LSP in the News: Townships petition state to keep power

Austin Daily Herald

Friday, November 19, 2004

Townships petition state to keep power

By Lee Bonorden/Austin Daily Herald

Minnesotans from around the state gathered at the Capitol to show their opposition to recommendations they believe would weaken the powers of township and county governments.

In addition, they believe the recommendations of Gov. Tim Pawlenty would threaten environmental protections.

To drive the point home, the citizens brought with them over 5,000 signatures on bright yellow postcards from Minnesotans who feel the same way.

Among them were the Rev. Barbara Finley-Shea, Lyle, and Lois Nash, rural Dodge Center.

The latter has become the "poster child" for the movement to protect local control. Nash's likeness is appearing in advertisements for the movement.

"I don't like it that the Governor is against township control," said Nash, who farms 320 acres in Dodge County.

During the past few months, Land Stewardship Project (LSP) members and supporters gathered the signatures on postcards from county fairs, churches, busy street corners, grocery stores and other public venues.

The Governor's proposals were created by his "Livestock Advisory Task Force" and believed to be part of the administration's efforts to recruit large-scale factory farms to Minnesota. With hundreds of postcards on display boards as a backdrop, those gathered talked about their concerns.

"I gathered hundreds of signatures at the Todd County Fair. My neighbors know strong local communities need strong local control," said Todd County farmer and LSP member Alan Perish.

"Weakening township rights weakens our rural communities."

The Governor renewed his commitment to the proposals Nov. 9 at the annual meeting of the Minnesota Agri-Growth Council, the state's largest agribusiness lobbying organization. At the event he gave the "State of the State of Agriculture" address.

"Governor Pawlenty needs to get in touch with what Minnesotans value and stop promoting corporate ag interests at the expense of township and county governments," said Wabasso hog farmer and LSP organizer Paul Sobocinski. "Instead of talking to the farmers and citizens of Minnesota, he delivers the State of the State of Agriculture address at an event put on for corporate ag interests who paid $115 a head to be there."

Also Wednesday, LSP unveiled a media campaign with the headline, "Governor Pawlenty, do you share our values?" and the theme, "Minnesota values strong local government, family farms and clean water."

The advertisement will run in city, rural and suburban newspapers.

"I was shocked when Governor Pawlenty proposed weakening local government rights and environmental protections to help corporate ag interests," said Dodge County resident and LSP member Nash. "That's not why he got my vote. That is not what I value."

Nash's farm is located near where a New Jersey investment group plans to operate a 3,000 animal units dairy farm.

She is against such industrial sized farming operations.

She is for local (township) control over such land use issues. The township form of government is the oldest in America's history.

"This is not what our forefathers fought for," said Nash. "We have a right to determine our own land uses."

Mower County townships have also taken steps to protect their geographic areas. Red Rock and Udolpho townships have their own zoning ordinances and Lansing is preparing to implement one of its own.

Founded in 1982, LSP is a nonprofit membership organization that is dedicated to putting more farmers on the land successfully raising crops and livestock.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com.

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