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Support Lowered Environmental Review Thresholds for Manure Digesters

April 19, 2024

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Every three years, the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB) publishes an updated Mandatory Category Report detailing project types that require environmental review in our state. Examples of Mandatory Categories included in this report include pipeline projects or feedlot expansions. Currently, the EQB is soliciting input from the public on the mandatory categories or their decision criteria for their next report, due in December 2024.

As you may know, Minnesota has recently experienced an uptick of large-scale anaerobic manure digester project proposals. These projects present significant environmental risks to our rural communities’ air, soil, water, and public health. The concentration of liquid manure in one location heightens the likelihood of spills and accidents during transportation, collection, and storage. Digesters can diminish air quality through elevated emissions of ammonia, nitrous oxide, and dust from increased truck activity. In extreme cases, digesters may pose explosion hazards, endangering nearby workers, animals, neighbors, and emergency responders.

As the environmental review rules currently stand, only anaerobic manure digesters processing 25,000 dry tons of input or more per year qualify for environmental review. Twenty-five thousand dry tons of input is approximately equivalent to the amount of manure produced by an 11,000 animal unit dairy operation. Just seven of Minnesota’s registered feedlots are larger than 11,000 animal units. Our environmental review policies must reflect the realities of our state’s agricultural demographics. It is essential to lower the environmental review threshold of anaerobic manure digesters from 25,000 dry tons of input per year to 10,000 dry tons of input or more per year.

Will you sign our petition telling the EQB to lower the environmental review threshold for anaerobic manure digesters from 25,000 dry tons of input per year to 10,000 dry tons of input or more per year? Sign below!

 

—Click HERE to Sign the Petition—

 

Want to be part of the conversation with the EQB? Click here to join the EQB’s next virtual roundtable on this topic on Tuesday, April 23, from noon to 1 p.m.

Want to Get More Involved in LSP’s Animal Ag Work?

• Join our next Campaign Action Meeting, from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m., on April 23, via Zoom.

• Sign the manure management reform petition.

 

Category: Action Alerts
Tags: CAFOs • clean water • Environmental Quality Board • factory farms • manure • methane digesters

Contact

Martin Moore, LSP organizer, e-mail

Upcoming Events

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September 2025

Monday September 1

All Day
Final Deadline for LSP's Farm Beginnings Course
Monday September 1
Final Deadline for LSP's Farm Beginnings Course

Beginning and prospective farmers are invited to apply to the Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings course, a year-long training program that focuses on the goal setting, marketing, and financial skills needed to establish a successful farm business. The Farm Beginnings course creates a space for folks to name their vision, acquire the tools and skills needed to make it happen, and become part of a community of support to help them succeed.  

The course will run from November 2025 through March 2026, with some additional educational opportunities to take place later in 2026. 

The deadline for applications is Sept. 1. Early bird applications submitted by Aug. 1 will receive a $100 discount if you are accepted into the class. Partial scholarships are available.

More details are at http://www.farmbeginnings.org or Annelie Livingston-Anderson at annelie@landstewardshipproject.org.

You can apply to the course here.

Wednesday September 3

10:00 am – 3:00 pm
LSP Montevideo Office Coffee & Conversation
Wednesday September 3
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
LSP Montevideo Office Coffee & Conversation
111 N 1st St, Montevideo, MN 56265, USA

On the first Wednesday of each month, the Land Stewardship Project hosts coffee and conversation at our downtown Montevideo office (111 North First Street), and we hope you will have time to join us at the next one on Wednesday, Sept. 3, from 10 a.m. to noon.

The open house-style mornings feature a quick update on recent LSP work and then plenty of time to enjoy your coffee and build community the old-fashioned way, by talking face-to-face. This month we will give an update on our work to combat consolidation in animal agriculture and provide an overview of our recent town hall in Paynesville with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.  

 Come when you can and stay as long as you like! Don’t hesitate to bring along a friend or two — we always enjoy meeting someone new.

For more information, contact LSP’s Matthew Sheets at msheets@landstewardshipproject.org.

Friday September 5

9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Soil Health Field Day on the Cotter Farm: Austin
Friday September 5
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Soil Health Field Day on the Cotter Farm: Austin
50203 205th St, Austin, MN 55912, USA

 Sign up today for a get-together down on Tom Cotter’s Farm. This field day brings together food companies, local farmers and other professionals in agriculture — a perfect opportunity for networking and discussion.
Hear from soil health experts, then board the Topless Bus to take a tour of Tom’s farm. A FREE TACO BAR LUNCH will featureTom’s own grass-fed beef, along with authentic, homemade tortillas and rice. Featured speakers include soil scientist Kris Nichols and agronomist Joe Ailts.
 
You can check out the field day flier here. For more details and to register, click here.

Saturday September 6

9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Soil & Food Health Field Day: Austin
Saturday September 6
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Soil & Food Health Field Day: Austin
50203 205th St, Austin, MN 55912, USA

Details are here.

Monday September 8

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Anne Biklé in conversation with Ross Evelsizer: What Your Food Ate
Monday September 8
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Anne Biklé in conversation with Ross Evelsizer: What Your Food Ate
Pulpit Rock Brewing Company, 207 College Dr, Decorah, IA 52101, USA

Join Anne Biklé (co-author, What Your Food Ate: How to Restore Our Land and Reclaim Our Health) and NEIA RC & D Natural Resource Projects Director, Ross Evelsizer, for a conversation and Q & A session followed by a book signing. Everyone is invited to this free event sponsored by the Oneota Valley Literary Foundation, with support from Pulpit Rock Brewing and Dragonfly Books.
 
Details on the Sept. 8 event are here.

View Full Calendar

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