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LSP Platform Calls for Farm Bill that Supports Farmers, Rural Communities & the Land

Platform & Survey Results Released on Northfield Area Farm Today

August 16, 2022

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NORTHFIELD, Minn. — The new federal Farm Bill must benefit farmers, rural communities and the
land, rather than corporate interests, said farmer-leaders of the Land Stewardship Project (LSP) today during the release of the organization’s priorities for the nation’s most comprehensive agricultural policy initiative. LSP’s 2023 Farm Bill Platform, which was launched during an event at Legvold Farms near Northfield, is based on a three-state survey of farmers and food system workers in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa, as well as eight listening sessions LSP held in the region during the past several months. LSP’s Farm Bill Organizing Committee, which consists of farmers from across the region, helped developed the document.

“I constantly am told there is no interest from young people in farming, and that is simply not true,” said Claudia Lenz, a beginning farmer from Star Prairie in western Wisconsin and a member of the Farm Bill Organizing Committee. “I know many young people who would love to either start their own farm or continue to operate their families’ farms. But because of the steep prices of input costs, lack of land access and lack of viable markets for their products, they do not see this as an option. In this Farm Bill, I would like to see more support for small farmers, and I think that one of the best ways to do that is to put a stop to corporate consolidation in agriculture and food systems, across the board.”

Every five years, Congress drafts a new federal Farm Bill, which determines how tens of billions of dollars are spent on what’s grown on the landscape and who grows it, as well as the environmental impact of production systems, the safety of our food, and the economic health of rural communities. Congress has already begun debating the structure of the 2023 Farm Bill.

In the winter and spring of 2022, LSP, working with the National Young Farmers Coalition, Midwest Farmers of Color Collective, and others, undertook a farm bill survey which covered several topics, including: consolidation in agriculture, conservation and the effects of climate change, crop insurance reform, access to markets and regional food systems, and the barriers beginning and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) farmers face.

The survey (landstewardshipproject.org/farmbill2023), which had over 700 respondents — 52% of whom were from Minnesota — revealed that current agricultural policy imposes numerous barriers when it comes to many farmers who are instrumental in building strong, resilient and equitable food systems, according to Sarah Goldman, an LSP organizer, who, along with organizer Maura Curry, coordinated the study and analyzed the results. For example, federal policy has supported unprecedented consolidation in agricultural markets, with, for example, four packers controlling 85% of the beef market. Meanwhile, 50% of survey respondents had trouble maintaining access to viable markets or finding affordable farmland.

LSP farmer-member Dana Seifert said she knows these issues all too well.

“Rampant consolidation and vertical integration have let agribusinesses reap record profits to fork over to shareholders, while raising input costs for farmers and pushing a version of agriculture that is a major contributor to climate change,” said Seifert, who farms near Jordan in east-central Minnesota and is a member of LSP’s Farm Bill Organizing Committee. “Promoting policies that incentivize this type of agriculture limits the capability of well-run farms and ranches to keep local economies thriving and people healthy.”

Survey respondents also called for federal policy that stops making crop insurance a major engine of land consolidation and helps farmers deal with the onslaught of climate change. Ninety percent of the survey respondents said they’ve experienced more severe weather events in the past five years; 84% believe these effects are due to climate change.

“My farming operation consists of 950 acres in a corn-soybean rotation,” said LSP Farm Bill Organizing Committee member Adam Griebie, who farms near Hutchinson in central Minnesota. “All of the tillable ground is enrolled into CSP [Conservation Stewardship Program]. CSP gives me the opportunity to participate in conservation practices and become a better steward on my land. I wouldn’t be able to do to these activities without that funding.”

LSP has used these results to develop a Farm Bill Platform that addresses market consolidation, stops supporting the growth of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), supports beginning and BIPOC farmers, bolsters regenerative farming practices that build soil and helps make regional food systems economic engines in local communities, according to Goldman.

“The Land Stewardship Project works with thousands of farmers throughout the Midwest, and their message is clear — we want a Farm Bill that delivers for rural and urban communities, food system workers and the land,” she said. “We are in a time of unprecedented challenges, and it is time to enact a truly transformative Farm Bill.”

During today’s event at Legvold Farms, postcards calling for a Farm Bill that supports farmers, rural communities and stewardship of the land were collected by LSP and will be delivered to Minnesota U.S. Representative Angie Craig, who serves on the House Agriculture Committee.

