The DA ERG quickly established itself as a helpful resource. And in 2023, Jodi took it to new heights by partnering with Inclusive Networking to create meaning work opportunities in a supportive environment for interns with disabilities.

Jodi was eager to help people like her son gain real-world experience for their resumes. She worked alongside partners at Inclusive Networking to place multiple interns across different business units at Arden Hills.  
When Inclusive Networking’s federal grant ran out, the DA ERG looked for ways to sustain the effort. 

“Their funding fell apart, so we decided to fund it through the IT department,” says Marc Carlson, chief information officer and executive sponsor of the DA ERG. 

While IT continues to host interns, Jodi saw an opportunity to expand further. She identified a need within Land O’Lakes plants, where smaller but important tasks — like inventory support and gap coverage in production — often went unaddressed. 

Jodi began working with the dairy plant in Spencer, Wisconsin, and the Kozy Shack plant in Hicksville, New York, creating opportunities for interns with disabilities to gain hands-on experience. She also developed her own training program, drawing on insights from Inclusive Networking and her work on the board of Disability:IN Minnesota. 

Creating opportunities in rural communities

Currently, one intern is working in a Land O’Lakes plant, and two others are in the process of being hired, all as a direct result of Jodi’s efforts — work that is creating real impact in the communities the company serves.  
According to 2021 census data, rural residents make up less than 20% of the U.S. population but nearly 15% are more likely than urban counterparts to experience disability. For Jodi, that makes expanding these opportunities even more important. 

“We’re farmer-owned, right? And they’re from small communities,” Jodi says. “I guarantee you they have people with disabilities in those communities, and if it’s a super small community, that person has very few opportunities.” 

By bringing internship opportunities to these areas, Land O’Lakes is helping create more inclusive pathways to employment. Jodi’s willingness to take on this extra work outside of her own position has changed the lives of many young individuals with disabilities.
 

Turning individual passion into collective impact

Jodi is working with plants in Melrose, Minnesota, and Kiel, Wisconsin, to expand the program further, with a long-term goal of creating permanent part-time roles for individuals with disabilities. 

This program, both at Arden Hills and in our plants, cannot go on without support and enthusiasm. Jodi has provided the groundwork for immense growth and taken her goal of making workspaces more inclusive to the next level. 

“Jodi’s awesome,” Marc says, “This is Jodi’s effort and her passion. She’s showing a great example of taking a passion and making it real and utilizing Land O’Lakes for what it’s good at.” 

Jodi herself feels as though her personal connection to the work is giving her purpose and helping her feel like she’s making an impact on Land O’Lakes’ communities and members. 

“What I’m after, it’s more helping parents like me find some solutions for their adult children,” Jodi says. “How do I help other moms go through what I’ve done and make it just a little bit easier for them?”