Winona County Stewards - Land Stewardship Project

This web page highlights the efforts of Land Stewardship Project members in southeastern Minnesota’s Winona County to create a regenerative farm and food system that is good for the water, land, and rural communities. During the past three years, many Winona County residents have been focused on fighting the attempt by Daley Farm to expand its dairy to 6,000 animal units, four times the county’s current animal unit cap. This expanded facility would produce 46 million gallons of manure annually in a karst geological area already experiencing problems with groundwater pollution.

Here you will find blogs, press releases, action alerts, letters-to-the-editor, and videos related to this fight.

The Big Picture: Winona County Videos

Check out these videos produced by Greener Pastures for LSP where Winona County residents make it clear why they are fighting factory farming in their community.

• LSP Members Speak Out for a Farming System that’s Good for the Community

• Where’s It Gonna End?

Take the Pledge: Say NO to Factory Farms

In the Upper Midwest, we know how special the land that sustains us is. Factory farms jeopardizes not only the land itself but the communities that rely on it. They threaten the water and land with pollution, force small to mid-sized farmers out of business, and weaken local economies. Join other LSP members in taking the “No to Factory Farms” pledge today.

Letters: Speaking for the Land, Farms & Communities

One way Winona County residents have made their voices heard on the Daley Farm issue has been through letters-to-the-editor published in local newspapers. Below are some of those letters:

Oppose Daley Farm expansion, by Karen and Richard Ahrens — Nov. 28
County Animal Caps Matter, by James Armstrong — Nov. 28
Proposed expansion brings danger, by Wayne Ode — Nov. 28
Big Ag is on an intimidation campaign, by Tessa Schweitzer — Nov. 27
Feedlot cap serves purpose; variances should be modest, by Richard Dahl — Nov. 24
Daley Farm to subject county to literacy test, by Tim Ahrens — Nov. 10
Factory farms threaten rural communities, by Sam Streukens — November 17
Does Daley Farm even qualify for a permit? by Barb Nelson — September 22
Stop the Daley Farm expansion now, by Deanne Sczepanski — September 22
Daley Farm should conform to existing rules, by Barb Nelson — September 12
Farm expansion is a public health issue, by Lisa Schnepper — August 11
Preserve water quality, keep animal unit cap on farms, by Doug Nopar — August 4

Blogs, Press Releases, Action Alerts

• Farm Aid Blog: Fighting for Family Farms in Minnesota (6/6/22)

• Press Release: LSP Statement on Daley Farm Appeal of Winona County BOA Decision (1/5/22)

• LSP Blog: Winona County BOA Denial of CAFO Variance a Win for Farms, People & the Land (12/2/21)

• LSP Blog: Court’s Decision a Win for Land, Communities & Farms (11/3/21)

Media Stories

• Winona Post: County Board sticks by animal unit cap (6/1/22)

• Star Tribune: Winona County rejects dairy farm expansion (12/2/21)

• Winona Post: Daley Farm expansion denied again, appeal possible (12/2/21)

community holding signs against factory farms — **Winona County residents gathered on Nov. 28, 2021, to call for the Board of Adjustment to deny Daley Farm’s request for a animal unit cap variance.**

Upcoming Events

January 2025

Friday January 10 – Saturday January 11

Practical Farmers of Iowa Annual Conference

Friday January 10 – Saturday January 11

Practical Farmers of Iowa Annual Conference

833 5th Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

For more information, click here.

Tuesday January 21 – Thursday January 23

MN Young & Emerging Farmers Workshop

Tuesday January 21 – Thursday January 23

MN Young & Emerging Farmers Workshop

Mankato

A short application process will be required to be accepted into the Minnesota Young and Emerging Farmer Workshop. Requirements include being 21-45 years of age and actively crop farming in Minnesota. Applications, which close Nov. 15, will be reviewed and selected by Dec. 1, and maxed at 40 participants, after which a wait list will become available. Participation is free with lodging expenses also covered.

The application link can be found here.