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Category: News Releases
Tags: 2023 Farm Bill • ag consolidation • agriculture policy • beginning farmers • BIPOC farmers • climate change • crop insurance • Farm Bill Survey • local meat processing • LSP Farm Bill Platform • Midwest Farmers of Color Collective • National Young Farmers Coalition • regional food systems

Contact

Sarah Goldman, LSP organizer, e-mail, 612-400-6341

Report Available

LSP’s 2023 Farm Bill Platform is available at landstewardshipproject.org/farmbill2023

Photo Available

For a photo of the Farm Bill Platform release event, contact LSP’s Brian DeVore via e-mail

 

Upcoming Events

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August 2025

Friday August 22

8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Adaptive Grazing & Fencing Workshop
Friday August 22
8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Adaptive Grazing & Fencing Workshop
Olmsted County, Minn.

Farmers, ranchers, and landowners interested in improving their grazing systems and fencing strategies are invited to attend the Adaptive Grazing & Fencing two-day workshop scheduled for August 21–22, in Olmsted County. 

This workshop is being hosted by Olmsted County Soil and Water Conservation District, Minnesota Grazing Lands Conservation Association, and the University of Minnesota Extension in Olmsted County, and is open to all those interested.

Led by grazing specialist Kent Solberg, this practical, hands-on workshop will explore strategies to enhance forage productivity, soil health, and profitability through adaptive grazing. 

Day 1 will be held at Alan Bedtka’s Farm and will focus on the big picture of grazing, its effects on soil health, riparian zones, weed management, and grazing economics.

Day 2 will take place at John Meyer’s Farm and will delve into cost-effective fencing, water systems, and real-world adaptive grazing practices that can be tailored to changing conditions.

Cost: $75/person (includes lunch both days)
Scholarships: 10 scholarships available for those needing financial assistance (inquire early). 

More Information: For more information and to register, see the Minnesota Grazing Lands Conservation Association website. You can also contact: 507-328-7070 or e-mail PWService@olmstedcounty.gov.

Sunday August 24

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Livestock Consolidation Town Hall With AG Ellison in Central MN
Sunday August 24
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Livestock Consolidation Town Hall With AG Ellison in Central MN
Central Minnesota

LSP will be hosting a town hall meeting Sunday, Aug. 24, in Paynesville, Minn., on consolidation in livestock agriculture. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison will be on-hand to hear from producers about their experiences with monopoly power. This meeting is for small to mid-sized livestock producers and others who want to push back against consolidation in agriculture.

This town hall will be held at Lake Koronis Regional Park, 51612 Co. Hwy. 20, Paynesville, MN (large picnic shelter; look for the LSP signs).

To reserve a spot, click here. For more information, contact LSP organizer Matthew Sheets via e-mail or at 612-767-9709.

Tuesday August 26

9:30 am – 3:00 pm
UW Organic Agriculture Research Field Day
Tuesday August 26
9:30 am – 3:00 pm
UW Organic Agriculture Research Field Day
Arlington, WI 53911, USA


This University of Wisconsin Organic Grain Resource and Information Network field day will feature tours and talks about the latest in organic systems research. Attendees will learn about reduced-tillage corn and soybeans, no-till dry beans, advances in food-grade grains, emerging crops, biocontrol agents to manage white mold in soybeans, and on-farm soil health research. 

For more information and to register, click here. 

Wednesday August 27

10:00 am – 4:30 pm
Field Day: Farmer-Distiller Grain Connection
Wednesday August 27
10:00 am – 4:30 pm
Field Day: Farmer-Distiller Grain Connection
Paxton, IL 60957, USA

Join OGRAIN, Artisan Grain Collaborative, The Land Connection, and IDEA Farm Network for this unique field day tailored for farmers and distillers alike to learn in the field and at the distillery. Dallas and Will Glazik will lead attendees through Cow Creek Organic Farm’s organic fields and discuss proper food-grade grain handling. The day will end with a distillery tour, grain quality talk, farmer-distiller social event, and optional tasting at Silver Tree Spirits.

For details and to register, click here. 

September 2025

Monday September 1

All Day
Final Deadline for LSP's Farm Beginnings Course
Monday September 1
Final Deadline for LSP's Farm Beginnings Course

Beginning and prospective farmers are invited to apply to the Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings course, a year-long training program that focuses on the goal setting, marketing, and financial skills needed to establish a successful farm business. The Farm Beginnings course creates a space for folks to name their vision, acquire the tools and skills needed to make it happen, and become part of a community of support to help them succeed.  

The course will run from November 2025 through March 2026, with some additional educational opportunities to take place later in 2026. 

The deadline for applications is Sept. 1. Early bird applications submitted by Aug. 1 will receive a $100 discount if you are accepted into the class. Partial scholarships are available.

More details are at http://www.farmbeginnings.org or Annelie Livingston-Anderson at annelie@landstewardshipproject.org.

You can apply to the course here.

View Full Calendar

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