WINONA, Minn. — Are you a farmland owner who values good stewardship practices? Are you a farmer looking to invest in soil building on rented land? A free workshop to help you act on your conservation values will be held Friday, March 13, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Bluff Country Co-op, 121 W. 2nd St., in Winona. This workshop is an introduction to soil health and the resources available to landowners and farmers. It is focused on the value of soil-building for both landowners and farmers. It will also provide landowners and farmers tools to start down a path of soil-building. You can register by contacting LSP’s Robin Moore at 320-269-2105 or rmoore@landstewardshipproject.org; or just show up. Bring your landowner or farmer along too.

There will be a short presentation about the ABC’s of soil health, an overview of resources and services provided by LSP, and a panel discussion involving farmers, landowners and Soil and Water Conservation District staff, who will field questions from workshop participants. Attendees will receive a toolkit of resources and ideas for farmland owners, tips for improving communication between owners and renters, and information on the Minnesota tax credit for selling/renting to beginning farmers.

Key discussion points include:

• What is a conservation lease and how does it matter?
• How do we enhance the productive value of farmland?
• Balancing short-term returns with investing in farmland as a productive asset.
• What’s the relationship between soil health, water quality and climate change?
• What resources and resource people are available to help?

Can’t make the workshops? Check out LSP’s Conservation Leases Toolkit at www.landstewardshipproject.org/conservationleasestoolkit.

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