Land Stewardship Project

Filing Period

Jul 1, 2010 to Jun 30, 2011

Signed

Mar 1, 2012

Return Version

2010v3.4

Gross Receipts

$2,202,323

Mission

Major Activities

Activity 2

See schedule o.policy and organizing works at the local, state and federal levels to educate and engage members and citizens to strengthen their communities and foster land stewardship through participation in democratic institutions. At the federal level, with allies lsp: sought annual appropriations and improvement in the implementation of the conservation stewardship program (csp); encouraged farmers to sign-up for csp through two organizing meetings with 87 participants and mailing to 3200 farmers, helping to make mn second in the number of contracts (2342) and first in dollars committed with over $38 million for conservation on 1.5 million acres; engaged in implementation and organizing groups to utilize a new federal program that, as shown in the "beginning farmer and rancher development program: 2010 progress report and recommendations," had significant improvements over 2009 leading to $18 million for 40 grantees with 63% going to community-based organizations; worked with mn senators and rep. Mccollum's office on the farm-to school component with the childhood nutrition act reauthorization; produced and issued a report titled "conservation stewardship program: a working lands program - a minnesota case study and analysis," based on 438 responses from a four page survey sent out to all 1,578 minnesota csp contract holders and shared the report with the minnesota state technical committee and nrcs national csp team; conducted organizing meetings in the communities of little falls and new ulm, minnesota in march 2011; engaged 5,000 farmers to call the white house and/or submit comments supporting the usda rule to strengthen grain inspection, packers and stockyards administration oversight of corporate meatpacker influenced markets; and provided testimony in department of justice/usda hearing on livestock concentration issues. Working at the minnesota legislature with allies, lsp: brought forward proposals that supported family farmers, growth of regional food markets and land stewardship; successfully opposed legislation to weaken local democracy and township rights over planning and zoning; and worked to prevent weakening of environmental review and permitting for the very large factory farms. Additionally, lsp: served on the natural resources conservation service's state technical committee, co-convened the watershed subcommittee and served on other advisory panels; organized the family farm breakfast attended by 300 lawmakers, lsp members and friends; prepared a report "the money pit: how minnesota property taxpayers are subsidizing factory farms;" achieved passage of the winona county comprehensive land use ordinance by engaging local citizens and lsp members; recruited members to participate in several centro campesino organizing events including those on immigration reform; and organized for health care reform at the state level.

Activity 3

See schedule o.farm beginnings is a farmer-led educational training program designed to help beginning and transitioning farmers learn about and plan to adopt low-capital, environmentally sound farming businesses. Staff and members organize community support in two 20-county regions of minnesota and bordering states. Over 500 people have taken the lsp-led farm beginnings course since 1998. According to respondents from a recent survey sixty percent are actively farming, this past year, lsp: held two farm beginnings courses for 39 families at st joseph and winona, mn and 10 field days/ skills sessions for 230 people; distributed $9,000 in scholarships to qualified applicants; expanded the advanced training program and network with 117 farms and 49 graduates; held four farm dreams introductory workshops with participants; organized seven winter workshops with 195 people attending; held two holistic management workshops, on whole farm planning and finances, with 44 people; engaged interested course graduates in core lsp programs and supported them in community leadership; to strengthen beginning farmer training across the country, formed a multi-state farm beginnings collaborative with eight other organizations licensing lsp's course in northeastern mn, nebraska, south dakota, north dakota, new york, and three programs in illinois; engaged 110 people in one-to-one conversations about land access issues; and wrote and held 12 performances followed by community conversations with 800 + participants of the play "look who's knocking at our door" about land transition between generations. Lsp also hosted the "seeking farmers-seeking land clearinghouse" with 62 postings to identify options for farmers and land.

Filer

EIN

41-1466054