Fluctuating diesel prices. Escalating freight costs. Extreme weather events. Tighter regulations. Inflationary pressures. Capacity shortages. These market disruptions are stacking to reduce the number of trucks on the road—shrinking capacity and constraining the flow of goods across industries.

At Land O’Lakes, supply chain teams are using the strength of our network to build a resilient transportation strategy designed to protect capacity for the member-owners and businesses whose livelihoods depend on it.

Each year, the cooperative moves millions of miles of seed, crop protection, animal nutrition and dairy products across the U.S. As a member-owned cooperative, Land O’Lakes focuses on creating shared value to keep products moving, even in volatile conditions.

“We don’t react to the market—we prepare for it,” says Tyler Stowers, Director of Transportation. 

A fleet built to withstand volatility

Land O’Lakes operates an internal fleet with more than 300 trucks, primarily supporting our WinField United and Nutra Blend divisions. This dedicated capacity is designed to reduce an already-constrained market.

Continuous optimization has strengthened performance. By increasing load factors—putting more product on each truck—and expanding backhaul opportunities, the team has reduced empty miles and maximized efficiency.

The cooperative also invests in end-to-end supply chain technology to enhance visibility across the network. With better insights, teams can anticipate risks earlier and respond quickly when conditions change.

Not all freight is created equal

Transportation strategies aren’t one-size-fits-all. Decisions depend on a variety of factors. Some shipments move by truck for speed and flexibility, while others use rail or intermodal options to reduce costs and improve network efficiency.

For example, Land O’Lakes leverages an intermodal strategy within Dairy Foods to secure capacity on long-distance lanes, manage costs and improve flexibility. Within Animal Nutrition, we operate dedicated fleets in many of our plants and distribution centers to ensure consistent reliability.

Relationships that deliver

Externally, the cooperative has built longstanding relationships with trusted carriers and brokers. More than anything, Tyler says, success comes down to relationships.

“Our trusted carriers and brokers see value in working with us. They recognize the strength of the Land O’Lakes brand and the importance of the work we do together,” he says. “Through the volatility, our trusted carriers and brokers continue to adapt alongside us. They stick with us and we stick with them.“

The value in these relationships lies in the trust and operational expertise built over decades. Their understanding of our business, customers and network enables faster decision making and stronger commitment to execute when we need them the most. “That level of mutual trust is what keeps our network resilient,” Tyler says.

Preparing for what comes next

While companies can’t control market volatility, they can control how they prepare for it.

At Land O’Lakes, this means using the strength of the cooperative model to build a more resilient network built on deliberate investment—in fleet, technology and relationships—to keep freight moving. 

“Our role is to absorb the volatility before it reaches our customers,” Tyler says. “Our goal is to deliver, no matter what the market does.”