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LSP Says State Work Plan Falls Short in Addressing Nitrate Pollution in SE MN 

Focus Should be on Promoting Water-Friendly Farming Systems, Not the Status Quo 

February 5, 2024

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LEWISTON, Minn. — A work plan submitted by Minnesota state agencies to address nitrate pollution in southeastern Minnesota does not address the root cause of the problem and instead relies on pre-existing programs that have shown little evidence of success thus far, said members of the Land Stewardship Project (LSP).

“We know that we can have successful, multi-generational farms in southeastern Minnesota without compromising our water quality. My dairy farm is proof of that,” said Bonnie Haugen, a Canton, Minn., dairy farmer. “Ultimately, this comes down to what kind of farming systems are we, as a state, going to support? We need to lift up farming systems that build our soils, protect our water and use manure as a source of fertility, rather than a waste product to be disposed of.”

On January 12, three state agencies —  the Department of Agriculture (MDA), the Department of Health (MDH) and the Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) — submitted a work plan for addressing nitrate contamination in southeastern Minnesota. This plan is the result of a petition filed in 2023 with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calling for public action on the issue. The petition was signed by LSP and 10 other community organizations.

In their plan, the state agencies divided their response into three phases. Phases 1 and 2 will be primarily led by the MDH, while Phase 3 is jointly spearheaded by the MDA and the MPCA. Phases 1 and 2 focus on widespread well-testing throughout the region and a public health response defined mainly by supplying alternative drinking water supplies to affected residents. While LSP had hoped for a more expedited timeline in this response, the organization believes that this part of the work plan is sufficient to address the immediate public health concerns for southeastern Minnesota, said LSP organizer Martin Moore. However, he added that Phase 3 is lacking in its response to addressing the root causes of nitrate contamination in the long term.

“This work plan shows that we can’t rely on state agencies alone to solve our nitrate contamination problem,” said Moore. “In Phase 3, the MDA doubled down on pre-existing programs such as the Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan and the Groundwater Protection Rule, both of which have shown little evidence they are meaningfully reducing nitrates in our groundwater. Even with these programs in place, southeastern Minnesota is still the only region in the state where nitrate levels are on the rise. We need more.”

Moore expressed disappointment in the agencies’ decision to stall immediate action by assembling a task force of citizens and local leaders to develop a “shared understanding” of the problems and the facts of the nitrate issue and then provide recommendations by June 2025.

“LSP appreciates the inclusion of local stakeholders in this process,” he said. “However, LSP’s members and other residents in southeastern Minnesota already have a shared understanding of this issue and how to fix it: farmers utilizing practices that build soil health in the long term hold the key to the solution.”

Although the Phase 3 plan is lacking, LSP’s members and staff will fight to make sure its farmer-members are given a voice when it comes to participating in and providing input to the nitrate task force in coming months, said Moore.

“Rural residents and the environment are suffering under the weight of large commercial operations and the overapplication of manure to the land,” said Dodge County farmer Sonja Trom Eayrs. “We cannot allow a few special interests who want to continue business as usual to dominate the discussion.”

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The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) is a private, nonprofit, membership-based organization founded in 1982 to foster an ethic of stewardship for farmland, to promote sustainable agriculture, and to develop healthy communities. LSP has offices in the Minnesota communities of Lewiston, Montevideo and South Minneapolis. 
 

Category: News Releases
Tags: EPA • factory farm • fertilizer • MDA • MDH • MPCA • nitrates • nitrogen pollution • soil health • state policy • water quality

Contact

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

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May 2025

Saturday May 31

10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Multi-species Pasture Walk
Saturday May 31
10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Multi-species Pasture Walk
872 320th Ave, Frederic, WI 54837, USA

The NW Wisconsin Graziers Network, River Country RC&Dand UW-Madison Extension invite you to a multi-species pasture walk hosted by JohnsonFamily Pastures LLC. The farm is located five miles east of Frederic in PolkCounty. This educational event willemphasize direct marketing, multi-species grazing, part-time family agricultureand silvopasture development. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.

TheJohnson Family Pastures farm is home to Chris and Tamara Johnson and their twochildren. They raise grass-fed beef, silvopastured goats, and recently raised anumber of other species. The farm consists of about 160 acres of gently rollingpastures, silvopasture, and forest. Use of both temporary polybraid fencing andhigh tensile permanent fences allow for rotational grazing of small ruminants andout-wintering of beef cattle. Use of long-term farm transition strategies, cost-shareprograms, silvopasture development with goats, regenerative grazing, cattlehandling facility and bale grazing will be discussed along with answering anyand all questions from pasture walk participants.

An extensive and diversified direct marketing programhas been developed by Tamara and Chris that has included farmer markets, e-maillists, newsletters, website ordering, on-farm freezer storage, and other strategiesand tools to support direct sales and services for their customers.  Come and learn all about their successfulapproach.

For more information,contact Chris Johnson at 920-960-4475 or Lynn Johnson 715-225-9882 at NW Graziers.

June 2025

Saturday June 21

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Farm-Scale Deep Winter Greenhouse Tour
Saturday June 21
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Farm-Scale Deep Winter Greenhouse Tour
Owl Bluff Farm, 12314 County Road 4 Houston, MN 55943

The University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) and Owl Bluff Farm will co-host an open house to celebrate the completion of the state’s first farm-scale deep winter greenhouse. The event, held on the farm about 45 minutes east of Rochester, is free and open to the public. RSVPs are required at z.umn.edu/OwlBluffOpenHouse.

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 details and to register, click here.

Saturday June 28

4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
LSP's Boots & Roots: A Celebration of Land & People
Saturday June 28
4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
LSP's Boots & Roots: A Celebration of Land & People
Dream Acres, Co Hwy 8, Spring Valley, MN 55975, USA

Join Land Stewardship Project members and supporters to kick-start the Driftless summer with an evening of good food, good music, and good times. We’ll have activities for all ages that will get you out in nature, exploring the connection between our region’s farms and your community’s food, land, and water. Bring a side or dessert to share for dinner, and the Dream Acres wood-fired oven will provide locally-sourced pizzas and flat breads. Dinner will be followed by live music and contra dancing by the Crater City String Band.  

To reserve a spot, click here.

Camping sites are available at nearby Masonic Park and Forestville Mystery Cave and Lake Louise State Parks. Camping at Masonic is rustic,first-come-first-serve, free, and does not require a reservation. Fillmore County, who manages the park, only asks that you call the dispatchers at507-765-3874 when you arrive with your vehicle information and phone number in case of emergency. State Park reservations cost $25 a night and can be made online.

July 2025

Tuesday July 15

5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Organic Fruit & Vegetable Field Day
Tuesday July 15
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Organic Fruit & Vegetable Field Day
1805 Dudley Ave, Falcon Heights, MN 55113, USA

Join U of M researchers and Extension for updates on organic fruit and vegetable research and tour the Student Organic Farm and the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station in Saint Paul. Topics include: organic insect management, integrating livestock into vegetable farms, new crops for Minnesota, irrigation strategies, and more. Free to the public.
 
For details and to register, click here.

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