The U.S. Senate passed its version of the 2012 Farm Bill this week. While it’s far from perfect, specific amendments related to conservation and accountability that were passed during the floor vote give one hope that the voices of average citizens can be heard inside the Beltway. Let’s hope this is a sign of things… Read More →
I sat in a farmhouse one afternoon last month as a hot wind lifted rich topsoil from surrounding fields. On the drive in, I’d noticed a surprising amount of rill erosion on newly tilled cropland—surprising because recent rains had not been all that intense and the fields were not unusually steep. Out of the blue… Read More →
When it comes to the crop insurance sweepstakes, southwest Minnesota farmer Darwyn Bach is a winner. But he concedes that his good fortune presents a quandary, since the way the program is implemented these days creates significant losers: the soil, beginning farmers and Main Street businesses that suffer when the number of families in a… Read More →
One winter evening in 1999 I was sitting in on a Farm Beginnings class being held in the southeast Minnesota community of Plainview when a local banker stood up and made a statement that about knocked me out of my chair. “We need to eat our own cooking,” said the banker, Dean Harrington. The statement… Read More →
When a business closes in a rural community, the following 24 months or so are key. Whether it be a farm, small town grocery or repair shop, if the real estate it occupied is still lacking a day-to-day human presence a year or two down the road, it sends a troubling message about the future… Read More →
Farm to School connects Minnesota farmers directly to students by serving locally-sourced foods in school as well as providing educational activities that connect them with local agriculture. As part of Land Stewardship Project’s support for community-based food systems, we have been a long-time champion of this program. Want to Get Involved? Want to stay connected… Read More →
Heather Benson joined LSP’s staff in July 2024 as a communications specialist. She brings with her over two decades of marketing, communications, and public relations experience within both the agricultural and nonprofit spheres, and most recently was the digital strategy manager for SDPB, South Dakota’s NPR and PBS member station. A recent transplant to Minnesota, she… Read More →
LSP’s political action partner, the Land Stewardship Action Fund, is working to show that vibrant rural communities require local people participating in decision-making — one vote at a time. More Information • Land Stewardship Action Fund • Land Stewardship Letter Article: “Land Stewardship Action Fund’s Local Impact” • LSP’s Policy Campaigns You can find LSP Ear… Read More →
Our farm and food system is more resilient and just with more farmers stewarding the land and growing food for their communities, but so many people who want to farm are facing significant barriers to getting established and sustaining their businesses. The Increasing Land Access, Security, and Opportunities (LASO) Act, championed by Minnesota U.S. Senator Tina… Read More →
Driftless Grazing School: June 28-29 Dates/Times: Day 1: Friday, June 28, 2024, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Day 2: Saturday, June 29, 2024, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Location: 18769 Eagle Heights Rd Caledonia, MN 55921 (same location both days) Join us for a two-day Grazing School in the rolling Driftless Region of Southeastern Minnesota!… Read More →
