Dec. 7: An LSP Round-up of News Covering Land, People & Communities More Hogs Coming to Northwest Iowa (11/30/20) Economists say exploding foreign pork demand will result in an industry-wide expansion in the Upper Midwest, from finisher barns to even new processing plants, reports the Storm Lake Times. Highlights: The industry is feeling upward pressure… Read More →
The Land Stewardship Project’s mission is to foster an ethic of stewardship of farmland, to promote sustainable agriculture and to develop healthy communities. LSP believes that private, for-profit immigration detention centers have no place in Minnesota. When we became aware that there was a proposal being considered in Pine Island, Minn., a group of concerned… Read More →
Corporation Yet Again Ignores Local Democracy & the Will of the People Today, Minnesota Sands, LLC filed a petition asking the United States Supreme Court to hear an appeal in its lawsuit seeking to overturn the Winona County frac sand mining ban. Such requests are not automatically accepted by the Court, and given the utter… Read More →
First, some background: I grew up on a conventional hay, corn and soybean farm in western Iowa and moved to Rochester, Minn., for work after getting a mechanical engineering degree from Iowa State University. I like engineering, but after a few years of working in an office environment, I was feeling the urge to get… Read More →
As a farmer, sociologist and instructor in the Sustainable Food Production (SFP) diploma program at Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Fergus Falls, I was stunned as I read in Agri-News on Feb. 5 about why the program was abruptly suspended: “ …’people will move on and start their own farms,’ ” said Mary… Read More →
Rachel Henderson and Anton Ptak’s secondary enterprise could be a boon for farm country pollinators. (In 2010, Henderson and Ptak were featured on Ear to the Ground soon after they launched their orchard enterprise. Check out episode 78 here.) More information: • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course • LSP’s Journeyperson Course • LSP’s Grazing & Soil Health web… Read More →
Legislature Steals $1 Billion of Funding Dedicated for MinnesotaCare & Medical Assistance The Minnesota Legislature appears to be close to finalizing a budget for the next two years that cuts Health and Human Services funding by more than $100 million and guts almost the entire $1 billion Health Care Access Fund reserve. These cuts will… Read More →
How critical is nitrogen to raising corn in the Midwest? Well, consider the fact that farmers feel compelled to pay for it, even at a time when the war with Iran is sending prices to dizzying heights during the 2026 planting season. The agronomic value of nitrogen became clear during a special oversight hearing held… Read More →
• An online version of the Land Stewardship Letter is here. • A downloadable pdf version is here. • Downloadable pdf back issues of the Land Stewardship Letter are here. • Interactive online back issues of the Land Stewardship Letter are here. • Paper copies are available by contacting Brian DeVore at 612-816-9342 or via e-mail. Table of Contents Stewardship… Read More →
LSP Calls for Mediation Period & Moratorium on Farm Foreclosures to be Extended to 180 Days to Accommodate Harvest, Volatile Market Situation SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) applauded the Minnesota House and Senate for passing legislation Tuesday that would place a 60-day extension on farm financial mediation periods in the state.… Read More →
