Local Residents Deliver 687 Postcards from Across Minnesota to Jeff Kohlnhofer at Kohlnhofer Insurance Agency LAKEVILLE, Minn.—In the wake of a ruling from the Minnesota Court of Appeals, rural neighbors to a proposed factory hog farm in Goodhue County’s Zumbrota Township gathered in Lakeville today to announce their next steps in the fight to stop… Read More →
In December, members of the Land Stewardship Project and Toxic Taters filed a citizens’ petition for environmental review of R.D. Offutt’s major expansion plans in northern Minnesota. R.D. Offutt is the nation’s largest potato producer. This expansion would use more than 166 million gallons of water per year, just as concerns over the unsustainable depletion… Read More →
To Matthew Ott, three words could make all the difference as to whether farming systems that protect the soil year-round in Minnesota become a consistent agricultural presence in the state. “For me, the most exciting thing is to be able to use the term, ‘cash cover crops,’ ” says the University of Minnesota graduate student.… Read More →
Calls Needed by Monday, Dec. 8 The Minnesota Senate Rural Task Force met on Nov. 12 to discuss rural Minnesota initiatives that could be brought up during the state legislative session that begins Jan. 6. On a short list of three agenda items was “Rural Permitting Discussion.” This “discussion” focused on corporate ag advocates attacking… Read More →
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 →
Talk about ignoring the elephant in the room. When Minnesota environmental officials announced the results of a new major nitrogen pollution study on Thursday, they were surprisingly frank about how bad the problem is, but just as surprisingly hesitant to name a major underlying cause: federal farm policy. First the problem: basically, the Minnesota Pollution… Read More →
This year Minnesota has taken real steps to put people at the center of our health care system. Most recently, Governor Mark Dayton and the Legislature passed a budget that continues and strengthens MinnesotaCare. Thank you for your calls, e-mails and actions—you made a difference. The final Health and Human Services Budget makes MinnesotaCare more… Read More →
Hannah is seeking to buy 10 acres (3 acres tillable, pasture and forest) of farmland in Wisconsin. She is looking for a homestead with which to raise a family and grow food for the community. Hannah has 5 years of experience growing organic vegetables, fruit and medicinal herbs and is excited to expand her current… Read More →
Emily is seeking a farmer to rent 80 acres (25 tillable, 15 pasture, 20 forested, and 20 other) in Southwest Michigan in Berrien County. There is a barn, field shelters, and a licensed meat freezer storage/farm store. Also there is fencing, animal travel lanes, animal watering pipeline, 2 wells, internet, sheep equipment, and stock trailer. … Read More →
Kurt is seeking to buy 20 acres of farmland in extreme SW Wisconsin or Eastern Iowa. Kurt plans to start a small regenerative ag operation, grass based. Live water and rolling topography with both open pasture land and some wooded would be preferred. Kurt can build fences as needed. A house and old outbuildings would… Read More →
