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LSP Calls Minnesota House Climate Action Caucus Spending Proposal a Key Investment in Soil, Farmers, Rural Communities

January 19, 2022

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SAINT PAUL, Minn. — A $1 billion proposal released by the Minnesota House Climate Action Caucus today represents a meaningful investment in the health of our farms, soil, water, climate and rural communities, said leaders of the Land Stewardship Project (LSP).

“LSP applauds the Minnesota House Climate Action Caucus for crafting a strong proposal that ensures our soil, farmers and rural communities thrive,” said Deborah Allan, a retired University of Minnesota soil scientist and chair of LSP’s board of directors. “With the largest surplus in our state’s history, the caucus is taking advantage of the enormous opportunity to make the kinds of investments that will pay off long into the future.”

The $1 billion proposal includes key priorities of LSP’s Soil Health and Climate Steering Committee, such as:

  • $20 million for the Soil Health Cost-Share Program that LSP members successfully established during the 2021 state legislative session.
  • $40 million for the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and other native grass conservation programs.
  • $20 million for the Forever Green Initiative, a program at the University of Minnesota that develops and commercializes cover crops, perennial crops and other regenerative crops.
  • $10 million to advance commercialization of continuous living cover crops.

“By bolstering the Soil Health Cost-Share program, the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, commercialization of continuous living cover crops and the Forever Green Initiative, we will see a tangible impact on the resiliency of our land and the health of our farmers and rural economies,” said Allan.

The inclusion of LSP priorities in this proposal is a direct result of the co-governing partnership between LSP members and legislative champions who are dedicated to serving people and the land, according to LSP policy manager Amanda Koehler.

“Representative Todd Lippert of Northfield in particular has been in deep relationship with our members and has fought to include LSP priorities in the House Climate Action Caucus proposals, House budget bills and final legislative budget bills,” Koehler said. “LSP members will be on the front lines this legislative session, organizing to ensure this package and our additional policy priorities are successfully included in the final budget.”

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The Minnesota-based Land Stewardship Project (LSP) is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1982 to foster an ethic of stewardship for farmland, to promote sustainable agriculture and to develop healthy communities. LSP’s work has a broad and deep impact, from new farmer training and local organizing, to federal policy and community based food systems development. At the core of all LSP’s work are the values of stewardship, justice and democracy. To learn more, visit https://landstewardshipproject.org/.

Category: News Releases
Tags: 100% Soil Healthy Campaign • climate change • CREP • Forever Green • Minnesota Climate Caucus • soil health • Soil Health Cost-Share • Todd Lippert

Contact

Amanda Koehler, LSP policy manager, akoehler@landstewardshipproject.org, 612-400-6355

Upcoming Events

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June 2023

Saturday June 3

1:15 pm – 2:15 pm
Land Access & Leasing Options
Saturday June 3
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm
Land Access & Leasing Options

On Saturday, June 3, Wisconsin Farmers Unions will be holding a farm visit at Baldur Farm (N7659 950th St., River Falls,WI 54022) for landowners and renters looking to lease to the next generation of farmers.

Joyce Monari, a native of Kenya, has been growing two types of chinsaga, a type of green familiar to her people, for several years on Baldur Farm. She will show participants her garden, talk about her crops, and discuss the difficulty of finding land.

Juliet Tomkins and Prescott Bergh have rented land to a variety of farmers over the years, from beginning CSA growers to livestock operators. They will talk about their experiences, which have led to the contract they now use to ensure understanding between themselves and their renters before problems arise.

Light snacks and refreshments provided after the talks. Maureen and Rich, the farmers at Baldur Farm, will be on-hand to answer questions about their draft horses. Attendees are welcome to walk the farm trails.

For more information, contact the Farmers Union’s Maureen Ash at maureen7ash@gmail.com.

