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MN Ag Bill Supports Market Access, Land Access & Soil Health 

LSP Members & Allies Make Their Voices Heard at the Capitol 

May 21, 2025

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SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Although the Minnesota Legislature wrapped up its 2025 session on May 19 with some unfinished business, the Agriculture Bill passed before adjournment, which means Land Stewardship Project (LSP) priorities related to market access, land access and soil health will make it to Gov. Tim Walz’s desk.

“While this was a difficult session to navigate with threats of budget shortfalls, cuts to federal funding and overall policy uncertainty, LSP members and our partners stepped up to make sure the needs of farmers and rural communities were centered and heard,” said Laura Schreiber, LSP’s government relations director. “They should be proud of the result: lawmakers listened and worked together to pass an Agriculture Bill that will help communities meet this moment.”

Getting Food from Farms to Kids
In recent years, the AGRI Farm to School and Early Care Programs have been critical for expanding market access opportunities across the state, especially for beginning farmers and smaller operators, as well as for getting healthy, local food to Minnesota’s kids in  schools and childcare settings. Year-after-year there is greater demand for these resources than funding available; in 2023, for example, there were $5.3 million in requests, and currently the state funds it at just $1.29 million.

Thanks to the work of LSP and allies such as the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, the Agriculture Bill that was passed now provides $1.59 million in funding for Farm to School and Early Care the first year and $1.54 million the second year, which represents a $300,000 and $250,000 increase, respectively, over current funding.

“Thanks to the bi-partisan support for this program, this increase in funding will create more market access opportunities for smaller farmers that are growing a range of products, from protein to produce, to be served to Minnesotan children all across the state,” said Schreiber. “Not only is this a win for farmers, but students benefit as well by being able to enjoy high-quality, local food that builds a connection with their community.”

This is a much-needed win for local producers and Farm to School and Early Care Programs — in March, the USDA abruptly cancelled $18 million in federal funding that had been awarded to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) in October 2024 to support local food purchasing initiatives. The Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (LFPA), for example, has proven to be a highly effective way to get farmers paid a fair price for food that is then given to food shelves in their community.

Fortunately, the Agriculture Bill establishes a Minnesota version of the LFPA with an investment of $1.4 million over the next two years. This new program is required to source at least 70% of its food from “limited land access farmers” and “limited market access farmers.” These are farmers that do not own land and or have a lease that is three years or less in duration and have less than $100,000 in annual gross sales. The food that is purchased from local farmers must then be provided free of charge to food banks and food shelves.

Land Access 
An initiative developed to assist beginning farmers with purchasing farmland — the Minnesota Down Payment Assistance Program — has been overwhelmed with applications since it was established in 2022. During the 2025 legislative session, LSP and its allies worked to improve the program by allowing farmers up to a year (the stipulation is currently six months) to purchase land with awarded funds. And as a result of skyrocketing land prices, LSP and its allies pushed for legislation that would increase the grant award from $15,000 to $25,000 per successful applicant.

In the end, the timeline was not extended. However, overall the program will be funded at $2.5 million over the next two years, which represents a $250,000 per year increase over the current budget. In addition, each grantee is now eligible for up to $20,000 in funding.

“Throughout this session, our members shared their stories with legislators about how difficult it is to access affordable land, especially in areas close to the Twin Cities Metro where we have the most markets,” said Pam Hartwell, an LSP policy organizer based in southeastern Minneota. “Raising the award amount is a great step in the right direction and we know that the work must continue to address the multiple barriers that stand in the way of getting more farmers onto the land.”

Soil Health & Water Quality
During this session, LSP backed legislation that would provide continued funding for the popular Soil Health Financial Assistance Program, which provides farmers resources for purchasing the kind of equipment they need to build healthy soil in an economically viable manner. Given that the program recently received requests worth $5 million, it’s clear there’s huge demand for this initiative’s resources.

