The Land Stewardship Project, sustainable agriculture and family farming lost a true friend this week when Dan Specht was killed in a tragic farm accident. He was 63. (See obituary here.) Dan, who farmed above the banks of the Mississippi River near McGregor, in northeast Iowa, had been a pioneer in innovative, sustainable farming methods… Read More →
Note: The Land Stewardship Project’s Ear to the Ground podcast recently featured an interview with Marvin Johnson, a Minnesota farmer and president of the Alumni Association for the School of Agriculture at the University of Minnesota. Johnson discussed the history and the future of the Endowed Chair in Agricultural Systems. For three decades, the Endowed… Read More →
Sign Up for Email Delivery of The Land Line Plan for Largest Dairy in Minnesota History Raises Water and Pollution Concerns (4/1/26) Sentient reports on Riverview’s expansion proposal that would crate the largest dairy CAFO in Minnesota. Highlights: The expansion would more than double the capacity of an existing Riverview LLP dairy facility near Morris,… Read More →
Farmers Focus on Local Markets (1/31/26) The Tri-State Neighbor reports on a meeting in Rochester, Minn., where farmers and others gathered to discuss practical ways of diversifying the corn-soybean duo-culture that dominates Midwestern agriculture. Highlights: The “Beyond Exports” meeting, which was hosted by LSP, featured farmer-presenters who are in various stages of utilizing small grains,… Read More →
Austin Frerick was a featured author in LSP’s November 4, 2025 event Big Ag, Big Problems: A Panel on Rural Consolidation. From Goodreads.com: Barons is the story of seven corporate titans, their rise to power, and the consequences for everyone else. Take Mike McCloskey, Chairman of Fair Oaks Farms. In a few short decades, he… Read More →
When Alan Perish passed away May 14, we lost a stalwart advocate for family farming and local democracy. Alan, a fourth-generation farmer, milked cows in central Minnesota’s Todd County for many years and he was a longtime Land Stewardship Project and Minnesota Farmers Union member. Over the years, I had several opportunities to talk with… Read More →
With a historic $17.6 billion surplus, our Minnesota Legislature has a unique opportunity and responsibility to deliver for people and the land. In March, the Speaker of the Minnesota House and the Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate will assign each legislative committee in their respective legislative body an amount to spend on their budget.… Read More →
The Minnesota legislative session ends in just six days and we need your help in ensuring a robust budget that invests in our farmers and communities makes it across the finish line. Check out the Land Stewardship Project’s latest blog for details on where our priorities stand. Here are two opportunities to take action: Join… Read More →
LEWISTON, Minn. — The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) is extremely concerned that this week’s pronouncement by an Olmsted County District Court judge in a case filed by Daley Farms will have a chilling effect on citizen civic engagement in Winona County and beyond. Judge Kevin F. Mark declared that when the Winona County Board of… Read More →
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 →
