crop diversity

Ear to the Ground 404: Closing the Loop

Paul and Delores Moechnig are working to prove to the next generation that the road to farming’s future doesn’t have to pass through corn and soybean fields. It turns out the bluebirds and swallows appreciate the offramp they’ve taken into rotational grazing as well.    More Information • LSP’s Soil Builders’ Network • Blog: Soil Health…  Read More

Land Line: Nitrate Pollution, Oats, Packers at the Trough, Consolidation, Right to Repair, Crop Profits, Bird Flu

Sign Up for E-mail Delivery of The Land Line Report Calls for Stricter Fertilizer Rules as US Nitrate Pollution Crisis Grows (6/1/26) The New Lede writes about a report that finds lax regulations and mismanaged applications are contributing to making nitrogen runoff a major water pollution problem in the U.S. Highlights: U.S. farmers annually apply…  Read More

Land Line: Trillion $ Landlord, Ag’s Next Generation, Fertilizer Prices, Oats, Farm Finance Grumbles, CAFO Permits, Big Meat

The $1.7 Trillion Landlord: New USDA Data Reveals the Shifting Face of Ownership (3/12/26) Farm Journal reports on new USDA showing a 47% surge in rented farmland value over the past decade, even as the footprint of available acreage shrinks. With $1.7 trillion in assets now held by a shifting demographic of landlords, the landscape…  Read More

Land Line: Beyond Exports, Nitrate Lawsuit, Soil Health $$, Local Food, Ag Collapse?, Ag Econ Downer, ICE & Rural Economies

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

Land Line: Oats, Nitrates & Karst, Fraudulent Science, ICE & Ag, Soil Health, Biostimulants, Fertilizer Price Collusion

Opportunity Knocks for Oats in Minnesota (1/28/26) Morning Ag Clips reports that interest in returning oats to Minnesota crop rotations is increasing as a result of a new processing facility being built and research related to the soil health benefits of planting the small grain. Highlights: A new, $68 million food-grade oat mill is expected…  Read More

Farmers Gather in Rochester to Discuss Strategies for Diversifying Cropping Systems

Importance of Partnerships Focus of LSP’s ‘Beyond Exports’ Meeting

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Diversifying the region’s cropping systems beyond raw, export-driven commodities like corn and soybeans will require a team effort, said the farmer-presenters at the “Beyond Exports: Rebuilding Local Markets” meeting held at the Rochester International Event Center Jan. 27. More than 125 farmers from Minnesota and Iowa gathered for the Land Stewardship Project…  Read More

Ear to the Ground 394: Canceling Commodities

As a farmer and entrepreneur, John Strohfus sees the production of food-grade crops as a key opportunity for regenerative farmers to forge links in a value chain based on building healthy soil. More Information • Jan. 27, 2026, LSP Workshop — “Beyond Exports: Rebuilding Local Markets” • Field Theory Foods • LSP Small Grains Web…  Read More

‘Beyond Exports’ Focus of Jan. 27 Crop Diversification Meeting in Rochester

Local Farmers to Lead Discussions on Practical Strategies for Growing & Marketing Alternatives

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

Land Line: Food Monopolies, Soil Sisters, Bird Benefits, Soil Research Cuts, Farm Divorce, Agro-Environmentalist, China’s Soybean Supplier, Nebraska Nitrates

Unsealed Antitrust Complaint Reveals Key Factor in High Food Prices: Corporate Behemoths (12/18/25) Writing in the Minnesota Reformer, the Minnesota Farmers Union’s Justin Stofferahn describes how monopolization of the food industry and failure to enforce antitrust laws has harmed consumers. Highlights: A newly unsealed antitrust complaint provides a unique look at price discrimination in practice,…  Read More

Tell the MPCA by Sept. 10 to Focus on Clean Water, New Crops & Living Cover

Agency Accepting Comments on Nutrient Reduction Strategy

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is accepting comments on updating its Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy 2025 (full draft document found here), which establishes a roadmap for reaching both phosphorus and nitrate reduction goals.  Please take a moment to review LSP’s comments and rationale for actionable items for this plan and submit your comments via…  Read More