On a recent August evening in south-central North Dakota, soil scientist Kristine Nichols laid out what I like to call the “purebred vs. the plugger” approach to farming. “With healthy soil, you may not out-yield your neighbor in the best years, but you will out perform them in the not-so-good years,” said Nichols, a soil… Read More →
The U.S Drought Monitor released its latest figures yesterday, verifying what we already knew: Minnesota is extremely dry. In fact, 55 percent of our state now falls under the “severe drought” or “moderate drought” category. Over 60 percent Minnesota’s subsoil moisture is “short” or “very short.” The National Drought Mitigation Center reported that in August… Read More →
Thanks to the hard work of the Land Stewardship Project’s members and supporters who have lobbied their legislators by phone and sent e-mails from across the state, the Minnesota Legislature has taken an important first step to protect small to medium-size farms. Farm foreclosures and mediation deadlines are on pause for 60 days. However, 60… Read More →
Sign Up for E-mail Delivery of The Land Line Morris-Based Mega-Dairy Coming Closer to Reality with Key Regulatory Ruling (6/7/26) The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) will not require an environmental impact statement for an expansion that would create the largest dairy CAFO in Minnesota, reports the Minnesota Reformer. Highlights: Riverview wants to expand a… Read More →
Bridge Payment Rates Are Here — But Are They Enough to Help Your Bottom Line? (1/7/26) Writing for Farm Progress, Joshua Baethge describes concerns that the aid package being issued to farmers in February to help them deal with damage caused by the trade war will not make up for years of mounting losses in… Read More →
Government Shutdown Ends, Farm Bill Programs Extended (11/13/25) On Nov. 12, President Donald Trump signed into law a measure to end the longest-ever government shutdown after 43 days, providing full funding for the USDA for fiscal 2026, and ending a legal battle over November’s SNAP benefits, reports several news sources. Highlights: By getting full-year funding… Read More →
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… Read More →
The World’s Biggest Meat Company Gets the Greenlight to Go Public on the New York Stock Exchange (4/25/25) Despite a long history of corruption and connections to illegal deforestation, the largest meatpacker in the world has been granted a listing on the New York Stock Exchange by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), reports… Read More →
Our farm and food system is more resilient and just with more farmers stewarding the land, 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 Sen. Tina Smith would… Read More →
Land access is the top challenge emerging and beginning farmers face. At the same time, ownership of millions of acres of agricultural land is changing hands as farmers and ranchers across the country retire — presenting an important opportunity to shape the future of our farm and food system. This is the moment for Congress… Read More →
