local democracy

Land Line: CAFO Control, Cancer in Farm Country, Nitrates, Soil Health, Farm to School

March 19: An LSP Round-up of News Covering Land, People & Communities

By Brian DeVore

March 19, 2025

Something Smells With the Feedlot Trend, and it’s More Than Just the Manure 3/16/25 Ron Way, former assistant director of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, writes in the Star Tribune about how factory farms have transformed the landscape in southern and central Minnesota. Highlights: Since the 1970s, backers of large-scale, industrialized livestock production have successfully… Read More →

Category: Blog

Tags: CAFOs • cancer • groundwater • local democracy • nitrates • Olmsted County Groundwater Protection and Soil Health Program • pesticides • soil health

LSP Applauds State Supreme Court’s Rejection of Daley Appeal

Ruling Comes After Yearslong Attempt to Circumvent Winona County’s Local Rules Related to CAFOs

March 19, 2025

LEWISTON, Minn. — The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) applauded the Minnesota Supreme Court’s recent decision to deny a Winona County factory farm owner’s attempt to circumvent Winona County’s rules governing the size of livestock operations. On March 18, Chief Justice Natalie Hudson announced that the Court would not hear an appeal filed by Daley Farm… Read More →

Category: News Releases

Tags: Big Ag • CAFO • Daley Farm • factory farm • local control • local democracy • nitrate pollution • Winona County

LSP Applauds Appeals Court Ruling on Winona County CAFO

Ruling a Victory for Water Quality & Local Democracy

December 9, 2024

LEWISTON, Minn. — The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) applauded today’s ruling by the Minnesota Court of Appeals upholding a county’s right to limit the size of large animal feedlots operating within its borders. The ruling confirms an earlier state District Court’s decision that there was “no actual evidence of bias” when Winona County denied Daley… Read More →

Category: News Releases

Tags: CAFO • Daley Farm • factory farm • groundwater • local democracy • nitrate pollution • Winona County

Ear to the Ground 341: Seeds of Local Democracy

LSP’s political action partner, the Land Stewardship Action Fund, is working to show that vibrant rural communities require local people participating in decision-making — one vote at a time. More Information • Land Stewardship Action Fund • Land Stewardship Letter Article: “Land Stewardship Action Fund’s Local Impact” • LSP’s Policy Campaigns You can find LSP Ear… Read More →

LSP Media Statement on Latest Daley Farm Appeals Filing

May 23, 2024

LEWISTON, Minn. — The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) filed a legal brief May 22 with the Minnesota Court of Appeals contesting Daley Farm’s appeal of the state District Court’s decision to deny the operation’s attempt to circumvent Winona County’s rules related to the size of large livestock operations. Daley Farm is seeking a variance so that… Read More →

Category: News Releases

Tags: CAFO • Daley Farm • factory farm • local democracy • manure • nitrates • southeastern Minnesota • water quality

LSP Media Statement on Amicus Filing by ‘Ag Groups’ in Daley Farm Court Case

January 10, 2024

LEWISTON, Minn. — On Jan. 4, five “agricultural groups” filed an amici curiae (friend of the court) motion with the Minnesota Court of Appeals in support of Daley Farm’s request that a recent District Court ruling be overturned, thus allowing the Lewiston dairy operation to circumvent Winona County’s zoning rules related to livestock operation size.… Read More →

Category: News Releases

Tags: CAFO • clean water • dairy crisis • Daley Farm • factory farm • local control • local democracy • SLAPP • Winona County

LSP Applauds Court’s Support of Winona County Decision on Factory Farm

LSP Launches ‘Story Center Powerline’ Initiative for Rural Residents Fighting Big Ag

November 21, 2023

LEWISTON, Minn. — Land Stewardship Project (LSP) members applauded today’s decision by the Minnesota District Court to deny Daley Farm’s latest attempt to circumvent Winona County’s rules related to the size of large livestock operations. (The Court’s decision is available here.) For the past four years, Daley Farm has sought a variance from the county’s… Read More →

Category: News Releases

Tags: CAFO • Daley Farm • factory farm • local democracy • Winona County

Don’t Let Congress Gut Local Control

Oppose the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act

September 22, 2023

At the Land Stewardship Project, we value local control — the ability for smaller units of government to build upon laws set by larger units of government. While states like Iowa and Wisconsin have gutted or significantly weakened local control, Minnesota has stayed strong on this issue (because of organizing by LSP members and others)… Read More →

