MANKATO, Minn. — Land Stewardship Action issued the following statement announcing its endorsement of David Turner, running for Blue Earth County Soil and Water Conservation Board District 1.
“We are proud to support David in his campaign to represent the people of Blue Earth County. We share a common vision for vibrant, growing rural communities and sustainable agricultural practices. If elected, we look forward to working with him to offer solutions at the local level,” stated Emily Minge, Political Organizer for LSA. “By focusing on local government, LSA aims to build participation and engagement in all levels of government. We know that there is so much power and possibility at the local level of government and we want to foster connections and understanding of how our values can be put into action.”
David is retired from the ag technology industry and now does part time consulting for organic, regenerative farming and prairie restoration.
When asked why he’s running, he said, “my great grandfather, grandfather and father all took being stewards of the land as if their lives depended on it because they did. They believed that you only took what you needed and always returned the same. They believed that soil was a living thing as was the water and air. If you didn’t take care of them, they could not take care of you. They taught this to me by both action and practice. The terms organic and regenerative are both fancy words for what was practiced throughout farming up until the late 1960’s. You did what you needed to do to make the best use of your resources. My vision is to bring people back to the common-sense practices that made agriculture the mainstay of the economy, without killing our soil and water.” Regarding LSA’s endorsement he said, “this endorsement proves to me that the Land Stewardship Organization is truly committed to improving our growing environment. We must provide improved stewardship practices and build a wide network of shared practices.”
To earn Land Stewardship Action’s endorsement, David completed an SWCD candidate questionnaire, attended LSA’s local candidate forum to answer questions from the public and cleared an internal vetting process with LSA’s Political Committee and Board of Directors.
This year, leading up to the fall elections, Land Stewardship Action is focusing on engaging members, supporting candidates, and building power at local levels of government. This includes elected Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisors. This is a direct response to feedback from those in LSA’s base, as they feel most directly impacted by local government bodies. More information on LSA’s 2024 election initiatives and endorsed candidates may be found here: www.landstewardshipaction.org
Contact: Emily Minge, LSA, eminge@landstewardshipaction.org, 612-400-6353