The final Agriculture Bill provides the Soil Health Financial Assistance Program $639,000 in the first year and $639,000 in the second year. There is additional support for this program in the Legacy Bill under Clean Water Funds that would add $1.75 million in the first year and another $1.75 million in the second year. That’s still below meeting the needs of farmers seeking to adopt soil-healthy practices, but it shows continued public support for regenerative farming methods, something that has been growing in recent legislative sessions due to the work of LSP and its allies, said Schreiber.

The Agriculture Bill also provides $75,000 to do a cost-benefit analysis of the innovative Olmsted County Groundwater Protection and Soil Health Program, which pays farmers for putting in soil healthy practices that protect water quality. The results of this analysis are due June 1, 2027, and could possibly serve as the basis for eventually expanding the program beyond Olmsted County.

“At a time when agricultural input prices continue to soar, when extreme weather is now our norm and communities continue to face rising nitrate levels in surface and groundwater, we must invest in programs and opportunities that center building soil health and resilience both environmentally and economically,” said Schreiber. “These programs are important steps toward that goal.”

For a complete report on how LSP’s priorities fared during the 2025 session of the Minnesota Legislature, see https://bit.ly/LSP2025session. For more on Farm to School and Early Care funding, see the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s website at IATP.org/press.

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The Land Stewardship Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to an ethic of stewardship for farmland, promoting sustainable agriculture and developing healthy communities. LSP has offices in the Minnesota communities of Lewiston, Montevideo and South Minneapolis. More information is at landstewardshipproject.org.

Category: News Releases
Tags: AGRI Farm to School and Early Care Programs • community based food systems • emerging farmers • farmland access • Local Food Purchase Assistance Program • Minnesota Legislature • nitrate pollution • Olmsted County Groundwater Protection and Soil Health Program • soil health • state policy

Contact

Laura Schreiber, LSP Government Relations Director,
e-mail, 612-207-4693

Upcoming Events

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July 2025

Wednesday July 9

8:00 am – 10:00 am
Risk to Resilience Climate Cohort
Wednesday July 9
8:00 am – 10:00 am
Risk to Resilience Climate Cohort
Online

Farming has always required adaptability, and today’s changing weather patterns are creating new challenges and opportunities. The Land Stewardship Project, in collaboration with University of Minnesota Extension, has created a resilience-focused program that gives commodity and small grain growers the opportunity to join a cohort with other like-minded farmers and learn how to prepare their operations for the future. At this Risk to Resilience cohort, you will learn:

  • How changing weather patterns in the Upper Midwest are likely to affect your farm. 
  • How you can prepare a plan that protects your farm from a changing climate.
  • How to improve your planning skills and meet with experts for opportunities to grow climate resilience  on your farm.
  • How to build community with fellow farmers interested in creating operations that are sustainable and resilient in the long term.

Program Details:

  •  Online format — join from your home or farm.
  •  Four sessions, 10-15 hours total investment — built for busy schedules, beginning July 2025. We’ll pause workshops for small grains harvest and resume in August 2025.
  • A $250 stipend will be provided to participants who attend the sessions and provide feedback on experience and content.

Dates of the Risk to Resilience Sessions:

  • Wednesday, July 9, 8 a.m.-10 a.m.
  • Wednesday, July 16, 8 a.m.-10 a.m.
  • Harvest Break
  • Wednesday, August 20, 8 a.m.-10 a.m.
  • Wednesday, August 27, 8 a.m.-10 a.m. 

To register, click here. 

12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
LSP Lewiston Office Summer Potluck Lunch
Wednesday July 9
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
LSP Lewiston Office Summer Potluck Lunch
Land Stewardship Project, 180 E Main St, Lewiston, MN 55952, USA

Spring planting is behind us and midsummer is upon us! Take a quick break from all the action by celebrating summer with the Land Stewardship Project by joining us for lunch at our Lewiston office.

