Land Stewardship Project

Land Stewardship Project
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Long Range Plan
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
      • LSP Board Committees
    • LSP Steering Committees & Working Groups
    • Contact Us
    • Past LSP Projects
    • Employment & Volunteer Opportunities
    • LSP Publications
    • Financial Statements
  • The Latest
    • Community Care
    • Songs for the Soil
    • CSA Farm Directory
    • Upcoming Events
    • News
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts
      • LSP in the News
    • Blog
    • Podcast
    • Land Stewardship Letter
    • LIVE-WIRE Sign-up
    • Myth Busters
    • Fact Sheets
    • Farm Crisis Resources
  • For Farmers & Landowners
    • Farmland Clearinghouse
    • New Farmers
      • Farm Beginnings Class
      • Journeyperson Course
      • Farm Dreams
      • Accessing Farmland
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Beginning/Retiring Farmer Tax Credit
      • Beginning Farmer Profiles
      • Fresh Voices Podcast Series
    • Retiring Farmers & Landowners
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Farm Transition Course 2026
      • Conservation Leases
      • Beginning/Retiring Farmer Tax Credit
      • Land Transition Tools
      • Transition Stories
    • Soil Health
      • Cover Crops
      • Grazing
      • No-till
      • Microbiology
      • Kernza
      • Soil Builders’ Network
      • Soil Builders’ E-Letters
      • Soil Health Steering Committee Members
      • Ear Dirt Soil Health Podcast Series
    • Cropping Systems Calculator
    • Conservation Leases
  • Creating Change
    • Community-Based Food Systems
      • Ear Bites Community-Based Food Podcast Series
    • Policy Campaigns
      • Soil Health & Climate Change
      • Healthcare
      • Factory Farms
        • Anti-Competitiveness & Price Gouging
        • LSP Powerline Story Center
      • Federal Policy
        • A Farm Bill For Us
      • State Policy
        • MN Farm, Food & Climate Funding
      • Developing Leadership
    • Justice & Stewardship
    • Organizational Stewardship
  • Get Involved
    • Your Membership Matters
    • Take Action!
    • Upcoming Events
    • Land Stewardship Action Fund
    • Connect with LSP
      • Stay Connected
      • Join, Donate, or Renew Today!
      • Shop
      • Employment & Volunteer Opportunities
      • Legacy Giving
    • Network with LSP Members
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Soil Health
    • Farmland Clearinghouse
  • Join, Donate, or Renew Today!
  • Stay Connected
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
Search
More...

LSP Demands Answers Surrounding Recent Manure Spill in Kandiyohi County

Riverview's Meadow Star Dairy Suffers Manure Leak From Biogas Digester System

March 7, 2025

Share

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • email

PENNOCK, Minn. — The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) today called on one of the country’s largest dairy farming firms and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to release details on a recent manure spill that was reported in southwestern Minnesota’s Kandiyohi County.

According to the West Central Tribune, Riverview, LLP officials reported to state officials that on Feb. 28 manure escaped a holding tank at the Meadow Star Dairy near Pennock. Riverview owns the operation, and the tank is part of a manure digester biogas system installed at the dairy by Amp Americas. Amp Americas has also constructed digesters at Riverview’s East Dublin Dairy near Murdock in Swift County, Swenoda Dairy near Montevideo in Swift County and Louriston Dairy near Murdock in Chippewa County.

When contacted by the Land Stewardship Project, a spokesman for the MPCA provided this statement:

“We are aware of a spill of manure at a farm in Kandiyohi County. We are monitoring clean-up and working with the reporting party to determine the cause. At this time, there is no indication that there has been an impact to waterways. It’s important to note that proper siting helps ensure that surface waters are still protected when a major release like this happens. The amount that was released is part of an ongoing investigation. A majority of the release was contained in a stormwater pond, and the owner has transferred the contents to an existing manure storage basin onsite.”

An official with Amp Americas told the Tribune that a “mechanical, physical failure of the tank occurred.” The Tribune reported that “less than a week’s worth” of manure was spilled — no other specifics were provided on the amount of manure released.

According to an article published in Agweek in 2015, Meadow Star Dairy originally went online milking 7,000 cows, with 1,500 dry cows also housed on the 20-acre site. Based on the figure that on a daily basis a lactating cow produces 18 gallons of manure and a dry cow 10 gallons of manure, a conservative estimate is that Meadow Star produces at least 141,000 gallons of manure daily.

