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...

Minnesota Legislative Leadership Squanders Opportunity to Fully Support Farmers, Food Systems & the Land in Ag Budget 

With 24 Hours Left in the Regular Session, Rural Support Could Still Pass 

May 21, 2022

Share

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • email

SAINT PAUL, Minn. — As the agriculture budget emerged from a House-Senate conference committee Friday evening, it appeared legislative leaders had squandered a major opportunity to invest in an economically and ecologically sustainable rural Minnesota, according to the Land Stewardship Project (LSP).

“This was the state’s chance to help farmers build the kind of agricultural systems that are good for Main Street economies while helping fight climate change and protecting our water,” said LSP policy manager Amanda Koehler. “Unfortunately, we’ve missed a huge opportunity to use the $9.25 billion budget surplus as an investment in a resilient Minnesota. This ridiculously low budget doesn’t meet the full needs of farmers, the farm and food system or rural communities.”

The total agriculture budget amounts to $15 million, a fraction of the $70 million and $60 million Governor Tim Walz and the House had proposed, respectively. The original budget proposals included substantial support for key LSP-backed proposals related to soil health, local meat processing, regional food systems, emerging farmers, and other initiatives that support small and medium-sized farmers.

Some initiatives were completely zeroed out: the budget provides no money for small meat processing training grants, the farm-to-school program, farm business management tuition assistance, farmers’ markets, and other initiatives.

“Given that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown just how vulnerable our food system is, it is particularly shocking that legislative leaders chose to ignore ways to fortify it at this key time,” said LSP policy organizer Laura Schreiber.

There was some good news in the agriculture budget that will be passed on to the Governor. There is $500,000 for soil health financial assistance grants and $650,000 for the University of Minnesota’s Forever Green Initiative and continuous living cover supply chain development. The House proposal had included $6.725 million and $15.5 million for these initiatives, respectively. The Legislature is also directing the state to develop a soil health action plan and set acreage goals for the adoption of soil health practices.

Furthermore, an additional $650,000 was included for the AGRI Meat, Poultry, Egg and Dairy Processing grants, as well as $827,000 for emerging farmers and the Good Acre’s Local Emergency Assistance Farm Fund (LEAFF) program. The House proposal had included $3 million and $5.6 million for these programs, respectively. LSP organizers said they were disappointed that funding does not match the scale of the challenges facing the state, but are looking forward to working with the organization’s members across Minnesota in coming months to build upon this budget during the next legislative session.

“We’d like to recognize, in particular, the work Representative Samantha Vang did to get support for emerging and small and mid-sized farmers through her down payment assistance program proposal,” said Schreiber. “Additionally, Representative Todd Lippert was a major player in pushing through soil health initiatives.”

LSP also applauded the fact that, after nine months of deliberation, lawmakers were finally able to agree on much-needed $18.4 million in drought relief for the state’s farmers.

As the 2022 session of the Minnesota Legislature races toward its adjournment on Sunday at midnight, there are still opportunities for lawmakers to support farmers, rural communities and land stewardship via other bills that are being hammered out in conference committees. For example, the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance Bill included $5 million for soil health, the House Taxes Bill included $44 million for Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and there is the possibility of $10 million for the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program in a bonding bill.

“It remains to be seen whether the Legislature can take some last-minute opportunities to build a food and farm system that benefits our economy, our water and the climate,” said Koehler. “If it doesn’t, we will be paying the price for years to come.”

-30- 

Category: News Releases
Tags: 100% Soil Healthy Campaign • emerging farmers • local meat processing • Minnesota Legislature • regional food systems • soil health

Contact

Amanda Koehler, LSP policy manager, e-mail, 612-400-6355

Upcoming Events

×

September 2025

Wednesday September 17

9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Grazing for Invasive Species Management in Oak Savannas
Wednesday September 17
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Grazing for Invasive Species Management in Oak Savannas
Myre-Big Island State Park, 19499 780th Ave, Albert Lea, MN 56007, USA

For details on this workshop, click here.

