nitrates

Land Line: Nitrate Pollution, Sensing Trouble, Fertilizer Prices, Price Crunch, EIS for CAFOs, MAHA & School Lunch, Oats

By Brian DeVore (editor)

April 24, 2026

Sign Up for E-mail Delivery of The Land Line Nitrate is Quietly Polluting Rural Drinking Wells. How Researchers are Working to Help (4/21/26) Harvest Public Media reports that across the Midwest and Great Plains, large-scale fertilizer application and livestock facilities have increased the pace of nitrate contamination accumulating in groundwater. Highlights: Scientists have tested more… Read More →

Category: Blog

Water, White Torpedoes & The Lobe Ranger Way

For these 3 Farmers, Resisting Peer Pressure Doesn't Mean Ignoring the Power of Community

By Brian DeVore

April 12, 2026

CUMBERLAND, Iowa — Here in southwestern Iowa, it’s the season of the white torpedo. Once it seemed spring wasn’t fake news, pickup trucks began towing to winter-dormant fields tubular tanks of gaseous anhydrous ammonia fertilizer here and in the rest of the Corn Belt. These white cylinders are the harbingers of a new planting season… Read More →

Category: Blog

Tags: Central Iowa Water Works • clean water • conservation • drinking water • Lobe Rangers • nitrates • nitrogen fertilizer • nitrogen pollution

Land Line: Riverview, Nitrogen Cuts, H20 Poll, Bridge Payments, Meatpackers & Antitrust, Gutting Emerging Farmer Support, Rural Population

By Brian DeVore (editor)

April 7, 2026

Sign Up for Email Delivery of The Land Line Plan for Largest Dairy in Minnesota History Raises Water and Pollution Concerns (4/1/26) Sentient reports on Riverview’s expansion proposal that would crate the largest dairy CAFO in Minnesota. Highlights: The expansion would more than double the capacity of an existing Riverview LLP dairy facility near Morris,… Read More →

Category: Blog

Tags: ag consolidation • antitrust • CAFOs • clean water • dairy consolidation • farm crisis • farm debt • federal farm policy • Haney Test • meatpackers • nitrates • Riverview Dairy • rural economic development • soil health

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

By Brian DeVore (editor)

February 13, 2026

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 →

Category: Blog

Tags: agriculture policy • clean water • cover crops • crop diversity • Des Moines • diversifying agriculture • farm crisis • groundwater • ICE • immigrants • nitrates • rural economic development • rural economy • small grains • soil conservation • soil health • tariffs • trade war • water pollution

Ear to the Ground 396: Accountable Ag

These three crop producers see no reason why productive farming and clean water can’t co-exist. But first, we need to stop the greenwashing and get our hands dirty. (2 of 2 parts; part 1 is here) More Information • Ear to the Ground 395: The Lobe Rangers • The Lobe Rangers Website • LSP Soil… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 392: Diversity’s Diet

Farmer and small grains marketer Matt Kruger sees a rotation based on raising food grade crops as a way for farmers to get rewarded for building soil health. It’s also a way to fight the only thing he truly hates. More Information • Jan. 27, 2026, LSP Workshop — “Beyond Exports: Rebuilding Local Markets” •… Read More →

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

Agency Accepting Comments on Nutrient Reduction Strategy

August 22, 2025

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 →

Category: Action Alerts

Tags: clean water • crop diversity • MPCA • nitrates • nitrogen fertilizer • nutrient reduction • Phosphorus • soil health • water pollution

Land Line: USDA Changes, Climate-Smart Ag, Dead Zone, Nitrate Pollution, Feedlot Regs, Soil Bacteria, the Power of Diverse Farming

By Brian DeVore (editor)

July 28, 2025

‘Farming in the dark’: Brooke Rollins’ Leadership, DOGE’s Grip and the Cost to American Agriculture (7/22/25) According to Investigate Midwest, during her first six months in office U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has brought sweeping changes to USDA and largely embraced President Donald Trump’s agenda of downsizing the federal government. Mass firings have purged… Read More →

Category: Blog

Tags: CAFOs • climate change • dead zone • feedlots • nitrates • soil health • soil microbiology • USDA • water pollution

Land Line: Tax Bill’s Ag Impact, Farmer Privacy, CAFO Water Demand, Honeybees, Nitrates, Solar’s Bright Spot, Farm Bankruptcies

By Brian DeVore (editor)

July 15, 2025

House Passes Tax Bill With SNAP Cuts, Billions for Immigration Enforcement, and Climate Rollbacks (7/7/25) President Donald Trump’s massive tax bill was passed by the U.S. House July 3 and signed into law by the President on July 4, reports Civil Eats. Highlights: The bill includes the biggest-ever changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program… Read More →

Category: Blog

Tags: CAFO • DOGE • farm bankruptcies • farm crisis • federal farm policy • grazing • nitrates • soil health • solar • USDA • water quality

Land Line: Senate Budget Bill, Who Owns Land?, Nitrates, Conservation Cuts, Immigration, Drought When Wet, Judging Soil, Sea of Grass

By Brian DeVore (editor)

July 1, 2025

Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Clears Senate, Sending it Back to House (7/1/25) Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie in the U.S. Senate today to pass President Donald Trump’s centerpiece legislation on tax cuts and spending, the 940-page “One Big Beautiful Bill,” reports Oklahoma Farm Report. In order to pay for spending on… Read More →

Category: Blog

Tags: beginning farmers • climate change • consolidation • drought • extreme weather • farm transitions • farmland ownership • grasslands • immigration • nitrates • prairie • soil health