To put the spill in context, it would take the average-sized Minnesota dairy farm (223 head) six months to produce the same amount of manure that Meadow Star does in just five days.  If the spill had occurred at an average-sized Minnesota dairy, the amount spilled over a five-day period would be less than what Meadow Star produces in just 3.5 hours.

Riverview is based in Morris, Minn., and is one of the largest milk producers in the country. It also has operations in Arizona, Nebraska, New Mexico and South Dakota. Despite serious concerns raised by local residents related to potential impacts on water and air quality, North Dakota officials recently gave Riverview the green light to build a 12,500-head dairy near Abercombie, in the eastern part of the state.

The Land Stewardship Project is concerned about the lack of information available to local residents related to the manure spill at Meadow Star Dairy. This is particularly important given serious concerns raised in the past by farmers and other rural residents when it comes to Riverview’s potential environmental impacts. Earlier this week, during an LSP town hall meeting held near Morris with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, participants expressed concerns about the impact Riverview’s facilities were having on local water resources. LSP is calling on officials with Riverview and the MPCA to release the following information in an expedited manner:

  1. Specifically, how much manure was released during the incident?
  2. What is the specific nature of the “mechanical” failure that caused the spill, and does similar infrastructure exist at other Riverview facilities in the region?
  3. How much time elapsed between the release of the manure and its discovery?
  4. What measures are being taken to prevent the contamination of local water resources?
  5. What measures are being taken by Riverview to prevent similar future incidents from occurring at Meadow Star, as well as other facilities owned by the firm?
  6. What enforcement actions are being taken by the MPCA in reference to this incident?

As the MPCA moves toward amending its current set of feedlot rules, this manure spill reinforces that rural residents who live and farm in communities near such facilities deserve transparency from the owners of large concentrated animal feeding operations as well as the government agencies whose stated mission is to protect the environment and serve the public good. People and communities that are most likely to be impacted by such incidents deserve to hear firsthand how they occurred and what’s being done to prevent future spills.

-30-

The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering an ethic of stewardship for farmland, promoting sustainable agriculture and developing healthy communities in the food and farming system. LSP has offices in the Minnesota communities of Montevideo, Lewiston and South Minneapolis. 

Category: News Releases
Tags: CAFOs • clean water • dairy farming • factory farm • manure digesters • Manure spills • MPCA • Riverview

CONTACT

Matthew Sheets, LSP western Minnesota organizer, e-mail

Upcoming Events

×

October 2025

Saturday October 18

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Pasture Walk: Real World Tools to Extend the Grazing Season
Saturday October 18
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Pasture Walk: Real World Tools to Extend the Grazing Season
Nestingen Road, Nestingen Rd, Coon, WI 54667, USA

Valley Stewardship Network will host a pasture walk demonstrating various strategies for extending the grazing season. The event will be held on the Zinn Family Farm in rural Westby.

As input costs rise, livestock producers may want to consider extending the grazing season. Stockpile grazing and bale grazing are two proven methods to achieve this goal. 

The Zinn Family has been utilizing these practices for years on their rural Westby farm. Join us to see stockpiling, bale grazing, and winter water systems in a real-world setting.

For more information, or to RSVP, contact Evan Dvorsak at 608-632-6166 (call/text) or evan@valleystewardshipnetwork.org. Snacks will be provided. Details are also available in this flier.

Funding for this event is provided by the USDA’s Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI).

Thursday October 23

8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Farm to School & Early Care Grants Deadline
Thursday October 23
8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Farm to School & Early Care Grants Deadline
Online

School is back in session and this week’s cool temps definitely remind us all that fall is just around the corner. This time of the year also means that the application period is open for Minnesota’s Farm to School and Early Care grants.

Earlier this year, the Land Stewardship Project and our partners were successful in expanding funding for the AGRI Farm to School and Early Care program. The application window for the next round of funding is now open and will close at 4 p.m. Central Time (CT) on Thursday, October 23.

APPLY FOR FUNDING HERE

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is serving up two funding opportunities to help schools and early childhood education (ECE) centers buy Minnesota-grown and -raised foods. 

1.    First Bite Grants: Up to $5,000 (no match required) to kickstart local food purchasing through intentional, high-impact activities. 
2.    Full Tray Grants: Up to $35,000 (1:1 match required) to help experienced schools and ECE centers increase or expand their local food purchases. 

Equipment funding: First Bite and Full Tray applicants can also request up to $25,000 (1:1 match required) to support the purchase of kitchen equipment that will enhance their capacity to buy, prepare, and serve local foods.  

