A few years ago, Brad and Shelley Schrandt faced a dilemma: should they keep their dairy herd at around 20 cows for a few more years while working off the farm, or should they expand enough to justify quitting those town jobs? They went for the expansion in an attempt to simplify their life. Shelley,… Read More →
Last year was a tough one for most of us, and, based on recent events, it seems as if there’s little chance of reprieve for folks in agriculture. Farmers and ranchers experienced rising input costs and significant domestic and international market disruptions in 2025. To help address these problems, USDA is issuing $12 billion in… Read More →
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Farmers will discuss alternatives to growing corn and soybeans for export markets during a special Land Stewardship Project (LSP) winter workshop Tuesday, Jan. 27, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Rochester International Event Center (7333 Airport View Dr. SW, Rochester, MN 55902). The “Beyond Exports: Rebuilding Local Markets” event is free;… Read More →
From Farm Aid’s YouTube Channel: Minnesota farmer Hannah Bernhardt grew up on a farm during the devastating 1980s Farm Crisis. She explains how decades later, seeing other young farmers using sustainable, regenerative agriculture practices inspires her to stay on the land growing for the future. Moses Momanyi and Lonah Onyancha speak about the benefits of… Read More →
LANESBORO, Minn. — The impacts on rural communities of unprecedented consolidation in agriculture and what local citizens can do to address this issue will be the focus of a Land Stewardship Project (LSP) panel discussion Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., at the Lanesboro Community Center (202 Parkway Ave. South). To reserve… Read More →
Recently, staff at the Land Stewardship Project helped plan a webinar given by our partners at the Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment (CFFE) which updated us on tariffs and what they mean for food and farm policy and the factory farm system. The webinar covered the basics of how trade policy impacts agriculture,… Read More →
Ag antitrust expert Austin Frerick sees the current food system as a mechanism for modern robber barons to treat rural communities as mere “extraction colonies.” But, he argues, changing how we eat isn’t enough — we need to disrupt how power is distributed all along the food chain (2 of 2 parts). More Information •… Read More →
PAYNESVILLE, Minn. — Unprecedented consolidation in agriculture is emptying the landscape of farmers, which is having a trickle-down impact on everything from rural schools and churches to Main Street businesses, said three-dozen farmers and other rural residents who gathered Aug. 24 for an open-air Land Stewardship Project (LSP) town hall meeting on the shores of… Read More →
When Sogn Valley Farm transitioned out of intensive production of vegetable crops, it opened up opportunities to utilize a unique cousin of wheat as a way to steward the land. More Information • Sogn Valley Farm • Forever Green Initiative • Ear to the Ground 367: Disrupting the Food Chain • Ear to the Ground… Read More →
Note: This is the 3rd installment in the 12-part “A Sense of Where You Are” series. History is a critical piece of context. All too often, farming practices are carried out without taking into consideration past practices and their subsequent impact. Regenerative farmers often say they are “listening to the land” when making management decisions.… Read More →
