Rooted In Tomorrow

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 Sankaraiah, Director of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence at Land O’Lakes, Inc., and Pat Lunemann, a Land O’Lakes farmer-owner participating in a pilot program to expand rural broadband access. Together, they explore how cooperative partnerships, internet providers, and local stakeholders are working to bridge the digital divide, enabling rural communities to thrive in an increasingly connected world.

Listeners will gain insight into how data-driven solutions, cooperative leadership, and targeted pilot programs are transforming connectivity in the American Heartland, strengthening rural economies, and improving the lives of farmers and their communities.

Something Greater has changed its name to Rooted In Tomorrow. The podcast name change is effective April 2022. Subscribers will not need to resubscribe. Push alerts will remain for those who have subscribed through Apple Podcasts. Search for, "Rooted In Tomorrow" by Land O'Lakes, Inc. on all your podcast platforms. 

"Something Greater" will no longer be searchable content effective May 2022. 

Check out Rootedintomorrow.com for more stories of incredible farmers!

Follow Land O'Lakes Inc at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LandOLakesInc
Instagram: @LandOLakesInc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/landolakesinc/

Follow along with our other businesses.
Dairy: www.landolakes.com
Animal Nutrition: www.purinamills.com
Crop Protection: www.winfieldunited.com
Sustainability: www.truterraag.com

authenci.com

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 milestone year celebrating 125 years of Purina innovation, listeners will hear how the company balances tradition with forward-thinking strategies, ensuring farmers, producers, and urban poultry owners across the American Heartland have access to cutting-edge nutrition solutions. Join us as we explore how small-scale innovations lead to big impacts for animals, the environment, and rural communities.

Something Greater has changed its name to Rooted In Tomorrow. The podcast name change is effective April 2022. Subscribers will not need to resubscribe. Push alerts will remain for those who have subscribed through Apple Podcasts. Search for, "Rooted In Tomorrow" by Land O'Lakes, Inc. on all your podcast platforms. 

"Something Greater" will no longer be searchable content effective May 2022. 

Check out Rootedintomorrow.com for more stories of incredible farmers!

Follow Land O'Lakes Inc at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LandOLakesInc
Instagram: @LandOLakesInc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/landolakesinc/

Follow along with our other businesses.
Dairy: www.landolakes.com
Animal Nutrition: www.purinamills.com
Crop Protection: www.winfieldunited.com
Sustainability: www.truterraag.com

authenci.com

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 economies from Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin to North and South Dakota.

In our WinField United business, which ensures millions of acres of crops achieve optimal outputs, the cooperative model is our core advantage. Join host Kim Olson along with Brett Bruggeman, President of WinField United and Senior Vice President of Land O’Lakes, as they explore how farmer-led leadership drives innovation, sustainability, and growth for producers across the American Heartland.

Something Greater has changed its name to Rooted In Tomorrow. The podcast name change is effective April 2022. Subscribers will not need to resubscribe. Push alerts will remain for those who have subscribed through Apple Podcasts. Search for, "Rooted In Tomorrow" by Land O'Lakes, Inc. on all your podcast platforms. 

"Something Greater" will no longer be searchable content effective May 2022. 

Check out Rootedintomorrow.com for more stories of incredible farmers!

Follow Land O'Lakes Inc at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LandOLakesInc
Instagram: @LandOLakesInc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/landolakesinc/

Follow along with our other businesses.
Dairy: www.landolakes.com
Animal Nutrition: www.purinamills.com
Crop Protection: www.winfieldunited.com
Sustainability: www.truterraag.com

authenci.com

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, Inc. and SUSTAIN are breaking down those barriers. Join host Kim Olson and guest Matt Carstens - the Senior Vice President of Land O'Lakes SUSTAIN for the latest episode of Something Greater.

Listener Note: SUSTAIN has changed its name to Truterra and is still a division of Land O'Lakes, Inc. 

Something Greater has changed its name to Rooted In Tomorrow. The podcast name change is effective April 2022. Subscribers will not need to resubscribe. Push alerts will remain for those who have subscribed through Apple Podcasts. Search for, "Rooted In Tomorrow" by Land O'Lakes, Inc. on all your podcast platforms. 

"Something Greater" will no longer be searchable content effective May 2022. 

Check out Rootedintomorrow.com for more stories of incredible farmers!

Follow Land O'Lakes Inc at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LandOLakesInc
Instagram: @LandOLakesInc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/landolakesinc/

Follow along with our other businesses.
Dairy: www.landolakes.com
Animal Nutrition: www.purinamills.com
Crop Protection: www.winfieldunited.com
Sustainability: www.truterraag.com

authenci.com

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 our members and recognize the challenges of the current dairy market and agriculture industry.

The meeting was held over the course of two days in Minneapolis – where our farmer members and retail owners reviewed business performance of 2018 and looked ahead to 2019 alongside Co-op leadership. 


© Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Something Greater has changed its name to Rooted In Tomorrow. The podcast name change is effective April 2022. Subscribers will not need to resubscribe. Push alerts will remain for those who have subscribed through Apple Podcasts. Search for, "Rooted In Tomorrow" by Land O'Lakes, Inc. on all your podcast platforms. 

"Something Greater" will no longer be searchable content effective May 2022. 

Check out Rootedintomorrow.com for more stories of incredible farmers!

Follow Land O'Lakes Inc at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LandOLakesInc
Instagram: @LandOLakesInc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/landolakesinc/

Follow along with our other businesses.
Dairy: www.landolakes.com
Animal Nutrition: www.purinamills.com
Crop Protection: www.winfieldunited.com
Sustainability: www.truterraag.com

authenci.com

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 sustainability.

The discussion breaks down how cooperatives help bring emerging technologies directly to farmers, giving producers in rural communities access to tools once limited to large-scale operations. 

Something Greater has changed its name to Rooted In Tomorrow. The podcast name change is effective April 2022. Subscribers will not need to resubscribe. Push alerts will remain for those who have subscribed through Apple Podcasts. Search for, "Rooted In Tomorrow" by Land O'Lakes, Inc. on all your podcast platforms. 

"Something Greater" will no longer be searchable content effective May 2022. 

Check out Rootedintomorrow.com for more stories of incredible farmers!

Follow Land O'Lakes Inc at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LandOLakesInc
Instagram: @LandOLakesInc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/landolakesinc/

Follow along with our other businesses.
Dairy: www.landolakes.com
Animal Nutrition: www.purinamills.com
Crop Protection: www.winfieldunited.com
Sustainability: www.truterraag.com

authenci.com

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 agriculture. We believe that by working together we’re all better because of it.

Something Greater has changed its name to Rooted In Tomorrow. The podcast name change is effective April 2022. Subscribers will not need to resubscribe. Push alerts will remain for those who have subscribed through Apple Podcasts. Search for, "Rooted In Tomorrow" by Land O'Lakes, Inc. on all your podcast platforms. 

"Something Greater" will no longer be searchable content effective May 2022. 

Check out Rootedintomorrow.com for more stories of incredible farmers!

Follow Land O'Lakes Inc at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LandOLakesInc
Instagram: @LandOLakesInc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/landolakesinc/

Follow along with our other businesses.
Dairy: www.landolakes.com
Animal Nutrition: www.purinamills.com
Crop Protection: www.winfieldunited.com
Sustainability: www.truterraag.com

authenci.com

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 economic future of rural communities in states like Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and the Dakotas.

Gain a grounded perspective on how cooperatives support family farms, stabilize local economies, and create competitive advantages in a rapidly changing agricultural landscape. From leadership succession to market pressures, Kappelman highlights how engaged members play a pivotal role in sustaining rural vitality across America’s dairy heartland.

Something Greater has changed its name to Rooted In Tomorrow. The podcast name change is effective April 2022. Subscribers will not need to resubscribe. Push alerts will remain for those who have subscribed through Apple Podcasts. Search for, "Rooted In Tomorrow" by Land O'Lakes, Inc. on all your podcast platforms. 

"Something Greater" will no longer be searchable content effective May 2022. 

Check out Rootedintomorrow.com for more stories of incredible farmers!

Follow Land O'Lakes Inc at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LandOLakesInc
Instagram: @LandOLakesInc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/landolakesinc/

Follow along with our other businesses.
Dairy: www.landolakes.com
Animal Nutrition: www.purinamills.com
Crop Protection: www.winfieldunited.com
Sustainability: www.truterraag.com

authenci.com

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 agricultural innovation. She also discusses how cooperatives support producers in states like Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and the Dakotas, and why legislative advocacy is essential for strengthening local economies.

This conversation offers a grounded look at rural vitality, giving listeners perspective on how national policy decisions directly influence the prosperity of farming communities, agribusiness, and the broader food system across the American heartland.

Something Greater has changed its name to Rooted In Tomorrow. The podcast name change is effective April 2022. Subscribers will not need to resubscribe. Push alerts will remain for those who have subscribed through Apple Podcasts. Search for, "Rooted In Tomorrow" by Land O'Lakes, Inc. on all your podcast platforms. 

"Something Greater" will no longer be searchable content effective May 2022. 

Check out Rootedintomorrow.com for more stories of incredible farmers!

Follow Land O'Lakes Inc at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LandOLakesInc
Instagram: @LandOLakesInc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/landolakesinc/

Follow along with our other businesses.
Dairy: www.landolakes.com
Animal Nutrition: www.purinamills.com
Crop Protection: www.winfieldunited.com
Sustainability: www.truterraag.com

authenci.com