Land Stewardship Project

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Past LSP Projects

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Over the years, the Land Stewardship Project has been involved with on-the-ground research projects about our food and farming system. As a way of archiving some of this work and documenting long-term initiatives, this page summarizes past projects LSP has been involved with. It also provides summary reports of ongoing initiatives.

Chippewa 10% Project

The Chippewa 10% Project was launched in 2010 and wrapped up in 2018. During the fall of 2020, LSP’s George Boody wrote a report summarizing the Project’s context and approaches, as well as what short term and long terms impacts it’s had. Download the report, The 10% Solution in Minnesota’s Chippewa River Basin, here.

The Multiple Benefits of Agriculture: An Economic and Social Analysis

The Multiple Benefits of Agriculture: An Economic and Social Analysis is a special report on the “Multiple Benefits of Agriculture” analysis, which was conducted over a three-year period in southeastern Minnesota’s Wells Creek watershed, and a sub-watershed of the Chippewa River, in western Minnesota. Biologists, economists, and rural sociologists from the U.S. Geological Survey, University of Minnesota, Minnesota State University-Mankato, Bemidji State University and Iowa State University conducted the study. The Land Stewardship Project coordinated the research; the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy also participated in the analysis.

Four scenarios were examined in the watersheds, ranging from continuing current trends of fewer farms raising increasing acres of row crops, to converting a significant number of acres to grass and forage-based farming and utilizing other perennial systems such as wetlands. Under this last scenario, sediment levels in the waters of Wells Creek and the Chippewa River dropped 84% and 49% respectively. Nitrogen in the water, which can be a major pollution problem, plummeted by 74% in Wells Creek and 62% in the Chippewa under that scenario. These environmental benefits occurred even as the number of dairy cattle was increased from 5,427 to 12,212 in Wells Creek, and 271 to 911 in the Chippewa sub-watershed study areas, under the scenarios.

The Multiple Benefits of Agriculture: An Economic and Social Analysis report is available here.

Building the Bridge to Soil Health

In October 2020, a special LSP report was published: Building the Bridge to Soil Health: The Power of Organizing Farmer-to-Farmer Engagement. It describes the organization’s experience with launching the Bridge to Soil Health initiative in Minnesota. The report is available here.

The Monitoring Tool Box

In 1993, LSP convened a group of farmers, researchers, and natural resource professionals to create the “Biological, Financial and Social Monitoring Project.” This initiative, which developed a set of indicators for determining the ecological, economic, and social sustainability of farms, went on to have a tremendous influence on various aspects of the regenerative agriculture movement. Everything from state and federal policy to beginning farmer training to innovative watershed management and scientific research has been impacted by this project.

One result of this project was the Monitoring Tool Box, a resource developed for farmers and natural resource professionals to monitor the sustainability of various land use practices. To download a copy of the Tool Box, click here.

 

Contact

Brian DeVore, LSP managing editor, e-mail, 612-816-9342

 

 

  • 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
  • Join, Donate, or Renew
  • Building People Power

Upcoming Events

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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.

Wednesday September 3

10:00 am – 3:00 pm
LSP Montevideo Office Coffee & Conversation
Wednesday September 3
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
LSP Montevideo Office Coffee & Conversation
111 N 1st St, Montevideo, MN 56265, USA

On the first Wednesday of each month, the Land Stewardship Project hosts coffee and conversation at our downtown Montevideo office (111 North First Street), and we hope you will have time to join us at the next one on Wednesday, Sept. 3, from 10 a.m. to noon.

The open house-style mornings feature a quick update on recent LSP work and then plenty of time to enjoy your coffee and build community the old-fashioned way, by talking face-to-face. This month we will give an update on our work to combat consolidation in animal agriculture and provide an overview of our recent town hall in Paynesville with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.  

 Come when you can and stay as long as you like! Don’t hesitate to bring along a friend or two — we always enjoy meeting someone new.

For more information, contact LSP’s Matthew Sheets at msheets@landstewardshipproject.org.

Friday September 5

9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Soil Health Field Day on the Cotter Farm: Austin
Friday September 5
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Soil Health Field Day on the Cotter Farm: Austin
50203 205th St, Austin, MN 55912, USA

 Sign up today for a get-together down on Tom Cotter’s Farm. This field day brings together food companies, local farmers and other professionals in agriculture — a perfect opportunity for networking and discussion.
Hear from soil health experts, then board the Topless Bus to take a tour of Tom’s farm. A FREE TACO BAR LUNCH will featureTom’s own grass-fed beef, along with authentic, homemade tortillas and rice. Featured speakers include soil scientist Kris Nichols and agronomist Joe Ailts.
 
You can check out the field day flier here. For more details and to register, click here.

Saturday September 6

9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Soil & Food Health Field Day: Austin
Saturday September 6
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Soil & Food Health Field Day: Austin
50203 205th St, Austin, MN 55912, USA

Details are here.

Monday September 8

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Anne Biklé in conversation with Ross Evelsizer: What Your Food Ate
Monday September 8
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Anne Biklé in conversation with Ross Evelsizer: What Your Food Ate
Pulpit Rock Brewing Company, 207 College Dr, Decorah, IA 52101, USA

Join Anne Biklé (co-author, What Your Food Ate: How to Restore Our Land and Reclaim Our Health) and NEIA RC & D Natural Resource Projects Director, Ross Evelsizer, for a conversation and Q & A session followed by a book signing. Everyone is invited to this free event sponsored by the Oneota Valley Literary Foundation, with support from Pulpit Rock Brewing and Dragonfly Books.
 
Details on the Sept. 8 event are here.

View Full Calendar

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