Advancing Policy that Benefits the Land and People
LSP promotes policies and programs at the federal, state and local level that help family farms and rural communities thrive, support stewardship of the land and move us all toward a sustainable food and agriculture system.

LSP's Federal Farm Policy Committee has played a key role in developing and advancing a new policy approach in which farmers would receive federal farm program payments based on their effectiveness in producing public benefits such as soil and water quality, wildlife habitat, energy conservation, and biodiversity. This concept has influenced the content of the Conservation Security Act, introduced in October 2000 by U.S. Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa and former U.S. Representative David Minge of Minnesota. This Act emphasizes the environmental and social benefits that sustainable management of farmland can provide, rather than land retirement and payments for massive production of a handful of commodity crops. In March 2001 and in July 2001, LSP members Dan Specht and Dave Serfling gave testimony before the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee advocating for such stewardship based policy.

At the University of Minnesota, LSP and colleague organizations in the Sustainers Coalition have been working to defend the Minnesota Institute of Sustainable Agriculture's (MISA) essential role of providing research and information to farmers seeking alternatives to the industrial model of agriculture. LSP staff and members are negotiating with the University administration in order to bolster this unique partnership between Minnesota' land grant university and the public. In December 2000, LSP held two meetings to discuss what research, education and outreach activities the University of Minnesota should conduct to benefit family farmers and rural communities. Input from these meetings has been shared with the University and the legislature.

Together with Sustainer Coalition groups, LSP worked to restore funding for Minnesota Department of Agriculture organic and sustainable farming programs, including a nationally-recognized organic farming cost-sharing program. LSP members and staff attended meetings with Department of Agriculture Commissioner Gene Hugoson and testified at hearings before the 2001 legislature.

Updates on LSP's work advancing state and federal policy can also be found in the Land Stewardship Letter. See the following issues:

April/May/June 2003 - Minnesota Legislature: Citizen-initiated environmental review gutted, but family farms win against foreign investment (pdf)

Jan/Feb/Mar 2003 - Congress urged to reject anti-conservation budget; Conservation & DC - it's not all bad news; New CAFO rules (pdf)

March/April 2002 - Protect Our Water gets mixed results at Minnesota legislature

March/April 2002 - The Farm Bill: LSP makes a difference at the national level

Jan/Feb 2002 - Fighting for policy that's good for the land, farmers adn communities

July/August 2001 - MN Legislature restores sustainable ag funding, but provides corporate welfare to factory farms

April/May/June 2001 - Legislative Update - Minnesota's sustainable/organic programs threatened by state leaders

April/May/June 2001 - Farm policy's 3 fatal flaws threaten U.S. competitiveness

Jan/Feb/Mar 2001 - Minnesota sustainable/organic ag programs in jeopardy

November 2000 - Innovative conservation farm policy is introduced in Congress; Summary of the Conservation Security Act

Sept/Oct 2000 - Called up to the big leagues

July/August 2000 - Freedom to Farm...as a Good Steward; Rewarding farm results, not farm tools

April/May/June 2000 - MISA's future in doubt

April/May/June 2000 - New Plow. Same Crop. Crazy Policy.

December 1999 - How to eat an elephant