At the farm level, a sustainable journey from planting, production, and harvest begins with the right partners. To meet the demands of consumers, state and federal agencies like the Natural Resources Conservation Service help farmers move towards sustainable practices. In this episode, Minnesota State Director Troy Daniell joins host Whitney Pittman-Visser for the last episode of 2024. 

Look for more Lessons From The Land episodes for this limited series in 2025!

Check out more stories at The Minnesota Farm Bureau

Click here to learn more about the Natural Resources Conversation Service

Forest management is tightly connected to agriculture and farming practices. It plays a major role in on-farm sustainability efforts and can be part of farmings sustainability story for consumers. In this episode, we bring on Minnesota State Forester Callie Bertsch.

Check out more stories at The Minnesota Farm Bureau

Click here to learn more about the Natural Resources Conversation Service

The Root River in Southeastern Minnesota is an 80-mile tributary of the Mississippi River and, one of the state's premier trout and recreation rivers. In this episode meet Ron Pagel, a Minnesota farmer who has transformed his dairy and beef farm to ensure on-farm waste isn't transferred to the creek on his farm that runs into the Root River.

Check out more stories at The Minnesota Farm Bureau

Click here to learn more about the Natural Resources Conversation Service

Animals need to eat, of course. Land grazing is an important part of sustainable farming. Finding the right mix of feeding farm animals and, just letting them eat the grasses on the land can have major implications for long-term soil and plant sustainability. Guest on this episode is Troy Salzer of the University of Minnesota extension office. Salzer is a 20-year expert on grazing, land management and soil issues. 

Check out more stories at The Minnesota Farm Bureau

Click here to learn more about the Natural Resources Conversation Service

Manure is the unsavory reality on a farm. With animals comes waste. For decades farmers have been turning farm "waste" into renewable or reusable materials to keep their operation sustainable. In this episode, meet Pete Bakken a 5th generation farmer in Southwestern Minnesota taking care of his animals and, constantly evolving his environmentally friendly practices. 

Check out more stories at The Minnesota Farm Bureau

Click here to learn more about the Natural Resources Conversation Service

Water is the lifeblood of, well, life. It’s an incredibly important resource on a farm and can be heavily regulated in how it's used, and how farmers impact nearby waterways. Water is one of the most important resources when it comes to sustainability. Warren Formo is the Minnesota Ag Water Resource Center Director. He’s the guest in this episode to talk about all water issues, how it impacts farmers, and what consumers should be aware of. 

Check out more stories at The Minnesota Farm Bureau

Click here to learn more about the Natural Resources Conversation Service

Interested in sustainability in farming and food? You've come to the right place. Lessons From The Land will be launching soon!

Lessons From The Land is a limited audio series from the Minnesota Farm Bureau in partnership with the Minnesota office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service. We feature stories of sustainability on the farm and, how consumers can be more connected to the land. Host Whitney Pittman Visser is joined by farmers and policymakers creating a more sustainable future for food. 

Check out more stories at The Minnesota Farm Bureau

Click here to learn more about the Natural Resources Conversation Service