Happening Now

Each year, The Food Group, along with their partners, plan and host the Emerging Farmers Conference. The conference helps to connect immigrant farmers and farmers of color to resources, educational opportunities, and to foster a community of growth and knowledge. This year marked the 20th anniversary of the conference, and we were excited for the opportunity to be a sponsor for the first time. 

Last session, Conservation Minnesota helped shape and pass bipartisan data center legislation in Minnesota that set guardrails to protect both our environment and consumers.  

Each year, Conservation Minnesota gathers local leaders to help build connections among neighboring cities and provide opportunities to learn what’s happening across the state. This year’s Environment Commissions Virtual Forum theme was salt reduction strategies. We heard from Eden Prairie about their low salt design infrastructure projects, Marshall about their centralized water softening and rebate program, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) about the scope of the problem, negative impacts to health, and their Smart Salting training.

We were honored to be named an Infrastructure Champion by LIUNA Minnesota & North Dakota for our work supporting safe drinking water and the replacement of lead pipes in our state. All Minnesotans deserve clean water to drink and Minnesota workers are making that a reality.

Conservation Crew is growing! Learn about some of the exciting projects planned for the year.

Climate change is causing longer stretches of hotter, drier weather, making forests more conducive to burning. Wildfires are stark reminders of both the need for climate action and the importance of clean air. But in recent months, we’ve seen federal rollbacks that ease restrictions on polluters, which will likely result in worse air quality. Learn about how Minnesota is responding.

Last week, Conservation Minnesota attended Farmfest in Southern Minnesota, where we connected with farmers, families, and community members who care deeply about our state’s land and water. Farmfest is a three-day fair that brings together people from across the region to showcase the latest in farming equipment, technology and services, and talk about the future of agriculture and rural communities.

We closed out another successful year of Conservation Crew across Minnesota, with more than 500 students finding new and creative ways to protect the Great Outdoors. Now, for the first time ever, some Conservation Crews are extending into the summer season. Looking ahead to the 2025–26 school year, we are excited to announce we will have a new record of more than 50 Conservation Crews across the state. Get more news from the Crew!

Conservation Minnesota partners with GreenStep Cities & Tribal Nations to bring together volunteers from across the state who serve on city environment, sustainability, natural resource, and parks & recreation advisory commissions. This spring, we toured Seidl’s Lake Park in Inver Grove Heights to learn more about the restoration work and unique partnerships that have turned the park into something special.

Time spent in the Great Outdoors offers powerful mental and physical health benefits—and the impact is broad. Studies show that for people of all ages everywhere, across demographics and circumstance, nature provides measurable and substantial positive impacts. Minnesotans have good reason to love our Great Outdoors—it protects us. In turn, we work to protect it.