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

October 2022

Monday October 3

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm: MN Farm & Food Campaign Listening Session — Montevideo

MN Farm & Food Campaign Listening Session — Montevideo

Monday October 3

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Imagine a holistic Minnesota Farm and Food Bill that invests in people and the land, not corporate interests and the status quo. What would you want to see in it? What does our state need to do to support emerging farmers, regional food systems, local processing, farm and food system workers, and sustainable and regenerative farming?

Join LSP to build a comprehensive platform that invests in the agricultural system we need in Minnesota. To register, click here.

Tuesday October 4

10:30 am – 12:00 pm: Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship Pasture Walk at Haugen Farm

Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship Pasture Walk at Haugen Farm

Tuesday October 4

10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Bonnie and Vance Haugen of Springside Farm will host this Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship pasture walk. Topics covered include late fall and early winter feed strategies for a dairy herd, as well as harvesting kura clover seed. The pasture walk is co-sponsored by Great River Graziers and Kickapoo Grazing Initiative.

Registration requested, but not required. For more information, contact Bonnie Haugen at bonnie@dga-national.org or call 507-421-7170.

Wednesday October 5

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm: Conservation Conversation: Federal Climate and Conservation Funding in MN

Conservation Conversation: Federal Climate and Conservation Funding in MN

Wednesday October 5

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Join the Land Stewardship Project and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy for a conversation about federal conservation program funding in Minnesota and how the Farm Bill can better support producers utilizing regenerative practices. For details and to register, click here.
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm: Land Stewardship Deep Canvass Training

Land Stewardship Deep Canvass Training

Wednesday October 5

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Deep canvassing is candid and non-judgmental, two-way conversations where canvassers ask voters to share their relevant, emotionally significant experiences and reflect on them aloud. It is one of the most durable and proven forms of persuasion when talking to people who might hold differing beliefs than you and is going to be critical in creating the world we want and need.

Join the Land Stewardship Action Fund to learn about deep canvassing, what it is and why it’s important, and get trained on how to deep canvass so you’re able to powerfully participate in LSAF’s upcoming deep canvasses and put these important skills to use in your community.

To register, click here.

Tuesday October 11

11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Whole Farm Revenue Protection & Micro Farm Road Show

Whole Farm Revenue Protection & Micro Farm Road Show

Tuesday October 11

11:00 am – 12:00 pm

The USDA is making the Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) and Micro Farm programs more accessible to small and mid-sized producers. This includes doubling the maximum insurable revenue under WFRP ($17 million beginning in 2023), more than tripling the approved revenue cap for Micro Farm eligibility (now $350,000 beginning in 2023), and reducing paperwork requirements for WFRP.

If you have looked at WFRP or the Micro Farm programs before and dismissed them, now might offer a good opportunity to take another look, and get in touch with a crop insurance agent to further explore these programs.

Join the USDA’s Risk Management Agency for a special virtual presentation covering the ins and outs of the Whole Farm Revenue Protection and Micro Farm programs. RMA subject matter experts will provide an in-depth look at these policies and answer questions. These events kick off the Whole Farm Revenue Protection and Micro Farm Road Show with in-person and virtual events across the country.

To participate in the Oct. 11 meeting, click here. Note: it starts at 11 a.m. Eastern Time.

The Land Stewardship Project appreciates feedback — are you interested in pursuing Micro Farm or Whole Farm Revenue Protection Coverage? Will these programmatic changes eliminate barriers to crop insurance coverage for your operation? Please reach-out and give us your feedback by contacting LSP’s Sarah Goldman or Karen Stettler.

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