Climate Change, Farm-to-School, Beginning Farmer Support on Tap for 2024 MN Session

By Amanda Koehler & Laura Schneider

Since June, Land Stewardship Project members have been implementing our historic 2023 state legislative session wins and considering what we can build upon during the 2024 session, which convenes in February. LSP’s member steering committees (see sidebar below) are busy working with our partner organizations to determine our 2024 Minnesota legislative agenda. We still have some work to do before we identify exactly what we will

Legislative Field Day

focus on, but so far some common themes have emerged:

1) Advance real climate solutions that truly build healthy soil, clean our water, and steward economic opportunity in rural communities.

2) Scale up the sourcing of local foods in public schools through free school meals and farm-to-school programs.

3) Create opportunities for aspiring farmers to get fairly-paid, hands-on, farming experience.

4) Reduce barriers for building multiple

In August, Land Stewardship Project members Mike and Dana Seifert hosted lawmakers on their farm near Jordan, Minn., during an LSP field day. The Seiferts provided a tour of the practices they are using to build soil health and described how public programs have helped them adopt and utilize these practices. Dana Seifert also described the need for affordable, quality healthcare in rural communities and how recent legislation is a step in the right direction. In LSP’s Ear to the Ground podcast episode 315, Dana describes how the current healthcare system is undermining our farming communities and serving as a barrier to the successful spread of regenerative agriculture: landstewardshipproject.org/ podcast/ear-to-the-ground-315-healthcares-farm-failure. (LSP Photo)

LSP Steering Committees

dwelling units on farms for those who would like to farm intergenerationally, cooperatively, or in another form that may need multiple forms of housing.

5) Reform environmental review, permitting, and state agency oversight to ensure rural Minnesotans are heard and have agency in processes that impact their communities, farms, and water.

The 2024 Minnesota legislative session begins on Monday, February 12. Do you have thoughts on what LSP’s policy priorities should be? Contact us at policy@ landstewardshipproject.org or 612-7226377. You can check out our action alerts and other state policy updates at landstewardshipproject.org/state-policy. p

Amanda Koehler is LSP’s policy manager; Laura Schreiber is an LSP organizer who focuses on state issues.

Existing and emerging member committees that guide the Land Stewardship Project’s state and federal policy campaigns include:

• The Animal Agriculture Steering Committee

• The Climate Steering Committee

• The Farm Bill Organizing Committee

• The Land Access/Land Legacy Steering Committee

• The Political Steering Committee

• The Regional Food Systems Steering Committee

Are you interested in getting involved in LSP’s policy campaigns? Contact us at policy@landstewardshipproject.org or 612-722-6377.

2024 Family Farm Breakfast March 7

Mark your calendars for Thursday, March 7, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., for LSP’s 2024 Family Farm Breakfast and Lobby Day in Saint Paul, Minn. (That’s right, we’re not doing 7 a.m. this year.) LSP’s annual lobby day will follow the breakfast. This is the “Best Breakfast in Town” where hundreds of members and supporters, partners, and public officials gather over a delicious meal featuring locally sourced products from LSP members’ farms, hear directly from LSP member-leaders about the issues LSP is organizing around, and learn how we’re organizing for change. Learn more and register at https://bit.ly/2024FFB, or contact Taya Schulte at tschulte@landstewardshipproject.org, 612-722-6377.