Minnesota Legislature

Gov. Walz Declares March 11 Land Stewardship Project Day

LSP Marks 40th Year of ‘Keeping the Land & People Together’ in 2022

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — As a Minnesota-based family farm and regenerative agriculture organization marks its 40th year of “keeping the land and people together,” Governor Tim Walz has declared March 11, 2022, “Land Stewardship Project Day.” Walz made the declaration today while participating in a Land Stewardship Project (LSP) virtual town hall with over 200 members of the…  Read More

Support Small Meat Processor Training Grants in MN

Contact Your Legislators Today

Over the past two years, we have witnessed firsthand just how fragile our meat processing sector is. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of global, concentrated supply chains, and we have seen farmers euthanize animals while others are forced to book processing dates even before animals are born. What has become clear is that we…  Read More

Pass Drought Relief NOW

Minnesota House Ag Committee Passes Package; Senate Ag Committee Next

As you know, this past summer’s drought created one of the most difficult growing seasons that Minnesota has seen in decades. Farmers had to make incredibly hard decisions: ending CSA deliveries early or entirely, selling or processing livestock early to save costs, paying to dig deeper wells or new ones entirely, and investing in new…  Read More

Invest in a Resilient, Regenerative Farm & Food System this Legislative Session

Jan. 31 is the First Day of the 2022 Minnesota Legislative Session

Monday, Jan. 31, is the first day of the 2022 Minnesota legislative session — and we have an incredible opportunity to win millions of dollars for soil health, local processing, local markets, emerging farmers, and more. In the past two weeks, Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota House Climate Climate Action Caucus have put together exciting…  Read More

Minnesota Farm Groups Applaud Governor’s Proposed Ag, Board of Water & Soil Resources Budgets 

Proposal Would Invest Tens of Millions of Dollars into Building Resiliency in Farm & Food System, Climate, Economy

SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Three Minnesota farm groups are applauding Governor Tim Walz’s budget proposals for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Board of Water and Soil Resources, which were released this week. The proposals strongly align with the vision for a thriving, abundant, and resilient countryside shared by the Land Stewardship Project (LSP), Hmong…  Read More

Tell Lawmakers We Need a MN Climate Budget for People & the Land

Proposal Would Support Soil Health Practices on Farms

A $1 billion proposal released by the Minnesota House Climate Action Caucus in January represents a meaningful investment in the health of our farms, soil, water, climate, and rural communities. The $1 billion proposal includes key priorities of LSP’s Soil Health and Climate Steering Committee, such as: $20 million for the Soil Health Cost-Share Program that…  Read More

Demonstrate the Demand for the Soil Healthy Cost-Share Program

Add Your Name to the List Today

During the 2021 Minnesota legislative session, Land Stewardship Project farmer-members wrote and championed a comprehensive soil health bill that led to the establishment of a Soil Health Cost-Share Program. Through this program, $1.3 million will be available through the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR). The program will provide payments to farmers for implementing soil-healthy…  Read More

Legislators Need to Bolster Local Processing in 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the fragility of global, concentrated supply chains. In addition, farmers adopting regenerative practices and growing food that nourishes people in Minnesota need markets to sell their production to. That’s why the Land Stewardship Project will be working during the 2022 session of the Minnesota Legislature to pass policies that help…  Read More

LSP’s 2022 MN Legislative Priorities

Soil Health, Drought Assistance, Processing Infrastructure are Priorities

Over the past few months, teams of Land Stewardship Project members who are farmers, farm-workers, processors, marketers, and rural Minnesotans have been coming together to put together a legislative agenda focused on ensuring all people and the land thrive, no exceptions. With the largest surplus in our state’s history and the legislative session starting on…  Read More

2021 Legislative Session Wrap-Up: Good News for Soil Health, Local Foods, Emerging Farmers — Bad News for Healthcare

Thousands of Land Stewardship Project members and supporters from across Minnesota came together during the 2021 session of the state Legislature and organized around our shared values. Together, we mobilized around a collective vision that includes a just food and farm system, a healthy landscape, thriving small and mid-sized farms, just and prosperous communities, and…  Read More