On Valentine’s Day, members of the Immigrant Defense Network turned out across Minnesota to spread a “Love Your Immigrant Neighbor” message and to inform people of their rights when confronted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who are enforcing mass deportation orders from the White House. Last November, more than 90 Minnesota groups formed the Immigrant Defense Network to protect the rights of immigrants and to make sure accurate information was being circulated in those communities. The Land Stewardship Project is a member of that coalition.
On Friday, Beth Slocum, a Goodhue County farmer and LSP’s board chair, spoke alongside our Immigrant Defense Network partners in a Capitol press conference. You can view the press conference at the link below.
Transcript of Beth Slocum’s Remarks:
I’m a farmer and my husband and I raise sheep in Goodhue County. I’m also currently the chair of the board of the Land Stewardship Project.
The Land Stewardship Project is here today standing with our partner COPAL and other allies to support the many immigrant communities in Minnesota that are committed to and invested in our food and farming system. For over 40 years, the Land Stewardship Project has been dedicated to our mission of fostering an ethic of stewardship for farmland, promoting sustainable agriculture, and developing healthy communities in our food and farm system.
LSP’s members and supporters are farmers and non-farmers all over Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, and we believe that if Minnesota is to have a truly sustainable food and farming system it must be sustainable for everyone involved in that system, no matter their economic background, race, ethnicity, or country of origin — whether they are farmers, farmworkers involved in dairy production, or working in meat processing.
Through much of LSP’s work, we see firsthand the role that immigrant families play in revitalizing our rural economies and renewing our farmland and we value Minnesota’s long tradition of welcoming folks from different countries, many of whom bring their expertise and passion for farming with them. Our immigrant farmers bring new crops, new ideas, ingenuity, and innovation. They bring their skills and expertise and they help revitalize our rural communities and economies; they have been part of the backbone of our Minnesota food and farming system for many decades.
Our immigrant neighbors are deeply embedded in our food and farming system on our farmland, as well as in our towns and cities. Many have been here for generations and others recently arrived, bringing a passion for making their homes and livelihoods here.
We do love our immigrant neighbors and we need them; they are part of our next generation of small and mid-sized farmers. They are the promise of a stable and growing future for our small towns and cities and they bring aspirations and desires for a food and farming system that works for everyone.
We want our immigrant neighbors right here — so thank you and Happy Valentine’s Day.
Heather Benson is LSP’s communications specialist. LSP has created a Community Care resource page for immigrants and allies. LSP’s newest long range plan outlines, among other things, how the organization is committed to working with groups led my people of color to create fair opportunities for everyone involved in the farm and food system.