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LSP Media Statement on Latest Daley Farm Appeals Filing

May 23, 2024

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LEWISTON, Minn. — The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) filed a legal brief May 22 with the Minnesota Court of Appeals contesting Daley Farm’s appeal of the state District Court’s decision to deny the operation’s attempt to circumvent Winona County’s rules related to the size of large livestock operations. Daley Farm is seeking a variance so that it can add 3,000 cows, which would put the operation at 5,968 animal units, almost four times Winona County’s animal unit cap. The expanded facility would use 92 million gallons of the area’s groundwater and produce 46 million gallons of manure and wastewater in an area dominated by karst geology.

It is troubling that Daley Farm is attempting to concentrate the manure of approximately 4,500 dairy cows in a region where drinking water is already plagued by such high nitrate levels that the Environmental Protection Agency has directed state agencies to take action to protect the health of residents.

This latest legal action comes at a time when LSP, working with our allies, was successful in getting various proposals passed during the recently concluded session of the Minnesota Legislature that will help residents in southeastern Minnesota grapple with their region’s nitrate pollution crisis. Lawmakers approved $495,000 for the Soil Health Financial Assistance Program, directed toward southeastern Minnesota farmers who are using practices that build soil and protect water quality. And feedlots under 1,000 animal units will now be eligible to apply for $850,000 in grants to implement manure management practices that improve water quality or reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, $2.8 million will be directed to help private well owners alleviate the cost of installing water treatment systems and $2.79 million will be available via the Clean Water Fund to inventory, test, and provide education and outreach related to water quality in southeastern Minnesota’s private wells. The Clean Water Fund will also provide $3 million to monitor and evaluate nitrate levels as a result of legislative action pushed by LSP and its allies.

LSP applauds the Minnesota Legislature for recognizing and taking action on the nitrate pollution problem in southeastern Minnesota. However, the fact remains that using public dollars to, for example, pay for reverse osmosis water filtration systems should not be necessary. We should be focused on promoting the kind of diverse, soil-friendly farming practices that prevent water pollution in the first place while supporting small and medium-sized farms. Allowing a large livestock operation to disregard a county’s size restrictions and concentrating more manure in a fragile ecosystem is the wrong approach.

Local units of government and community members, along with the courts, have repeatedly rejected Daley Farm’s attempts to circumvent Winona County’s animal unit cap. It’s time the operation’s owners stopped wasting public resources and accepted the truth: the people have spoken for the land and their community and will not be silenced by legal intimidation.

To view the legal brief filed on May 22, click here.

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Category: News Releases
Tags: CAFO • Daley Farm • factory farm • local democracy • manure • nitrates • southeastern Minnesota • water quality

Contact

Martin Moore, LSP organizer, e-mail, 320-226-9184

Upcoming Events

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September 2025

Friday September 5

9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Soil Health Field Day on the Cotter Farm: Austin
Friday September 5
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
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
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
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. 

Join with Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/sft-zqyb-qkm

Learn more about Meet at: https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/9282720

6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
The Ground We Share: Conversations on Soil, Food, and Health
Tuesday September 9
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
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:

  • Engage with soil health & water quality demonstrations (Regenerating Soil and Community Student/Faculty team)
  • Learn about regenerative agriculture practices (Winneshiek County Soil and Water Conservation District)
  • Experience and taste healthy food produced from the Driftless (Oneota Food Co-op)
  • Peruse and check out gardening, cooking, and health books (Decorah Public Library)
  • Connect with expertise elevating that food is health (Erin Meyer, MSFS RD)

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. 

View Full Calendar

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