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Brooke Dillon 651-202-1670 (Media outlets only, please.)Land O'Lakes, Inc. selects 6 college sophomore students for Global Food Challenge Emerging Leaders for Food Security® Internship Program
The program's seventh year class will participate in professional development activities -- from focusing on agriculture business case studies to visiting cooperatives in the U.S. and Africa, if travel is an option
ARDEN HILLS, MINN. (Dec. 2, 2020) – Land O’Lakes, Inc. is proud to announce its 2021 Emerging Leaders as part of the Fortune 200 cooperative’s efforts to invest in the leaders of tomorrow to identify innovative and practical ways to help revolutionize the agriculture industry.
The six leaders, college sophomores from five partner universities, were selected from a competitive field of candidates for the seventh class of the Global Food Challenge Emerging Leaders for Food Security® Program. They will be paired with mentors from Land O’Lakes, Inc. to solve issues across intersections of agriculture, food and technology. The Emerging Leaders come from both rural and urban backgrounds and are pursuing degrees in fields such as animal science, supply chain operations and biological engineering and more.
Land O’Lakes, Inc., a farmer-owned cooperative, created the Global Food Challenge program in 2014 to engage future leaders in the challenges and opportunities facing agriculture in the future. The program has immersed 53 students in the company’s farm-to-fork operations.
"The Global Food Challenge is about connecting the brightest young minds to the agriculture industry. Agriculture is a tech industry and we need a diverse next generation to continue bridging the urban and rural divide," says Morgan Kinross-Wright, VP Community Relations & executive director of the Land O’Lakes Foundation. "We’re involving these ambitious students in one-of-a-kind opportunities that will serve them for the rest of their professional careers.”
Over the course of the summer of 2021, the six Global Food Challenge Emerging Leaders will be engaged with Land O’Lakes mentors to consult on projects with one of four business units: Purina Animal Nutrition, WinField United, Dairy Foods and Truterra. And if travel is an option, students will also travel to key locations including member cooperative and farm locations, and if possible, students may visit Africa. Past intern classes have visited international business Villa Crop Protection in South Africa and Land O’Lakes Venture37 projects in East Africa.
For the program’s seventh year, the 2021 Emerging Leaders for Food Security are:
The six leaders, college sophomores from five partner universities, were selected from a competitive field of candidates for the seventh class of the Global Food Challenge Emerging Leaders for Food Security® Program. They will be paired with mentors from Land O’Lakes, Inc. to solve issues across intersections of agriculture, food and technology. The Emerging Leaders come from both rural and urban backgrounds and are pursuing degrees in fields such as animal science, supply chain operations and biological engineering and more.
Land O’Lakes, Inc., a farmer-owned cooperative, created the Global Food Challenge program in 2014 to engage future leaders in the challenges and opportunities facing agriculture in the future. The program has immersed 53 students in the company’s farm-to-fork operations.
"The Global Food Challenge is about connecting the brightest young minds to the agriculture industry. Agriculture is a tech industry and we need a diverse next generation to continue bridging the urban and rural divide," says Morgan Kinross-Wright, VP Community Relations & executive director of the Land O’Lakes Foundation. "We’re involving these ambitious students in one-of-a-kind opportunities that will serve them for the rest of their professional careers.”
Over the course of the summer of 2021, the six Global Food Challenge Emerging Leaders will be engaged with Land O’Lakes mentors to consult on projects with one of four business units: Purina Animal Nutrition, WinField United, Dairy Foods and Truterra. And if travel is an option, students will also travel to key locations including member cooperative and farm locations, and if possible, students may visit Africa. Past intern classes have visited international business Villa Crop Protection in South Africa and Land O’Lakes Venture37 projects in East Africa.
For the program’s seventh year, the 2021 Emerging Leaders for Food Security are:
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Alesha Bergner, attending Kansas State University and studying Agricultural Technology Management, Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, and Global Food Systems Leadership
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Jenna Bradford, attending Purdue University and studying Biological Engineering
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Lexi Hopp, attending University of Minnesota and studying Supply Chain Operations and Public and Nonprofit Management
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Milosh McAdoo, attending North Carolina A&T State University, studying Animal Science
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Nic Potthoff, attending University of Minnesota and studying Agricultural Communications and Marketing
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Shelby Westhoff, attending Iowa State University and studying Animal Science
Learn more about the Global Food Challenge and join the conversation here.
Media Contact:Brooke Dillon 651-202-1670
About Land O’Lakes, Inc.
Land O'Lakes, Inc., one of America's premier agribusiness and food companies, is a member-owned cooperative with industry-leading operations that span the spectrum from agricultural production to consumer foods. With 2019 annual sales of $14 billion, Land O'Lakes is one of the nation's largest cooperatives, ranking 232 on the Fortune 500. Building on a legacy of more than 99 years of operation, Land O'Lakes today operates some of the most respected brands in agribusiness and food production including Land O’Lakes Dairy Foods, Purina Animal Nutrition, WinField United and Truterra. The company does business in all 50 states and more than 60 countries. Land O'Lakes, Inc. corporate headquarters are located in Arden Hills, Minnesota.
4001 Lexington Avenue North Arden Hills, MN 55126 | Mailing: P.O. Box 64101 St. Paul, MN 55164-0101 | 651.375.2222