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LSP Board Chair: ‘We do love our immigrant neighbors and we need them.’

'Through much of LSP's work, we see firsthand the role that immigrant families play in revitalizing our rural economies.'

By Heather Benson
February 17, 2025

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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.

Category: Blog
Tags: civil rights • COPAL • immigration • regenerative farming • rural economic development • social justice

Upcoming Events

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May 2025

Thursday May 15

5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
MN Women in Conservation
Thursday May 15
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
MN Women in Conservation
42652 County Rd 7, Belview, MN 56214, USA

NOTE: REGISTRATION IS CLOSED FOR THIS EVENT
 
Come out and play with MNWiC and Renville County Soil and Water Conservation District. Tour Iverson Tree Farm, learn from other women land stewards, and meet local Master Gardeners and conservation professionals who can help with your own land dreams.
 
For details and to register, click here.
 
 

Saturday May 17

11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Community Plant & Seed Swap
Saturday May 17
11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Community Plant & Seed Swap
Lift Bridge Brewing, 1900 Tower Dr W, Stillwater, MN 55082, USA

Lift Bridge Brewing Co. and Sustainable Farming Association are partnering to host a free seed and plant swap and fundraiser at Lift Bridge’s taproom in Stillwater. Vendor opportunities available. 
 
Details here.

Tuesday May 20

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Webinar on Agrivoltaics: Sheep Solar Grazing Producer Panel
Tuesday May 20
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Webinar on Agrivoltaics: Sheep Solar Grazing Producer Panel
Zoom Virtual

Participants will hear from sheep producers about their experiences, along with the benefits and challenges of grazing sheep under solar panels. This webinar is part of a series about cattle and sheep solar grazing and growing forages or grain crops under solar panels.
 
For details and to register, click here.

Thursday May 29

9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Storytelling for Sales: Digital Marketing for Sustainable Farmers
Thursday May 29
9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Storytelling for Sales: Digital Marketing for Sustainable Farmers
Zoom Online

Storytelling for Sales: Digital Marketing Best Practices to Get Your Farm’s Next Customer is designed to help farmers grow their customer base by sharpening their storytelling and digital marketing skills—whether they’re selling through farmers’ markets, CSAs, or direct-to-retail. This Greener Pastures and Meet the Minnesota Makers workshop will cover how websites and social media can actually convert viewers into buyers to creating content that builds community loyalty.

This workshop is also designed for ag educators, professionals, and partner organizational staff who support farmers directly and want to be well-versed on the marketing best practices to support direct-to-consumer farms. 

For details and to register, click here.

June 2025

Wednesday June 25

2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
LSP-PFI Grazing Field Day at Hoosier Ridge Ranch
Wednesday June 25
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
LSP-PFI Grazing Field Day at Hoosier Ridge Ranch
Hoosier Ridge Ranch, 15998 Wabasha County Rd 26, Altura, MN 55910, USA

Over the last 50 years, livestock have left many farms. Eric Heins is doing the reverse: bringing cattle – and their poop, pee and hooves – back to his land. Come see how Eric is using his Normande-shorthorn crosses in a variety of grazing situations. During this Land Stewardship Project-Practical Farmers of Iowa field day, you can view permanent pasture, where Eric (like everyone) is battling the cool-season grass takeover. You’ll also learn how Eric is using his cattle in cover crop mixes, prairie and woodlands.

Since purchasing the farm in 2020, Eric has converted the cropland to pasture. He also custom-farms a diverse rotation of crops, covers and small grains on neighboring farms, including an established prairie on Iowa Department of Natural Resources land. A possible bonus: Eric is hoping to have virtual fence collars by the time of the field day, but no guarantees!

A meal featuring Hoosier Ridge Ranch burgers will follow the field day.

See & Discuss

  • Cash-flowing the conversion to pasture on owned versus rented cropland
  • Stockpiling pasture for winter grazing
  • Mechanical buckthorn clearing for silvopasture
  • Grazing agreements on DNR prairie and neighboring cropland
  • A sudangrass mix after a canning pea crop
  • An extended rotation with oats, barley and Kernza

For more information, contact LSP’s Alex Romano at aromano@landstewardshipproject.org.

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https://landstewardshipproject.org/lsp-board-chair-beth-slocum-the-chair-of-lsps-board-a-part-of-we-love-our-immigrant-neighbors-capitol-press-conference