dairy crisis

Stevens County Approved a Mega-Dairy — Now Minnesotans Must Speak Up

Public Has Until Oct. 1 to Comment on Impacts of Mega-Dairies

September 2, 2026

On Tuesday, Sept. 1, Stevens County officials approved Riverview’s conditional use permit for the proposed West River Dairy expansion near Morris, Minn. This decision largely clears the way for what will become the largest concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) in Minnesota history. Once completed, this 18,855-cow facility will be more than 60 times the size…  Read More →

Category: Action Alerts
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Approval of Riverview Facility Threatens Water, Family Farms & Rural Communities

Public Has Until Oct. 1 to Comment on Impacts of Mega-Dairies

September 2, 2026

MORRIS, Minn. — By giving the green light to what will be the largest concentrated animal feeding operation in Minnesota history, Stevens County officials have cast a vote for a type of livestock production that threatens water quality, puts small and medium-sized farmers out of business and empties rural Main Streets, said the Land Stewardship…  Read More →

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Land Line: Grazing Legislation, Diversification Barriers, Nitrate Cancer Review, Riverview Lawsuit, Devil’s Element, Local Meat Processing, Returning to the Farm

By Brian DeVore (editor)
August 26, 2026

Sign Up for E-mail Delivery of The Land Line RANCH Act Introduced to Help Rebuild Cattle Herd (8/21/26) Beef Magazine reports that two U.S. Senators have introduced a bipartisan bill that has the goal of boosting the grazing of beef cattle on perennial grasses and forbs. Highlights:  The “Rebuilding America’s National Cow Herd (RANCH) Act,”…  Read More →

Category: Blog
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Next Steps in the Riverview Fight

Sign up for LSP's Digital Dairy Action Network

August 26, 2026

We wanted to share an important update from Stevens County, where Riverview LLP is seeking approval to expand its West River Dairy near Morris from 7,855 cows to 18,855 cows — a project that would make it the largest dairy facility and largest concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) in Minnesota. On Aug. 19, the Stevens…  Read More →

Category: Action Alerts
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Bringing Lawmakers to the Farm

Legislative Ag Leaders Get a Firsthand Look at Challenges, Opportunities SE MN Farmers Face

By Laura Schreiber
August 7, 2026

On a recent July afternoon, southeastern Minnesota farmer Martin Larsen stopped his Gleaner R-62 combine in the middle of oat harvest, climbed down the ladder, and walked a hundred yards or so to where the Chair of the Minnesota Senate Agriculture Committee was standing at the edge of the field. Larsen then described to Sen.…  Read More →

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LSP Joins Lawsuit Over Failure To Consider Environmental Impacts of Riverview Mega-Dairy Expansion

If Built, West River Mega-Dairy Would be Minnesota’s Largest

August 3, 2026

MORRIS, Minn. — The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) has joined Food & Water Watch in suing the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) over the state’s recent failure to order an environmental impact statement (EIS) for Riverview’s proposed West River Dairy expansion near Morris. If built, the 18,855-cow facility would be the largest factory farm in…  Read More →

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MPCA failed us. Now Stevens County must act. You can stand with them.

Public Hearing on Riverview Aug. 3 in Morris

August 3, 2026

In June, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency failed Minnesotans when it refused to require a full environmental impact statement (EIS) for Riverview LLP’s massive West River Dairy expansion in Stevens County. That decision left Stevens County families, farmers, neighbors, and local officials to face the risks of an operation that would hold more than 26,000…  Read More →

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LSP Applauds MDA’s Plan to Seek Input on Socioeconomic Impact of Large-scale Dairies

Online Public Meetings July 28; Written Input Due Oct. 1

July 22, 2026

MORRIS, Minn. — The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) is applauding the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) recent announcement that it will be seeking public input on the socioeconomic impact of large-scale dairies in the state. Information will be gathered through two virtual meetings (noon to 1 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.) on Tuesday, July 28, as…  Read More →

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LSP: MPCA’s Decision on West River Dairy Expansion Sets Bad Precedent

Stevens County Board Still Has Authority to Decide if Project Moves Forward

June 22, 2026

MORRIS, Minn. — The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) today sharply criticized the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) decision to allow Riverview LLP’s massive West River Dairy expansion to move forward without requiring a full environmental impact statement (EIS). If approved, the project would expand the operation from 7,855 cows to 18,855 cows, making it the…  Read More →

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When Industrial Dairy Comes to Town, Rural Communities are Fighting Back

Tri-state coalition webinar shows how industrial dairy expansion is not a “done deal” when rural communities get organized. 

By Heather Benson
June 10, 2026

Across South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota, rural residents are facing a growing wave of industrial dairy proposals that could reshape their communities for decades. On June 3, a coalition of organizations hosted “Community Responses to Industrial Dairy Proposals in SD, ND, and MN,” a webinar where community members and advocates shared what they are seeing on…  Read More →

Category: Blog
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