12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Extending the Grazing Season with Cover Crops & Native Grasses
Wednesday September 17
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Extending the Grazing Season with Cover Crops & Native Grasses
Bluffton Resort & Bar, 2619 W Ravine Rd, Decorah, IA 52101, USA

This Ducks Unlimited workshop will feature a discussion of how livestock producers can utilize cover crops and native grasses to extend the grazing season. Featured speakers include Adam Janke, who will discuss Iowa State University’s research on CRP grazing, and Brian Dougherty of Understanding AG, who will discuss the economics of grazing cover crops. There will also be a presentation on Ducks Unlimited’s Advancing Markets for Producers Partnership. 
 
For details, see this flier. or call Ducks Unlimited’s Liam Bonk at 612-483-3577. To register, click here.

Thursday September 18

5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Minnesota Women in Conservation: Conservation Land Walk in Dawson
Thursday September 18
5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Minnesota Women in Conservation: Conservation Land Walk in Dawson
Dawson, MN

During this Minnesota Women in Conservation event, participants will walk around a “homestead” farm site — exploring areas and goals the landowner hopes to improve in the future, including pollinator habitat, perennial plantings, wind breaks, privacy/noise screens, water quality improvements, well sealing, and compost placements. Participants will hear feedback and recommendations from a conservation professional on potential programs that could assist the landowner in achieving those goals. 
 
This is a FREE event, but you must RSVP here to get the address. For more information and to RSVP, click here.

Saturday September 20

All Day
Farm Aid
Saturday September 20
Farm Aid
Huntington Bank Stadium, 420 23rd Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA

 Farm Aid is heading to Minnesota for the first time for its 40th anniversary festival on Saturday, Sept. 20, at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The event will launch a year-long celebration of four decades of impactful advocacy, historic cultural moments and unforgettable music.

Farm Aid 40 — a full day of music, family farmers, HOMEGROWN food and agricultural experiences — will feature performances by Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young (and the Chrome Hearts), John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds), and Margo Price, as well as Billy Strings, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Trampled by Turtles, Waxahatchee, Eric Burton of Black Pumas, Jesse Welles, Madeline Edwards and more artists to be announced.

For details, click here.

Monday September 22

9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Twin Cities Urban Farm Bus Tour
Monday September 22
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Twin Cities Urban Farm Bus Tour
Leatherdale Equine Center, 1801 Dudley Ave, St Paul, MN 55108, USA

Join University of Minnesota Extension, Hennepin County, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service on Monday, Sept. 22, for a bus tour of urban farms. We’ll discuss the challenges of city growing, including compaction, contamination, soil health, water management, and more. And we’ll learn about how growers are using soil health practices to mitigate these challenges. Stops will include: 

  • The St. Thomas research gardens, where researchers have been studying different methods for maintaining fertility in urban garden beds for 8+ years, and learning about how these different approaches impact soil health and water quality
  • Our Roots Community Garden, where gardeners have implemented a variety of soil health practices to remediate a brownfield contaminated site into a lush garden with healthy soil and plants. Gardeners here are also working to establish a micro forest at the site
  • Urban Roots farm at Rivoli Bluff. The team at Urban Roots has worked for years to establish a thriving farm at a former street sweeping site. They’ve tried many different practices to address compaction, replace invasive species with native plants to mitigate erosion, and to grow vegetables for their community. 

This is the first tour in a three part soil health bus tour series. Participants can sign up for just one, two, or all three tours. Register at https://z.umn.edu/vegetablebustours. The cost is $15 (flat fee, covers 1, 2, or 3 tours). There are more details in the attached flyer.

View Full Calendar

Recent Posts

  • Land Line: Monopolies, Crop Rut, MISA, Soil Microbes, Corn Production Costs, Nitrates, Kernza September 15, 2025
  • Land Line: MAHA, Bumper Corn Crop, Oats, Defining Regenerative Ag, Feeding the World, CAFO Hotspots August 28, 2025
  • Farmers to AG: Take Action to Counteract Community-Killing Consolidation August 27, 2025
  • Tell the MPCA by Sept. 10 to Focus on Clean Water, New Crops & Living Cover August 22, 2025
  • Land Line: Farm Finance Crisis, Mental Health, Inflated Inputs, Crop-Livestock Synergy, Bread Bloat, Pesticides in Water, Soil Health & MAHA August 9, 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/minnesota-legislative-leadership-squanders-opportunity-to-fully-support-farmers-food-systems-the-land-in-ag-budget