Loon Commons

A forum for current and emerging environmental and conservation issues in Minnesota.

http://www.looncommons.org

How farmworker wage theft bankrupts our rural communities

By Brian DeVore, Loon Commons

A few years ago LSP organizer Doug Nopar was told of a southeast Minnesota farm operation that was withholding wages from a worker after he had accidentally damaged a door with a skid steer loader. Nopar called the farm owner and let him know this action was quite illegal. The farmer’s response?

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Minnesota Farmers: Conservation Stewardship Program is on for 2013

By Adam Warthesen, Loon Commons

One of the nation’s most innovative working lands farm conservation initiatives has received a financial reprieve, thanks to the continuing resolution signed by President Barack Obama on Tuesday.

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What CapX2020 (and bad public policy) could destroy

By Brian DeVore, Loon Commons

As LSP’s latest action alert makes clear, the companies behind the CapX2020 high voltage line are trying to get away with not paying for the true value of the Minnesota farm operations they will be destroying. Unfortunately, the attitude that land which isn’t sprouting industrial infrastructure or subdivisions is nothing more than cheap ”wasted space” is prevalent among many corporations. Perhaps that shouldn’t surprise us.

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Is that a trophy hunter knockin' at your door?

By Brian DeVore, Loon Commons

What with farmland changing hands at price levels that would make a Beverly Hills realtor blanch, one could be forgiven for jumping to an obvious conclusion: Farm Country is flush with cash these days.

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Comment period on Winona County frac sand review extended to Feb. 6

By Johanna Rupprecht, Loon Commons

The process of environmental review for frac sand mine proposals in Winona County has been seriously flawed from the start. But there’s still time for citizens to get involved and push for an in-depth, comprehensive review—otherwise known as an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)—that would show the full impacts these proposed developments would have on our land, air, water and communities.

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