Category: Action Alerts

Tags: federal policy • local control • local democracy

Make Our Democracy for the People

Automatic Voter Registration, Other Election Reforms Focus of Legislation

April 10, 2023

In November, Minnesotans showed up at the polls to participate in our democracy and to protect it — protect it from corporate interests and from those looking to silence certain voices. Since then, we’ve seen a number of major victories for our communities, including passage of the 100% Clean Energy Bill and establishing driver’s licenses… Read More →

Category: Action Alerts

Tags: democracy • elections • local democracy

Tell the Legislature to Reinstate the MPCA Board

It's Time to Give Minnesotans a Bigger Voice in Environmental Decisions

March 21, 2023

The bill to reinstate public oversight of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has been moving through the Minnesota Legislature. In the Minnesota Senate, it passed out of the State and Local Government Committee and needs to be heard in the Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee before becoming part of the larger Senate bill that… Read More →

Category: Action Alerts

Tags: EIS • environmental review • factory farms • local democracy • Minnesota Legislature • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency • MPCA Citizens' Board

Upcoming Events

March 2025

Monday March 31

1:30 pm – 3:30 pm: MFU People's Town Hall
Monday March 31
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
MFU People's Town Hall
People's Energy Cooperative, 1775 Lake Shady Ave S, Oronoco, MN 55960, USA
Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) is hosting a series of People’s TownHall events.

MFU wants to hear directly from family farmers and rural residents on howthe state and federal government can help meet their needs and build robustfarms and rural communities.

These events are open to the public; feel free to invite yourneighbor.

To reserve a spot, click here.Contact Claudine Arndt at 612-202-7872 or e-mail her at claudine@mfu.org with any questions.

April 2025

Wednesday April 2

1:30 pm – 3:30 pm: MFU People's Town Hall
Wednesday April 2
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
MFU People's Town Hall
Hjemkomst Center, 202 1st Ave N, Moorhead, MN 56560, USA
Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) is hosting a series of People’s TownHall events.

MFU wants to hear directly from family farmers and rural residents on howthe state and federal government can help meet their needs and build robustfarms and rural communities.

These events are open to the public; feel free to invite yourneighbor.

To reserve a spot, click here.Contact Claudine Arndt at 612-202-7872 or e-mail her at claudine@mfu.orgwith any questions.

Thursday April 3

1:30 pm – 3:30 pm: MFU People's Town Hall
Thursday April 3
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
MFU People's Town Hall
Far North Spirits, 2045 220th Avenue, Hallock, MN 56728, USA
Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) is hosting a series of People’s TownHall events.

MFU wants to hear directly from family farmers and rural residents on howthe state and federal government can help meet their needs and build robustfarms and rural communities.

These events are open to the public; feel free to invite yourneighbor.

To reserve a spot, click here.Contact Claudine Arndt at 612-202-7872 or e-mail her at claudine@mfu.orgwith any questions.
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm: LSP Montevideo Office Open House
Thursday April 3
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
LSP Montevideo Office Open House
111 N 1st St, Montevideo, MN 56265, USA
We will be holding an open house for members and community at the Land Stewardship Project’s new Montevideo location at 111 N. First Street. Snacks and beverages provided. We invite the public to join us in touring the new space and meeting the LSP staff members who are working in the western Minnesota region. For more information, call 320-269-2105.

Saturday April 5

9:30 am – 5:00 pm: EcoFaith Summit 2025: Earth's Cries, Earth's Call
Saturday April 5
9:30 am – 5:00 pm
EcoFaith Summit 2025: Earth's Cries, Earth's Call
First Lutheran Church, 1100 E Superior St, Duluth, MN 55802, USA
The EcoFaith Summit will feature compelling speakers, enlivening worship, informative exhibits, opportunities for networking, and an array of engagement sessions for giving birth to strong, creative action in our congregations, camps, campuses, and communities. Morning refreshments, fresh local lunch and celebratory final reception are included in the day.

Keynote speaker Dr. Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, author, organizer, and theological ethicist, will lead participants in naming the powers that are destroying the Earth and introducing them to midwives of hope today.

Special presenter: Dr. Kelly Sherman-Conroy, member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, dynamic storyteller, poet, scholar, and the the first Native woman to earn a PhD in theology within the ELCA, will offer a groundbreaking blend of Indigenous spirituality and Christian teachings.

This event is presented by: The Northeastern Minnesota Synod EcoFaith Network, Northwest Synod of Wisconsin, and Saint Paul Area Synod, along with partner organizations, synods, camps, colleges, and seminaries.

For details and to register, click here.

View Full Calendar

This event is presented by: The Northeastern Minnesota Synod EcoFaith Network, Northwest Synod of Wisconsin, and Saint Paul Area Synod, along with partner organizations, synods, camps, colleges, and seminaries.