Beginning/Retiring Farmer Tax Credit
      • Land Transition Tools
      • Transition Stories
    • Soil Health
      • Cover Crops
      • Grazing
      • No-till
      • Microbiology
      • Soil Builders’ Network
      • Soil Builders’ E-Letters
    • Cropping Systems Calculator
    • Conservation Leases
  • Join, Donate, or Renew
  • Building People Power

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Montevideo, MN 56265

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Lewiston, MN 55952

(507) 523-3366

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821 E. 35th Street #200
Minneapolis, MN 55407

(612) 722-6377

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