Minnesota Land Stewardship Project members are hosting a farm bill meeting today in Utica with Congressman Tim Walz. LSP Federal Policy Organizer Ben Anderson says some of the farm bill priorities his group wants the Congressman to address include investing in conservation practices for better soil health and water and giving assistance to those just starting to farm.

He says the Ag Committees will be challenged to come up with additional funding for the farm programs. However, those funds need to be shifted from larger operators or corporate run farms to smaller and mid-sized farmers.

Anderson says LSP also wants lawmakers to reform the risk management program so it benefits those producers who need a viable safety net the most.

Anderson says this is just the beginning of several meetings LSP hopes to hold with members of Congress ahead of the writing of the new farm bill.