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Take Action to Invest in Healthy Soil & Local Processing in Minnesota

March 17, 2022

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Our vision for an abundant Minnesota with healthy land and water, thriving small and midsized farms and processing facilities, and healthy local foods has a big opportunity to advance at the state Legislature this week.

We have FOUR hearings this week to invest part of our historic budget surplus in a farm and food system that reflects our values. Will you take just two minutes to urge your state legislators to be champions for soil health and local processing?

Take Action by Clicking Here Now!

Bills being heard this week would:

  • Invest $20 million of the state’s historic budget surplus into healthy soils programs to ensure all farmers have the resources they need to invest in the health, resiliency, and diversity of their land and pocketbook (HF 3302 – Lippert).
  • Establish a statewide goal of reaching 5.75 million acres managed under soil-healthy practices by 2030, 11.5 million acres by 2035, and all 23 million acres by 2040. This would focus our state institutions on greatly expanding agricultural practices that benefit our land, water, climate, farmers, and rural, urban, and suburban communities and economies (HF 3302 – Lippert).
  • Create a Certification Navigator position within the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to assist local meat processors in developing safety plans and navigating the inspection and certification processes (SF 3964 – Frentz).
  • Create a mini-grant program to reimburse small meat processors for attending meat-cutting, processing, health, safety, and business planning trainings (HF 3640 – N. Nelson, SF 3320 – Rarick).
  • Bolster funding for Soil and Water Conservation Districts, which are crucial boots-on-the-ground support for farmers and landowners (HF 3719 – Reyer, SF 3913 – Rest).

Please take just a moment to contact your legislators now and ask them to join us in stewarding a countryside abundant with perennial pastures, perennial crops, cover crops, and no-tilled soil by investing in healthy soil and local processing!

Category: Action Alerts
Tags: local processing • meat processing • Minnesota Department of Agriculture • Soil and Water Conservation Districts • soil health

Contact

Sarah Goldman, Amanda Koehler & Laura Schreiber, LSP organizers, 612-722-6377, e-mail

  • Join, Donate, or Renew
  • Building People Power

Upcoming Events

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July 2025

Friday July 18

9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Russell Hedrick Soil Health Event: Lac qui Parle County
Friday July 18
9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Russell Hedrick Soil Health Event: Lac qui Parle County
1174 295th Ave, Dawson, MN 56232

Details are here.

Tuesday July 22

9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Ray Archuleta Soil Health Series: Sartell
Tuesday July 22
9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Ray Archuleta Soil Health Series: Sartell
2611 17th St N, Sartell, MN 56377, USA

Details are here.

12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Unlocking Conservation Resources for Communities & Farms
Tuesday July 22
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Unlocking Conservation Resources for Communities & Farms
Far North Spirits, 2045 220th Avenue, Hallock, MN 56728, USA

Join Renewing the Countryside and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) this summer at one of their eight conservation events in a town near you, where you will:

  • Learn how conservation benefits Minnesota’s rural communities.
  • Hear from a panel of local speakers.
  • Discover available NRCS Farm Bill programs and the economics of on-farm practices.
  • Enjoy a complimentary lunch, plus a chance to win door prizes.
  • Network with local farmers, neighbors, and conservation professionals.
  • Receive helpful materials and personalized support on next steps after the event.  

For more information, click here. 

Locations & Dates:
Each event is free, open to all, and runs from noon to 2 p.m. at the venues listed. Space is limited, please register in advance.

  • Hallock (Kittson County) – Tues, July 22 @ Far North Spirits
  • Elbow Lake (Grant County) – Wed, July 23 @ Elbow Lake Community Building
  • Sleepy Eye (Brown County) – Thur, July 24 @ Sleepy Eye Brewing Company
  • Milaca (Mille Lacs County) – Tues, July 29 @ Gorecki Community Center
  • Mora (Kanabec County) – Thur, July 31 @ Sapsucker Farms Yellow Belly Cidery
  • Owatonna (Steele County) – Tues, August 5 @ Owatonna Public Utilities Building
  • Jordan (Scott County) – Wed, August 6 @ Ridges at Sand Creek
  • Fairmont (Martin County) – Thur, August 7 @ Red Rock Center for the Arts
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Agrivoltaics: Growing Forages & grain Crops
Tuesday July 22
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Agrivoltaics: Growing Forages & grain Crops
Online Webinar

This free webinar series is about cattle and sheep solar grazing and growing forages or grain crops under solar panels.

The practice of grazing livestock under solar panels has become increasingly popular. It is often referred to as agrivoltaics or solar grazing. This system involves the use of land for both solar energy production and livestock grazing or crop production. In this session, Sabrina Florentino will talk about forage production research and the Rauenhorst Farm Agrivoltaics Project on growing row crops under solar panels.

To register, click here. 

Wednesday July 23

9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Ray Archuleta Soil Health Series: Villard
Wednesday July 23
9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Ray Archuleta Soil Health Series: Villard
15290 127th St, Villard, MN 56385, USA

Details are here.

View Full Calendar

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Montevideo

111 North First Street
Montevideo, MN 56265

(320) 269-2105

Lewiston

180 E. Main Street
Lewiston, MN 55952

(507) 523-3366

Minneapolis

821 E. 35th Street #200
Minneapolis, MN 55407

(612) 722-6377

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