Land Stewardship Project

What Land Stewardship Project does

The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) is a Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in 1982 to promote sustainable agriculture, foster an ethic of stewardship for farmland, and develop healthy rural communities. It serves beginning farmers, retiring farmers and landowners, rural community members, and Minnesota policy makers through a portfolio of educational programs, peer-to-peer learning networks, advocacy campaigns, and media content. Core programs include Farm Beginnings, the Journeyperson Course, Farm Dreams Workshop, Farm Transition Planning, the Bridge to Soil Health Initiative (with Regional Soil Hubs), and the Soil Builders' Network. LSP operates three staffed offices in Minnesota (Montevideo, Lewiston, and Minneapolis) and maintains statewide reach with extension into Iowa and Wisconsin.

The organization's products and underlying technology consist of educational curriculum, in-person courses, peer learning groups, advocacy toolkits, fact sheets and white papers, and media properties including the Ear to the Ground podcast (400+ episodes since 2006), Ear Bites, Ear Dirt, and Fresh Voices podcast series, plus the Land Stewardship Letter newsletter. Supporting tools include the Cropping Systems Calculator, the CSA Farm Directory, and the Farmland Clearinghouse. The digital layer is conventional: a content-managed website, email newsletter infrastructure, and podcast hosting — there is no proprietary AI, platform-as-a-service, or enterprise technology stack disclosed.

LSP's revenue model is nonprofit and diversified across individual membership dues ($35 annually, which includes a print copy of the Land Stewardship Letter), individual donations, legacy giving, and grants from foundations and government programs (e.g., the $2M Developing Markets for Continuous Living Cover Crops grant program routed with partners). Its go-to-market motion is community-led grassroots organizing, with member-driven education-to-action campaigns, lobby days, farm tours, peer learning groups, and research publications. No revenue figure is publicly disclosed in the available data.

Name

Land Stewardship Project

Legal name

Land Stewardship Project

Website

https://landstewardshipproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Founded in 1982, the Land Stewardship Project is a Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that promotes sustainable agriculture through farmer training, soil health programs, peer networks, and policy advocacy, serving beginning and retiring farmers, landowners, and rural communities across Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Education and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD), Crop Rotation & Whole-Farm Cropping Systems Design (AFACABAJ)

Keywords

• Sustainable agriculture education
• Farmer training programs
• Soil health initiatives
• Farmland stewardship
• Agricultural policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues of $35 provide members with publications including the Land Stewardship Letter newsletter.
2. Donations and Contributions: Individual donations from members and supporters to support LSP's educational and advocacy work.
3. Publications and Resources: Sale of educational publications, fact sheets, and reports on sustainable agriculture topics.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Land Stewardship Project (LSP) is a Minnesota-based nonprofit membership organization founded in 1982 that delivers farmer training courses, peer learning networks, soil health programs, and policy advocacy campaigns aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture, supporting beginning and retiring farmers, and resisting factory farm expansion. It monetizes primarily through $35 annual memberships, donations, and grants, distributing its work via three regional offices, digital publications, podcasts, and events.

