The state of Minnesota published a Climate Action Framework in February of 2026, building upon an initial framework from 2022. The framework is informed by members of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Climate Change. MFU Vice President Anne Schwagerl has been a member of the council since 2022. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Can you share about your involvement with the Governor’s Advisory Council on Climate Change?
Anne: I’ve been involved in the Governor’s Advisory Council since 2022 and it’s been a really rewarding experience. The council was created when Governor Walz made an executive order to create the climate subcabinet, and Minnesota Department of Agriculture commissioner Thom Peterson and other state departmental commissioners came together to create the climate subcabinet, which includes the Advisory Council on Climate Change. The council brings together Minnesotan citizens who care about climate change, climate action, and resilience in an advisory committee format. It acts as a citizen input opportunity to help meet the state legislative mandated goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing climate resiliency.
What is Minnesota’s Climate Action Framework in layman’s terms?
Anne: Broadly speaking, the Climate Action Framework is the state’s road map for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and also preparing for the impacts of climate change. It lays out goals and strategies across different sectors such as energy, transportation, and natural and working lands, which is the sector I focus on. For agriculture, the framework aims to identify practical pathways that farmers can be a part of for climate solutions. That means improving soil health, protecting water, and making sure farms can stay resilient in the face of extreme weather.
Was there anything that came up during the input meetings for the Climate Action Framework that surprised you?
Anne: Minnesotans are fantastic at the level of thought and engagement across the agriculture industry, but I was a little surprised by people’s genuine desire to do best by Minnesota. There’s a lot of love for Minnesota out there, and that was very clear in my time on the advisory council. The Climate Action Framework was well written and well engaged across the value chain for the natural and working lands sector. The Climate Action Framework can show that farmers are engaged already, and farmers can see themselves and the work they do on their land in the document.
Besides you, were other land stewards involved on the Governor’s Advisory Council on Climate Change to shape the Climate Action Framework?
Anne: Another MFU member Pat Lunemann, who is a retired dairy farmer from Clarissa, is a member of the council. He has been on the council with me since 2022 and is a fantastic resource for someone tapping into what is happening on the landscape and telling that story.
How does your role as the vice president of MFU inform your work on the Governor’s Council for Climate Change?
Anne: I believe my job is to talk to as many producers as possible to hear what they’re doing on their operations and carry those stories forward, especially stories about innovation and agriculture, for an audience that isn’t necessarily well versed on agriculture. I provide ground truthing to the ideas and proposals that come up during the process of creating the Climate Action Framework. Because of that, not everything that came up during the input meetings made the final draft because I knew it wouldn’t work for our farmers. We know many things are out of farmers’ control so we do our best to advocate for farmers to ensure they can maintain flexibility. Those are the kinds of things I brought up in those meetings.
Overall, how do you see MFU’s goals intersecting with the Climate Action Framework?
Anne: We have long believed that strong farms and healthy land go hand in hand, so much of MFU’s work is aligned with the Climate Action Framework. That includes advocating for policies and supporting soil health, conservation, and diversity, as well as programs for farmers to adopt climate-smart practices without having to take on all the risk themselves. As an organization, we are ensuring that climate and conservation programs are designed to support family farmers to support profitably, resilience, and the next generation of land stewards. That all aligns with MFU’s core values and the work done by our Climate and Working Lands team.
What are the top priorities for agriculture in the natural and working lands section of the document?
Anne: At its core, the natural and working lands section of Minnesota’s Climate Action Framework is about recognizing that the land isn’t just where we make a living—it’s one of our best tools for tackling climate change.
The goal is straightforward: manage our farms, forests, and natural areas in ways that store more carbon, reduce emissions, and keep the land resilient and productive for the long haul. That means building healthier soils, keeping living roots in the ground, and making sure our working lands stay resilient in the face of more extreme weather.
There’s also a big emphasis on scaling up practices that farmers and landowners can actually use—things like cover crops, reduced tillage, and better grazing systems—while making sure there’s real support, incentives, and markets behind those changes.
And importantly, it acknowledges that not everyone starts from the same place. There’s a need to remove barriers—whether that’s access to land, capital, or markets—so more farmers can participate and benefit.
How will the goals for the natural and working lands sector be implemented?
Anne: It will be implemented through a variety of programs, like MDA’s Soil Health Financial Assistance Program and Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Program, both programs that provide financial assistance to farmers. Those are great opportunities to get farmers in the door and implementing climate-smart practices. That way farmers see the economic and climate resilience benefits at the same time and find those wins. That’s part of how we are implementing those agricultural goals so far. Some of the work is ongoing and happening already, and some is yet to be.
Are members of the Advisory Council on Climate Change involved in the implementation of the goals after the Climate Action Framework is published?
Anne: As a council member our work initially is focused on shaping and providing input for the draft of the framework. Now that the framework is published, a lot of our work moving ahead is to communicate with and bring together stakeholders to show that Minnesotans across the state have a stake in these goals and know that this framework is for everyone. It’s definitely not work that is already done. Our progress is slow and steady, and the publishing of the document signifies the beginning of the work rather than the end.
How is the Climate Action Framework relevant for all farmers in Minnesota?
Anne: Farmers can take a look at the Climate Action Framework and see that Minnesota really leads the way, especially through MDA, to engage with farmers to be climate resilient through several different programs, whether that’s through the Board of Water and Soil Resources and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts or the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. All local grant programs, including the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program which includes a climate-smart endorsement, are available to you as a farmer. Those programs provide both financial assistance and a sense of ownership over your operation to know that you’re doing what’s best for your land and Minnesota’s natural resources.
The topic of climate is both overwhelming and kind of depressing, so it’s great that the Climate Action Framework shows the good work already being done and ways to continue to move the needle on shared goals. I hope it’s clear that there were farmers involved in the shaping of the Climate Action Framework and that having us at the table helped to ensure the climate strategies are practical and voluntary where appropriate, and designed to work on real farms.
It sounds like the framework really documents the work that has already been done to reach the state’s climate goals. Do you also feel like the framework can be a source of hope, especially for farmers?
Anne: Yeah for sure, there’s definitely work to be done, but there are key priorities that are manageable and certainly doable. Expanding soil health practices and supporting cover crops and diversifying crop rotations are all pretty doable goals. I think things like improving nutrient efficiency is one of those double bottom line things too. Farmers don’t want to pay for or use more fertilizer than they have to, and that has the benefit of also helping our climate goals. Farmers are practical people and are going to try to get those wins where we can.
How can farmers stay engaged in the mission and goals laid forward in the Climate Action Framework?
Anne: Farmers can stay engaged by working with a general farm organization like Minnesota Farmers Union. MFU’s Climate and Working Lands team does such a great job to share the work that farm advisors and farmers are doing on the land already. Farmers can tune into our social media and publications because we’ve done a great job amplifying those stories, and we also have conservation projects and a pilot project to derisk conservation work for farmers. MFU also provides opportunities to engage with legislative and agency staff about what works for their farm, and we just had our lobby day where 80 members came to the capital to meet with legislators.
For the last two years ahead of session MDA has asked for public comments and held listening sessions for the Climate Action Framework. You can look on the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency website for more information about that. The folks coming up with and implementing programs only know what they know, but producers are the experts of their operations. The more farmer perspectives that are included in these sessions, the better the policies will be and the better the programs will work.
I also think the need is great to be involved in local community. Staying connected to your local SWCD and Extension programs is another way to easily plug into the work of the Climate Action Framework.
Click here to read Minnesota’s 2026 Climate Action Framework.