Thursday January 23

7:30 am – 8:30 am: Lakes and Prairies Solar 101 - Moorhead
Thursday January 23
7:30 am – 8:30 am
Lakes and Prairies Solar 101 - Moorhead
Moorhead Public Library, 118 5th St S, Moorhead, MN 56560, USA
Learn about solar energy and its benefits for your home, or small business. This meeting will take you through the technology, economics, financing and more. You’ll also learn about the Solar Co-op in your area. The program is free to join, and members are not obligated to buy solar panels. For details and to register, click here. Information on the Lakes and Prairie Solar Co-op is here.

Tuesday January 28

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

LSP Small Grains Workshop: Economic Opportunity in a New Market Environment

Tuesday January 28

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

LSP Small Grains Workshop: Economic Opportunity in a New Market Environment

Edgewater Bay Pavilion, 1940 Edgewater Drive, Albert Lea MN 56007

Based on the visionary work of a fourth-generation farmer and scientist, Bob Quinn (Kamut International), and practical, farmer-innovators like Roy Pfaltzgraff (Pfz Farms) and Landon and Anne Plagge (Green Acres Milling), the Land Stewardship Project is hosting a workshop for producers who are seeking confidence and practical know-how related to raising and selling small grains. Join us at the Edgewater Bay Pavilion in Albert Lea, Minn., on Tuesday, January 28, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Learn about how farmers are:

Increasing the value of what they produce and demonstrating the value of those products to human and environmental health.
Diversifying crop production while maintaining quality and profitability.
Organizing around cooperatively processing and marketing grains.

Click here to register. The workshop flyer is available here. For more information, contact LSP’s Shea-Lynn Ramthun at 651-301-1897 or at slramthun@landstewardshipproject.org.

Bob Quinn
Bob Quinn’s roots run deep into the rich soil of Big Sandy, Montana, where he returned after earning a PhD in plant biochemistry from UC Davis to apply his scientific knowledge to the family farm. Bob Quinn’s vision extends beyond agriculture, embodying a holistic approach where local minimal processing, community, health, and education intertwine to redefine success in farming. By championing the idea that every grain and every harvest should enhance health, Bob has positioned the Quinn Institute as a leader in transforming agriculture into a health-giving enterprise.

Roy Pfaltzgraff
Roy Pfaltzgraff is the current head of PFZ Farms in Colorado. PFZ Farms’ mission is to help educate fellow producers and consumers about how food is grown and to provide high-quality products for their community. The third-generation family farm produces quality agricultural products with sustainable methods for a healthier world. While they produce a number of dry-land crops, they also have a number of smaller production focuses that support their overall vision of a regenerative farm.

Landon Plagge
Landon Plagge holds nearly 30 years of hands-on farming experience growing corn, soybeans, livestock, and oats, as well as managing a grain handling facility, stewarding one million bushels of grain annually. Landon studied Investment Banking at Bentley College and holds a degree in business administration from the University of Northern Iowa. Landon brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in sustainable farming practices and crop rotation, and frequently shares his experiences to help others improve their own practices. He is also one of the founders of Green Acres Milling, a farmer-owned oat processing facility under construction in Albert Lea, Minn.

5:30 pm – 8:00 pm

LSP Holistic Farm Transition Planning Course

Tuesday January 28

5:30 pm – 8:00 pm

LSP Holistic Farm Transition Planning Course

Online

Are you a farmland owner or retiring farmer looking to transition ownership or rent your farmland in ways that reflect your values? The Land Stewardship Project is hosting an online holistic Farm Transition Planning Course designed to help you act on your conservation and social values. Seven 2 ½ hour sessions will bring professionals, farmers, and LSP staff together to dig into values, goals, and communication, as well as generational, financial, legal and long-term care considerations.

The dates and times for the course are:

Jan 28: Goal Setting for Life & Land, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
Feb. 4: Values and Why Farm Transition Planning is Needed, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
Feb. 11: Financial Considerations, 5:30- 8 p.m.
Feb. 18: Legal Considerations, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
Feb. 25: Working with Next Generation Farmers, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
March 4: Long Term Care Considerations, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
March 18: Resources and Planning Next Steps, Presentations, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

Workshop Fee: $250 per farm family

For more information and to register, click here. You can also contact LSP’s Karen Stettler at stettler@landstewardshipproject.org.

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