Land Stewardship Project

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Factory Farms

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Factory farms pose a serious threat to the health and well-being of rural communities. These large-scale industrial operations push family farmers off the land and put independent producers out of business. Local economies suffer as more and more land is consolidated into fewer and fewer hands. Factory farms also pose numerous environmental hazards — such as water pollution, noxious odors, and toxic air emissions — that greatly impact the health of nearby residents.

Yet, for decades, Land Stewardship Project members have used the power of local democracy to stop factory farms and build more vibrant rural communities. Through local control, townships and counties can block unwanted development, planning instead for projects that put the land and the people first.

LSP members have also worked at the state level for policies that hold factory farms accountable to higher standards. For example, members fought for policies that control hydrogen sulfide emissions and require factory farms to build covered, concrete lined basins for hog manure lagoons.

A recent blog on a factory farm fight LSP is currently involved in highlights what is at stake and what can be accomplished when community members make their voices heard.

Click Here to Get Involved with
Factory Farm Organizing

Check Out Our Latest Action Alerts

LSP Powerline Story Center

Do you care about the future of your rural community? Do you want to be heard? Submit your story to LSP’s Powerline Story Center today!

The Winona County Factory Farm Fight

During the past three years, a dairy CAFO in Minnesota’s Winona County has made repeated, unsuccessful attempts to force through an unprecedented expansion that could have profound negative impacts on the community. A major reason that, despite backing from powerful interests, Daley Farm has not been successful in ignoring common sense rules is that Winona County residents have repeatedly made their voices heard. Their message is  clear: exceeding the animal unit cap is not good for the land, water, family farms, or rural communities. Check out this page for more on their fight.

Take the Pledge: Say NO to Factory Farms

In the Upper Midwest, we know how special the land that sustains us is. Factory farms jeopardizes not only the land itself but the communities that rely on it. They threaten the water and land with pollution, force small to mid-sized farmers out of business, and weaken local economies. Join other LSP members in taking the “No to Factory Farms” pledge today.

Factory Farm Resources

• Manual: Protecting Your Township From Unwanted Development: A Guide for MN Townships on Using the Interim Ordinance

• Myth #57: Abusive Work Conditions are ‘Essential’ to Heading off a Meat Famine

• Myth #60: CAFO Digesters are a Good Public Investment

• Myth #56: Mega-Dairies = Mega-Benefits for Rural Communities

• The Money Pit: How Minnesota Property Taxpayers are Subsidizing Factory Farms

• Fact Sheet: Factory Farming’s False Promise

• Fact Sheet: Hometown Factory Farm Fighting

• Fact Sheet: Hydrogen Sulfide and Factory Farms

• Fact Sheet: Writing a Letter to Your Newspaper: Putting pen to paper can be a powerful media tool

Related Posts

  • Comments Needed: New MPCA General Feedlot Permits

    July 3, 2024

    On Monday, June 24, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) opened a public comment period for Minnesotans to respond to proposed changes to two permits…

    Action Alerts
    CAFOs, factory farms, feedlot permits, feedlots, karst, manure, MPCA, water pollution, water quality
    Comments Needed: New MPCA General Feedlot Permits
  • Support Lowered Environmental Review Thresholds for Manure Digesters

    April 19, 2024

    Every three years, the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB) publishes an updated Mandatory Category Report detailing project types that require environmental review in our state…

    Action Alerts
    CAFOs, clean water, Environmental Quality Board, factory farms, manure, methane digesters
    Support Lowered Environmental Review Thresholds for Manure Digesters
  • community holding signs against factory farms

    LSP Applauds State Supreme Court’s Rejection of Daley Appeal

    March 19, 2025

    LEWISTON, Minn. —  The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) applauded the Minnesota Supreme Court’s recent decision to deny a Winona County factory farm owner’s attempt to…

    News Releases
    Big Ag, CAFO, Daley Farm, factory farm, local control, local democracy, nitrate pollution, Winona County
    LSP Applauds State Supreme Court’s Rejection of Daley Appeal

Contact:

Matthew Sheets, LSP organizer
e-mail, 612-767-9709

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Upcoming Events

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August 2025

Thursday August 21

8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Adaptive Grazing & Fencing Workshop
Thursday August 21
8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Adaptive Grazing & Fencing Workshop
Olmsted County, Minn.

Farmers, ranchers, and landowners interested in improving their grazing systems and fencing strategies are invited to attend the Adaptive Grazing & Fencing two-day workshop scheduled for August 21–22, in Olmsted County. 