 These grants are open to: 
•    Public or private K-12 schools or school districts in Minnesota that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
•    Early childhood education (ECE) centers that participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) in Minnesota

MDA encourages schools, districts, and ECE centers serving sovereign tribal nations to apply. 

 Local Tots Cost-Share Program
There are also funds available to reimburse family child care providers for buying Minnesota-grown and -raised foods used for meals and snacks as part of the the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP):

Interested providers must submit a Local Tots Cost-Share program Letter of Intent to participate. Award amounts will be up to $1,000 and there is a 1:1 cash match required for providers who received a Local Tots Cost-Share award in 2025. There is no cash match required if you are new to the program. 

Applications are due by 4 p.m. Central Time (CT) on Thursday, October 23, 2025. 

 Program details and online applications are available at http://www.mda.state.mn.us/farm-school-early-care-programs or by contacting the Grants Team at MDA.AGRIgrants@state.mn.us. 

 Want to learn more about eligibility, allowable expenses, and how to apply?

 Join the MDA for a virtual info session: 
First Bite and Full Tray Grant Info Session 
September 15, 2025, 2-3 p.m.
Register here

 Local Tots Cost-Share Info Session – for family child care providers
September 18, 2025, 1-2 p.m.
Register here

Farmers: Are you Interested in selling to a school near you? 
Send this opportunity along to the food service director at schools near you or connect with a Regional Local Food Coordinator to help you make connections with schools, childcare settings, and other opportunities to sell locally. These positions are supported by the Department of Education and Renewing the Countryside.

Saturday October 25

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Book Event: We Can Do Better: Collected Writings on Land, Conservation, and Public Policy
Saturday October 25
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Book Event: We Can Do Better: Collected Writings on Land, Conservation, and Public Policy
Madison Public Library - Central, 201 W Mifflin St, Madison, WI 53703, USA

The Johnson Center for Land Stewardship Policy is excited to share that one of our its primary pillars of work — a published collection of Paul Johnson’s writings —  is set for release on Oct. 2.  The book features a brief biography and a discussion of Paul’s ideas within the historical and future contexts of private lands conservation. 

During the Wisconsin Book Festival, Curt Meine will talk about the book in a discussion with author Sonja Trom Eayrs (Dodge County, Incorporated), in a session on “The Fight for Rural America.” 

For details on We Can Do Better: Collected Writings on Land, Conservation, and Public Policy click here.

Tuesday October 28

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
MDA Grants Webinar
Tuesday October 28
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
MDA Grants Webinar
Zoom online

Are you interested in applying for a grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)? On Tuesday, Oct. 28, from noon to 1:30 p.m., the Land Stewardship Project will be holding an online webinar on four grants that will be available this fall. MDA staffers will go over the details of these grants and how to apply for them.

 To sign-up, click here.  

 This webinar will feature information on four grants:

– AGRI Livestock Investment Grant

– AGRI Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant 

– Preparing for Extreme Weather (Prepare) Grant

– AGRI Protecting Livestock from Avian Influenza (Protect) Grant 

For more information, contact LSP’s Alex Kiminski at akiminski@landstewardshipproject.org.

Wednesday October 29

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Book Event: We Can Do Better: Collected Writings on Land, Conservation, and Public Policy
Wednesday October 29
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Book Event: We Can Do Better: Collected Writings on Land, Conservation, and Public Policy
The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement, 2800 University Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311, USA

The Johnson Center for Land Stewardship Policy is excited to share that one of our its primary pillars of work — a published collection of Paul Johnson’s writings —  is set for release on Oct. 2.  The book features a brief biography and a discussion of Paul’s ideas within the historical and future contexts of private lands conservation. 

For details on We Can Do Better: Collected Writings on Land, Conservation, and Public Policy click here.

View Full Calendar

Recent Posts

  • LSP Winter Farm Transition Planning Course Launches Jan. 27 Online   October 16, 2025
  • How are Tariffs & Trade Impacting Your Farm? October 16, 2025
  • Protect Local Control & Include Farmer Voices for Conservation October 15, 2025
  • Environmental Sustainability: Birds, Biology & Balance October 14, 2025
  • Economic Sustainability: Financial Field-Talk October 14, 2025

Montevideo

111 North First Street
Montevideo, MN 56265

(320) 269-2105

Lewiston

180 E. Main Street
Lewiston, MN 55952

(507) 523-3366

Minneapolis

821 E. 35th Street #200
Minneapolis, MN 55407

(612) 722-6377

  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 Land Stewardship Project. All rights reserved.

https://landstewardshipproject.org/lsp-demands-answers-surrounding-recent-manure-spill-in-kandiyohi-county