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Land Stewardship Project Names New Executive Director

Scott Elkins Brings Decades of Organizing & Leadership Experience to the Organization in its 41st Year of Working to ‘Keep the Land & People Together’

June 22, 2023

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Scott Elkins

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — A grassroots organizer with decades of experience empowering local communities around environmental and sustainability issues has been named the Land Stewardship Project’s new executive director, the organization’s board of directors announced today. Scott Elkins, who took the helm at the Land Stewardship Project (LSP) this week, is also leading the organization’s 501(c)4 advocacy action arm, the Land Stewardship Action Fund (LSAF).

The child and grandchild of Texas cattle ranchers, Elkins brings to this position three decades of experience working at the grassroots level. His new role represents a return to the organization — Elkins worked as an LSP organizer in the late 1990s, during which he focused on helping communities protect farmland in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. For the past two decades, he has worked for the Sierra Club at the state and national level. Most recently, he served as the organization’s national director of volunteer and leader engagement. Previously, he served as the Sierra Club’s director of grassroots effectiveness and, before that, as the director of the Minnesota chapter.

“We are excited to have Scott on board at LSP; he brings years of experience organizing people around making their communities better places to live and work,” said Beth Slocum, who chairs LSP’s board of directors and farms near Welch in southeastern Minnesota. “His personal and professional background shows he deeply believes in our mission to promote stewardship of the land and the health of rural communities through regenerative, family farm-based agriculture. Scott is truly committed to the values and vision of our member-led organization, and we are eager to work with him to grow LSP’s powerful, positive impact in our rural communities and across the agricultural landscape.”

Elkins said he is passionate about working with local people who are dedicated to creating sustainable, resilient communities. Too often when it comes to discussions about economic sustainability and environmental health, farming communities are written off as “sacrifice zones,” he said.

“LSP has always been a leader in lifting up the voices and stories of people in communities that are often neglected and silenced,” he said. “I am excited to help lead the Land Stewardship Project’s talented staff as we focus on building and supporting that critical area where farming, food, communities and ecological health intersect.”

Elkins begins his leadership of LSP at a time when the 41-year-old organization is expanding its work in the areas of soil health, beginning farmer training, farm business transition, policy and community food systems. LSP’s work in these areas had a significant impact during the recently adjourned session of the Minnesota Legislature. The organization’s members had unprecedented success advancing a set of policy proposals that support regenerative agriculture, soil health, community food systems, emerging farmers, rural communities, healthcare reform and landscape sustainability.

“I think LSP’s recent success advancing policies that are fueled by its work shows that the constituency we represent carries a lot of value and integrity with policy makers,” said Elkins. “It goes to show that the Land Stewardship Project’s efforts to empower farmers, rural residents and anyone else who cares about the future of the land is needed now more than ever.”

Elkins takes the reins from Amy Brugh, who has served as LSP’s interim executive director since January, when Mike McMahon stepped down as the organization’s leader. McMahon is now on staff with Addition, a national group that is working to spark grassroots efforts in areas underserved by organizing. During the past six months, Brugh did extensive work bolstering LSP’s internal infrastructure and working with the staff and board to usher in permanent leadership.

“Amy has done a phenomenal job providing the kind of stability our staff requires to do the critical work that needs done while setting LSP up well for permanent leadership,” said Slocum. “We greatly appreciate the good counsel and depth of experience she contributed to this transition period.”

The Land Stewardship Project (landstewardshipproject.org) is a private, nonprofit, membership-based organization founded in 1982 to foster an ethic of stewardship for farmland, to promote sustainable agriculture and to develop healthy communities. It works throughout the Upper Midwest and has offices in the Minnesota communities of Lewiston, Montevideo and south Minneapolis.

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Category: News Releases
Tags: Land Stewardship Project • LSP leadership • Scott Elkins

Contact

Brian DeVore, LSP, e-mail, 612-816-9342

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To obtain a photo of Scott Elkins, contact DeVore via e-mail.

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Friday September 5

9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Soil Health Field Day on the Cotter Farm: Austin
Friday September 5
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Soil Health Field Day on the Cotter Farm: Austin
50203 205th St, Austin, MN 55912, USA

 Sign up today for a get-together down on Tom Cotter’s Farm. This field day brings together food companies, local farmers and other professionals in agriculture — a perfect opportunity for networking and discussion.
Hear from soil health experts, then board the Topless Bus to take a tour of Tom’s farm. A FREE TACO BAR LUNCH will featureTom’s own grass-fed beef, along with authentic, homemade tortillas and rice. Featured speakers include soil scientist Kris Nichols and agronomist Joe Ailts.
 
You can check out the field day flier here. For more details and to register, click here.

Saturday September 6

9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Soil & Food Health Field Day: Austin
Saturday September 6
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Soil & Food Health Field Day: Austin
50203 205th St, Austin, MN 55912, USA

Details are here.

Monday September 8

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Anne Biklé in conversation with Ross Evelsizer: What Your Food Ate
Monday September 8
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Anne Biklé in conversation with Ross Evelsizer: What Your Food Ate
Pulpit Rock Brewing Company, 207 College Dr, Decorah, IA 52101, USA

Join Anne Biklé (co-author, What Your Food Ate: How to Restore Our Land and Reclaim Our Health) and NEIA RC & D Natural Resource Projects Director, Ross Evelsizer, for a conversation and Q & A session followed by a book signing. Everyone is invited to this free event sponsored by the Oneota Valley Literary Foundation, with support from Pulpit Rock Brewing and Dragonfly Books.
 
Details on the Sept. 8 event are here.

Tuesday September 9

9:00 am – 3:00 pm
'Growing Resilience' Field Day at Churchill Reserve Grass-Fed Beef
Tuesday September 9
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
'Growing Resilience' Field Day at Churchill Reserve Grass-Fed Beef
36001 63rd Avenue Way Cannon Falls, MN, 55009

Spend a day with Clean River Partners and farmers discussing their experiences with different conservation management practices as they navigate the challenges of making a livelihood, accessing land and markets, and dealing with unpredictable weather conditions.

Join farmers Bryan Lips (BT Farms), Wendy Johnson (Jóia Food & Fiber Farm), Todd Churchill (Churchill Reserve), Helen Forsythe (Feed the People Farm Cooperative), and more, to discuss topics like wide-row corn and cover crops, the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program, agroforestry, growing small grains, and prescribed grazing. 

For more information and to register, click here. 

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6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
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Tuesday September 9
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The Ground We Share: Conversations on Soil, Food, and Health
Center for Faith and Life, 555 Luther Dr, Decorah, IA 52101, USA

6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.: Pre-Event: Doors open for interactive exhibits to experience soil, food, and human health:

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7:30 p.m.: Presentation by Anne Biklé: Linking Soil Health to Human Health

Prelude: Dance performance by Luther College Orchesis Dance Group & faculty guests

Is it true that you are what you eat? Not entirely. The full story lies in how we grow the crops and raise animals that make their way into our bodies. Biklé will draw on her most recent book, “What Your Food Ate: How to Heal Our Land and Reclaim Our Health“, co-authored with her husband David Montgomery. 

8:30 pm: Soil, Food, and Health Conversation and Q & A with an award-winning panel of local/regional soil and human health care providers

A panel of local regenerative farmers will present and take questions.

Details on the Sept. 9 event are here. 

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