This workshop is being hosted by Olmsted County Soil and Water Conservation District, Minnesota Grazing Lands Conservation Association, and the University of Minnesota Extension in Olmsted County, and is open to all those interested.

Led by grazing specialist Kent Solberg, this practical, hands-on workshop will explore strategies to enhance forage productivity, soil health, and profitability through adaptive grazing. 

Day 1 will be held at Alan Bedtka’s Farm and will focus on the big picture of grazing, its effects on soil health, riparian zones, weed management, and grazing economics.

Day 2 will take place at John Meyer’s Farm and will delve into cost-effective fencing, water systems, and real-world adaptive grazing practices that can be tailored to changing conditions.

Cost: $75/person (includes lunch both days)
Scholarships: 10 scholarships available for those needing financial assistance (inquire early).

More Information: For more information and to register, see the Minnesota Grazing Lands Conservation Association website. You can also contact: 507-328-7070 or e-mail PWService@olmstedcounty.gov.

Friday August 22

8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Adaptive Grazing & Fencing Workshop
Friday August 22
8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Adaptive Grazing & Fencing Workshop
Olmsted County, Minn.

Farmers, ranchers, and landowners interested in improving their grazing systems and fencing strategies are invited to attend the Adaptive Grazing & Fencing two-day workshop scheduled for August 21–22, in Olmsted County. 

This workshop is being hosted by Olmsted County Soil and Water Conservation District, Minnesota Grazing Lands Conservation Association, and the University of Minnesota Extension in Olmsted County, and is open to all those interested.

Led by grazing specialist Kent Solberg, this practical, hands-on workshop will explore strategies to enhance forage productivity, soil health, and profitability through adaptive grazing. 

Day 1 will be held at Alan Bedtka’s Farm and will focus on the big picture of grazing, its effects on soil health, riparian zones, weed management, and grazing economics.

Day 2 will take place at John Meyer’s Farm and will delve into cost-effective fencing, water systems, and real-world adaptive grazing practices that can be tailored to changing conditions.

Cost: $75/person (includes lunch both days)
Scholarships: 10 scholarships available for those needing financial assistance (inquire early). 

More Information: For more information and to register, see the Minnesota Grazing Lands Conservation Association website. You can also contact: 507-328-7070 or e-mail PWService@olmstedcounty.gov.

Sunday August 24

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Livestock Consolidation Town Hall With AG Ellison in Central MN
Sunday August 24
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Livestock Consolidation Town Hall With AG Ellison in Central MN
Central Minnesota

LSP will be hosting a town hall meeting Sunday, Aug. 24, in Paynesville, Minn., on consolidation in livestock agriculture. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison will be on-hand to hear from producers about their experiences with monopoly power. This meeting is for small to mid-sized livestock producers and others who want to push back against consolidation in agriculture.

This town hall will be held at Lake Koronis Regional Park, 51612 Co. Hwy. 20, Paynesville, MN (large picnic shelter; look for the LSP signs).

To reserve a spot, click here. For more information, contact LSP organizer Matthew Sheets via e-mail or at 612-767-9709.

Tuesday August 26

9:30 am – 3:00 pm
UW Organic Agriculture Research Field Day
Tuesday August 26
9:30 am – 3:00 pm
UW Organic Agriculture Research Field Day
Arlington, WI 53911, USA


This University of Wisconsin Organic Grain Resource and Information Network field day will feature tours and talks about the latest in organic systems research. Attendees will learn about reduced-tillage corn and soybeans, no-till dry beans, advances in food-grade grains, emerging crops, biocontrol agents to manage white mold in soybeans, and on-farm soil health research. 

For more information and to register, click here. 

Wednesday August 27

10:00 am – 4:30 pm
Field Day: Farmer-Distiller Grain Connection
Wednesday August 27
10:00 am – 4:30 pm
Field Day: Farmer-Distiller Grain Connection
Paxton, IL 60957, USA

Join OGRAIN, Artisan Grain Collaborative, The Land Connection, and IDEA Farm Network for this unique field day tailored for farmers and distillers alike to learn in the field and at the distillery. Dallas and Will Glazik will lead attendees through Cow Creek Organic Farm’s organic fields and discuss proper food-grade grain handling. The day will end with a distillery tour, grain quality talk, farmer-distiller social event, and optional tasting at Silver Tree Spirits.

For details and to register, click here. 

View Full Calendar

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