Product overview

The Land Stewardship Project offers a portfolio of educational programs, advocacy initiatives, and media resources focused on sustainable agriculture and rural community development. Core offerings include farmer training programs (Farm Beginnings, Journeyperson Course, Farm Dreams Workshop), soil health initiatives (including the Bridge to Soil Health initiative with Regional Soil Hubs and the Soil Builders' Network), farmland access resources, and farm transition planning. The organization produces media content including the Ear to the Ground podcast (400+ episodes since 2006), the Land Stewardship Letter newsletter, and various policy campaigns at state and federal levels. LSP also provides tools like the Cropping Systems Calculator and maintains a CSA Farm Directory connecting consumers with local farmers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Farm Beginnings A comprehensive training program for beginning farmers that helps new agricultural entrepreneurs set goals, develop business plans, and build practical farming skills through farmer-to-farmer learning.
• Journeyperson Course An advanced training program for farmers who have completed Farm Beginnings or have equivalent experience, focusing on deeper technical skills and farm development strategies.
• Farm Dreams Workshop An introductory workshop for individuals exploring farming as a career, helping them assess their goals, resources, and readiness for agricultural entrepreneurship.
• Farm Transition Planning Course A course helping retiring farmers plan successful transitions of their land and operations to the next generation, covering business, legal, and family aspects of farm succession.
• Soil Builders' Network A peer network connecting farmers practicing soil health building techniques, facilitating knowledge exchange and farmer-to-farmer learning on sustainable land management.
• Bridge to Soil Health Initiative An initiative creating Regional Soil Hubs that facilitate peer-to-peer learning among farmers transitioning to soil health practices, including peer learning groups and farmer mentorship networks.
• CSA Farm Directory A searchable directory connecting consumers with Community Supported Agriculture farms in the LSP network, facilitating direct farmer-consumer relationships.
• Farmland Clearinghouse A resource connecting farmers seeking land with landowners, helping facilitate farmland access and transfer to support the next generation of sustainable farmers.
• Cropping Systems Calculator A decision-support tool helping farmers evaluate and optimize their crop rotation systems for economic and environmental performance.
• Family Farm Breakfast and Lobby Day An annual grassroots lobbying event bringing farmers and advocates together at the Minnesota State Capitol to meet with legislators and advance sustainable agriculture policy.
• Community-Based Food Systems Program Initiatives supporting local and regional food systems, including farm-to-school programs, community food access, and building connections between farmers and local consumers.
• LSP Annual Membership Annual membership at $35 per year providing access to the Land Stewardship Letter newsletter (print and digital), member benefits, and the right to participate in LSP's policy and organizing work.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sediment levels dropped 84% in Wells Creek and 49% in Chippewa River under sustainable agriculture scenarios studied
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Minnesota Forever Green InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019LSP worked closely with Forever Green Initiative on commercializing perennial and winter annual crops including Kernza, hybrid hazelnuts, camelina, and pennycress. Colin Cureton from Forever Green worked with LSP on farmer adoption and market development.
• National Sustainable Agriculture CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSP is a member-organization of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), participating in coalition advocacy for federal farm policy reform, conservation programs, and sustainable agriculture initiatives at the national level.
• Clean Up the River Environment (CURE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCURE co-hosted the 2023 Family Farm Breakfast & Lobby Day with LSP, representing a regional environmental organization partnership for joint advocacy work.
• Climate Land LeadersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate Land Leaders co-hosted the 2023 Family Farm Breakfast & Lobby Day, representing partnership for climate-focused agricultural advocacy.
• Regenerative Agriculture AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSP collaborates with the Regenerative Agriculture Alliance on agricultural sustainability initiatives and farmer network development.
• FarmSTANDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSP signed onto FarmSTAND's amicus brief regarding Roundup-related litigation, demonstrating partnership on agricultural policy and farmer protection issues.
• U.S. Geological SurveyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSP coordinated the Multiple Benefits of Agriculture research project with USGS, which conducted economic and social analysis of agricultural practices.
• University of MinnesotaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Multiple Benefits of Agriculture research project, providing scientific expertise and academic resources.
• Minnesota Department of AgricultureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Multiple Benefits of Agriculture research and Developing Markets for Continuous Living Cover Crops program ($2 million in grants distributed).
• Minnesota Institute for Sustainable AgricultureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in agricultural research and sustainable agriculture initiatives.
• Institute for Agriculture and Trade PolicyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in agricultural research and policy analysis initiatives.
• Pesticide Action Network North AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on special report regarding atrazine pesticide impacts on land, people, and democracy published in January 2010.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: National coalition of sustainable agriculture groups; LSP is itself a member-organization of NSAC, making it the most direct peer for federal policy advocacy and coalition-based campaigns on Farm Bill and conservation programs.
• Center for Rural Affairs: Nebraska-rooted nonprofit advancing family farms, rural communities, and sustainable agriculture through policy advocacy and on-the-ground programs; closely mirrors LSP's combined education-plus-policy approach.
• Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota: Minnesota-based sustainable agriculture nonprofit serving a similar farmer audience with education, networking, and advocacy. Operates in the same geography with overlapping programs on soil health and beginning farmer support.
• Regenerative Agriculture Alliance: National alliance of organizations working to advance regenerative agriculture, with which LSP has an active partnership. Comparable in focus on soil health, farmer networks, and agricultural system reform.
• Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture: University of Minnesota-affiliated institute coordinating sustainable agriculture research and education; LSP has a documented partnership with MISA, and both serve Minnesota farmers with sustainability programming.
• Practical Farmers of Iowa: Iowa-based nonprofit offering farmer-to-farmer learning, field days, and research on sustainable agriculture — extremely comparable in mission, programming (mentorship, beginning farmer support, soil health), and grassroots organizing model.
• Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy: Minneapolis-based policy organization working on sustainable agriculture, trade, and food systems; LSP has collaborated with IATP on research and policy work, and both serve overlapping audiences in the Upper Midwest.

Broad incumbents

• American Farmland Trust: Larger, nationally established nonprofit focused on farmland protection, farmer access, and regenerative agriculture; comparable mission but operates at national scale with significantly broader resources than LSP.

Emerging players

• Kiss the Ground: Media-and-advocacy nonprofit focused on regenerative agriculture and soil health storytelling; partial overlap with LSP's soil health programming and media-led approach, though more nationally oriented and consumer-facing.
• Soil Health Institute: National nonprofit driving soil health research, measurement, and adoption. Closely aligned with LSP's soil health focus but operates more at the scientific/research-policy level than grassroots farmer organizing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Flandstewardshipproject.org%2F
• Pinterestpinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flandstewardshipproject.org%2F&media=&description=Land%20Stewardship%20Project%20-%20Home
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/land-stewardship-project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Land Stewardship Project