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Screening of Stewards of the Land / Serán las dueñas de la tierra in Northfield
Saturday June 3
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Screening of Stewards of the Land / Serán las dueñas de la tierra in Northfield

Stewards of the Land/Serán las dueñas de la tierrais a feature documentary about Stephanie, Ian, and Alfredo, three young landless ecological farmers in Puerto Rico striving to produce healthy food for local consumption.

In this economically depressed U.S. territory, producing food locally is urgent. The archipelago sits on the path of powerful hurricanes, an increasing threat as the climate crisis worsens. Puerto Rico is highly dependent on food imports and a third of its population lives food insecurity.

The story begins when the protagonists arrive for the first time on the public lands they rent. The farms have been abandoned for decades and lack the most basic infrastructure to get started. The story follows the protagonists as they struggle to get the farms running before and after powerful hurricanes devastate the archipelago. The documentary shows the protagonists’ grit as they attempt to carve a living without land ownership or capital.

There are two opportunities to participate:

  1. Clickhereto RSVP to the Northfield event on Saturday, June 3.
  2. Clickhereto RSVP to the Minneapolis event on Sunday, June 4; co-hosted with partner organization, Copal.Haz clic aquí para español.

Sunday June 4

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Screening of Stewards of the Land / Serán las dueñas de la tierra in Minneapolis
Sunday June 4
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Screening of Stewards of the Land / Serán las dueñas de la tierra in Minneapolis

Stewards of the Land/Serán las dueñas de la tierrais a feature documentary about Stephanie, Ian, and Alfredo, three young landless ecological farmers in Puerto Rico striving to produce healthy food for local consumption.

In this economically depressed U.S. territory, producing food locally is urgent. The archipelago sits on the path of powerful hurricanes, an increasing threat as the climate crisis worsens. Puerto Rico is highly dependent on food imports and a third of its population lives food insecurity.

The story begins when the protagonists arrive for the first time on the public lands they rent. The farms have been abandoned for decades and lack the most basic infrastructure to get started. The story follows the protagonists as they struggle to get the farms running before and after powerful hurricanes devastate the archipelago. The documentary shows the protagonists’ grit as they attempt to carve a living without land ownership or capital.

There are two opportunities to participate:

  1. Clickhereto RSVP to the Northfield event on Saturday, June 3.
  2. Clickhereto RSVP to the Minneapolis event on Sunday, June 4; co-hosted with partner organization, Copal.Haz clic aquí para español.

Tuesday June 6

11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Forever Green Winter Barley Webinar
Tuesday June 6
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Forever Green Winter Barley Webinar

The Environmental & Economic Clusters of Opportunity (EECO) grant provides an ecosystem services payment as well as risk management payments to growers enrolled in the program for winter barley, hybrid winter rye, winter camelina, and Kernza. Join us for an introductory webinar series on these four crops where we pair University researchers and Extension professionals with farmers who have trialed these crops on-farm. The webinar on June 6 will be on winter barley and will feature Jochum Wiersma (UMN Extension small grains agronomist) and Kurt Kimber (farmer, Hampton, Minn.).

To sign-up for the June 6 webinar on winter barley, click here. These presentations will be recorded for future viewing if you’re not able to make it.

Wednesday June 7

11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Forever Green Webinar on Winter Camelina
Wednesday June 7
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Forever Green Webinar on Winter Camelina

The Environmental & Economic Clusters of Opportunity (EECO) grant provides an ecosystem services payment as well as risk management payments to growers enrolled in the program for winter barley, hybrid winter rye, winter camelina, and Kernza. Join us for an introductory webinar series on these four crops where we pair University researchers and Extension professionals with farmers who have trialed these crops on-farm. On June 7, there will be a webinar on winter camelina. Presenters include Matthew Ott (UMN post doc researcher, camelina genetics) and Anne Schwagerl (farmer, Browns Valley, Minn.).

To sign-up for the June 7 webinar on winter camelina, click here. These presentations will be recorded for future viewing if you’re not able to make it.

View Full Calendar

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