Our Summer Potluck will be held on Wednesday, July 9, from noon to 2 p.m., at our office in downtown Lewiston, Minn. (180 E. Main Street). This will be an opportunity to build community, hear from other farmers, socialize, and enjoy a great meal together. We also invite everyone to take a self-guided tour of the newly renovated spaces in our office that we have been working on over the winter. As a member-driven organization, this is your space too.

LSP will be providing the main dish (meat and vegetarian options) and we invite you to bring a dish to pass. This event is open to all, so please bring a friend or two as well. Let’s celebrate the joy of summer through good food and good company!

RSVP’s are encouraged, but not required. Hope to see you there — you can RSVP by e-mailing LSP’s Alex Romano direct.

Saturday July 12

10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Fishing, Farming & Food: Rush Creek's Fish Kill Anniversary & Why it Matters
Saturday July 12
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Fishing, Farming & Food: Rush Creek's Fish Kill Anniversary & Why it Matters
Farmers Community Park, 23274 Arches Road Lewiston, MN 55952

During the Fishing, Farming & Food: Rush Creek’s Fish Kill Anniversary & Why it Matters event, the Land Stewardship Project will mark the three-year anniversary of a major fish kill in southeastern Minnesota that spawned citizen action and led to new public policy around how such events are reported. Join Land Stewardship Project and our partners at Farmers Park, Saturday July 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Lewiston, Minnesota. Register here.

What to expect?

  • Fly fishing demonstration led by Minnesota Trout Unlimted and LSP member, Lee Stoe. Please bring your own fishing gear.

  • Minnesota Trout Unlimited & Izaak Walton League staff and members will be leading macroinvertebrate sampling of Garvin Brook and discussing what they tell us about the health of the stream.

  • Discussion on how regenerative farming systems can support healthy soil and clean water.

  • Opportunity to take action! Help prevent future fish kills by sharing how you think the Minnesot Feedlot Rule, which is open for comment through July 22, should be stronger. Postcards will be available to fill out and send with your comments.

  • Farmers Park is a great spot for birding. Please bring your binoculars!

  • You are welcome to bring your own snacks or picnic lunch; food will not be provided at this event.

LSP is partnering with several community groups for this event, including:

Minnesota Trout Unlimited, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, Izaak Walton League, Food & Water Watch, and Savanna Institute

Register HERE. For more information, contact LSP’s Kate Rowe at krowe@landstewardshipproject.org.

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.

Wednesday July 16

8:00 am – 10:00 am
Risk to Resilience Climate Cohort
Wednesday July 16
8:00 am – 10:00 am
Risk to Resilience Climate Cohort
Online

Farming has always required adaptability, and today’s changing weather patterns are creating new challenges and opportunities. The Land Stewardship Project, in collaboration with University of Minnesota Extension, has created a resilience-focused program that gives commodity and small grain growers the opportunity to join a cohort with other like-minded farmers and learn how to prepare their operations for the future. At this Risk to Resilience cohort, you will learn:

  • How changing weather patterns in the Upper Midwest are likely to affect your farm. 
  • How you can prepare a plan that protects your farm from a changing climate.
  • How to improve your planning skills and meet with experts for opportunities to grow climate resilience  on your farm.
  • How to build community with fellow farmers interested in creating operations that are sustainable and resilient in the long term.

Program Details:

  •  Online format — join from your home or farm.
  •  Four sessions, 10-15 hours total investment — built for busy schedules, beginning July 2025. We’ll pause workshops for small grains harvest and resume in August 2025.
  • A $250 stipend will be provided to participants who attend the sessions and provide feedback on experience and content.

Dates of the Risk to Resilience Sessions:

  • Wednesday, July 9, 8 a.m.-10 a.m.
  • Wednesday, July 16, 8 a.m.-10 a.m.
  • Harvest Break
  • Wednesday, August 20, 8 a.m.-10 a.m.
  • Wednesday, August 27, 8 a.m.-10 a.m. 

To register, click here. 

View Full Calendar

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  • ‘Risk to Resilience’ Online Climate Course for Crop Producers to be Held in July & August June 24, 2025

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