Rooted In Tomorrow

In this episode, Land O’Lakes Chief Marketing Officer Heather Malenshek joins us to discuss how we're helping bring to life the stories of our cooperative and position Land O’Lakes Inc. as a powerful enterprise working in service of our farmer and retailer owners. Today, Land O’Lakes is a diverse agribusiness spanning crop inputs, animal nutrition, food production, and environmental sustainab...

In this episode, we illustrate the often eye-opening issues facing those without broadband connectivity and the work to get communities better connected. Bringing every American broadband access is the moonshot challenge of this generation. It's the focus of our American Connection Project. As we hear from our guests, connectivity is not a luxury, but a necessity for education, health care, m...

Carbon markets are everywhere these days — it feels like every organization is shouting about “saving the planet” while sipping their lattes. But Land O’Lakes, through its Truterra business, is putting action behind the buzz. In this episode of Rooted In Tomorrow, host Kim Olson sits down with Truterra President Jason Weller and Nebraska farmer Lukas Fricke to talk about how Midwestern farmers are...

Something Greater is back in 2022 with new episodes and guests! As the world was interrupted by COVID, farmers pressed on, producing food for a world facing countless challenges. This season, Something Greater features the innovators, the forward thinkers, and small-town leaders guiding Land O’Lakes into its second century and taking on some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Join host Kim O...

Behind every glass of milk and holiday cheese plate is the work of 1,711 dairy family farmers who form the backbone of Land O’Lakes, Inc., a farmer-owned cooperative spanning nearly 100 years. From the Midwest and Great Plains to local communities across the U.S. and neighboring states, these families bring food from farm to table, shaping the iconic products found on grocery store shelves. In thi...

Bringing new workers, new families and new ideas to rural small towns mean that the town, its businesses, and schools can thrive for years to come. But recruiting new workers to those small towns can be a challenge. The talent pool is smaller Vs. large urban areas. The visibility for those jobs may not be as apparent in online job postings. The reality is, more people are moving away from small to...

Agriculture is more high-tech than ever, with artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital tools transforming how farmers grow crops, raise livestock, and manage sustainable operations. To fully leverage these innovations and feed a growing global population, reliable rural broadband connectivity is critical. In this episode of Rooted In Tomorrow, host Kim Olson sits down with Teddy Bekel...

As a farmer-owned cooperative Land O’Lakes has a vast network of farmers and families whose professional skillset exceeds farm work. In a challenging farm economy, Land O’Lakes launched its ‘Supplemental Work Program’ where our farmers or their families who may have IT, accounting – or other business-related skills can be hired as part-time workers in their knowledgeable field. Join host Kim Olson...

COVID-19 is impacting everyone, globally. Whether it’s the virus itself or protective measures taken by countries, states, local governments – and businesses to ensure the health and safety of its population and workforce. As part of the food supply Land O’Lakes, Inc. is deemed an essential service by the Federal Government and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. This episode digs into the challenges,...

Content recorded in person before the COVID-19 pandemic. For the 99th time Land O’Lakes, Inc. hosted its Annual Meeting in Minneapolis. Farmers from around the country that are part of our cooperative network gathered to talk about the business, gain insight from consumer panels – and find ways to be better farmers for our future, together.  There are roughly 4,000 member-owners part of the Land O...

Farming is one of the most rewarding professions — but it can also be one of the most stressful. Economic uncertainty, weather variability, and long hours can take a toll on farmers’ mental health, particularly in rural communities across the Midwest and Great Plains.  In this episode of Rooted In Tomorrow, we explore how Land O’Lakes, Inc. is advocating for farmers and supporting mental wellness...

Note to our listeners: Something Greater has changed its name to the Rooted In Tomorrow podcast. The name change is effective April 2022. Listeners won't need to resubscribe.   Building well-connected agricultural markets is critical for global food security and resilient economies. Land O’Lakes Venture37, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliated with Land O’Lakes, Inc., works to strengthen farming c...

Note to our listeners: Something Greater has changed its name to the Rooted In Tomorrow podcast. The name change is effective April 2022. Listeners won't need to resubscribe.   It’s been a little more than a year since Land O’Lakes, Inc. launched Something Greater. We’ve had several guests from inside and outside the company talking about our mission of Feeding Human Progress – from policy, t...

Rural America faces a paradox: three-quarters of counties with the highest rates of food insecurity are rural, yet these small farming communities produce much of the nation’s food. Addressing hunger in these regions presents unique challenges compared to urban areas, requiring targeted strategies and collaborative solutions. In this episode of Rooted In Tomorrow, host Kim Olson sits down with Bet...

Access to high-speed internet is no longer a luxury in rural America — it’s essential for work, education, and quality of life. Yet roughly one-quarter of Americans living in rural communities still face significant connectivity gaps, disproportionately affecting farmers and small-town residents across the U.S. In this episode of Rooted In Tomorrow, host Kim Olson sits down with Chakravarthy Sanka...

Innovation isn’t just for big tech companies — Purina Animal Nutrition, a key business unit of Land O’Lakes, Inc., is driving agricultural and animal nutrition breakthroughs every day. From Midwest farms to livestock and urban flocks across the U.S., Purina develops solutions that improve animal health, farming practices, and environmental sustainability, often at the microscopic level. In this mi...

Being a cooperative gives Land O’Lakes, Inc. unique competitive advantages in producing and distributing agricultural products across the Midwest and Great Plains. Through a 100-year-old “Reverse Ownership” model, retail members own Land O’Lakes, while farmers retain decision-making power and hold company leadership accountable — a structure that strengthens rural communities and supports local ec...

As a cooperative, Land O’Lakes, Inc. is a leading conservation solutions provider. We created SUSTAIN in 2016 which is a division of Land O’Lakes, Inc. that focuses solely on renewable and sustainable farming methods. What sustainability looks like - especially in agriculture isn't always clear. A challenge, is also measuring the positive impact of sustainable practices. Land O'Lakes, In...

The 98th Annual Meeting of the members of Land O’Lakes, Inc. is an opportunity to meet with fellow farmers from across the country, see new Land O’Lakes products made from their milk and hear directly from business leaders. It's also a chance to see what other parts of the Land O'Lakes, Inc. business are doing on their behalf. As a farmer-owned cooperative - it’s important we celebrate o...

In this episode, Land O’Lakes, Inc.'s Chief Technology Officer Teddy Bekele explores how agtech innovation is reshaping farming across the Upper Midwest and the Great Plains. With tools like satellite imaging, advanced data analytics, AI-driven insights, and digital platforms, today’s farmers can make faster, more precise decisions that boost yields, reduce inputs, and support long-term susta...

Marketing was one of our founding principles when we began in 1921. Our new Dairy Foods campaign kicked off this fall; All Together Better with the rewriting of one of the most iconic songs in farming - Old McDonald. From E-I-O to She-I-O we wanted to pay tribute to the nearly one million women in farming according to the USDA.  Everyone contributes to what makes Land O’Lakes a leader in food and...

In this episode, Pete Kappelman, a fourth-generation dairy farmer from Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, shares how member engagement fuels the long-term strength of farmer-owned cooperatives across the Upper Midwest. As the outgoing Chairman of the Board for Land O’Lakes, Inc., Kappelman explains why active ownership through voting, participation, and shared decision-making directly shapes the economi...

In this episode, Land O’Lakes, Inc. President and CEO Beth Ford explores how smart policy, cooperative leadership, and public-private partnerships shape the economic future of rural America. From the Upper Midwest to farming communities across the Great Plains. Ford breaks down the critical issues facing rural regions, including broadband access, workforce development, supply-chain resilience, and...