Over the past two years, we have witnessed firsthand just how fragile our meat processing sector is. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of global, concentrated supply chains, and we have seen farmers euthanize animals while others are forced to book processing dates even before animals are born. What has become clear is that we… Read More →
When one sees the word “unambiguously” used in a carefully researched academic paper, it’s time to take notice. For example, a recent Journal of Policy Modeling study reports results that are “…unambiguously suggestive of a crop insurance policy regime that is biased in the direction of increasing consolidation in crop farming….” That conclusion is based on… Read More →
NOTE: The Land Stewardship Project is saddened to learn that Paul Johnson, a giant in the promotion of working lands conservation on America’s farms, passed away this week. We send our condolences to Paul’s family — he will be sorely missed. Below is an excerpt of a 2020 Land Stewardship Letter article on Paul and… Read More →
Sept. 25: An LSP Round-up of News Covering Land, People & Communities Very large farms collect one-fifth of USDA’s coronavirus payments (9/23/20) Chuck Abbott reports on Agriculture.com that the government’s COVID-19 payments to agriculture have been a gravy train for mega-operations. According to an analysis done by the Environmental Working Group, the largest 1% of… Read More →
The government of Minnesota belongs to the people of Minnesota — not to outside corporate interests who write special laws for themselves that threaten our democracy. Land Stewardship Project members know why free speech is so important. Since the 1980s, members across the state have been leveraging our collective power to fight against farm foreclosures,… Read More →
With just a few days left in the Minnesota legislative session, we need another push to ensure the state fully funds its investment in the Forever Green Initiative. Members of the Legacy Finance conference committee will begin to meet this week and need to hear from Minnesotans across the state. This is the first time… Read More →
Minnesota’s state leaders have the power and responsibility to act in the best interest of all Minnesotans, as well as our water and land. We rely on our state to ensure we have safe water to drink, clean air to breathe, and healthy land to pass down to the next generation. But right now, Big… Read More →
Imagine opening your local newspaper on a Monday morning and discovering that a 5,000-head factory hog farm or an 6,000-head mega-dairy is being proposed in your township — and the public comment period ends that very weekend! We deserve the right to have a voice when major decisions that could impact the health of our… Read More →
Good news! State legislation that reinstates the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Citizens’ Board is moving forward, but legislators are going to need to hear from constituents for it to pass (HF 973—Persell, SF 627—Marty). You may recall that during the last hours of the 2015 Minnesota legislative session, language was inserted into a massive… Read More →
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The crisis facing family farmers and how our state leaders can take meaningful action will be the focus of a special hearing of the Minnesota House of Representatives’ Agriculture and Food Policy and Finance Division on Thursday, Jan. 31, beginning at 9:45 a.m., in Room 200 of the State Office Building… Read More →
