Harnessing the strengths of its cooperative system, Land O'Lakes, Inc. and a select group of ag retail partners will invest in the future of ag innovation

Today, Land O'Lakes, Inc. unveiled its participation in AgRogue Growth Partners, a bold initiative aimed at harnessing the strength of the cooperative model to fast-track the discovery, investment and adoption of breakthrough technologies to support farmers, their businesses, and their communities.

In recent years, agriculture has seen cutting edge innovation and technology meet resistance at the farmgate, then fail to reach its potential. As the Land O'Lakes cooperative system has a long history of driving adoption of the latest ag technologies, Land O'Lakes and a coalition of its retailer-owners will invest up to $7 million in each of 10 to 15 companies focused on improving crop inputs, ag data, supply chain processes, business models and more.

"We believe the key to jumpstarting the adoption of modern ag technologies lives in the partnership and trust between retailers and growers. This platform represents a focused strategy that builds on the strength of Land O'Lakes' co-op model and our retail owners to assist Radicle Growth in finding, funding and scaling new innovation to help ensure our system remains at the leading edge of ag tech, and U.S. agriculture remains competitive on a global stage," said Jason Trusley, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Through AgRogue Growth Partners, the coalition will:

Invest in and scale innovative technologies, business models and systems that drive on-farm impact.
Pool resources — including capital, talent and market insights — to access proprietary ag innovations beyond traditional channels.
Accelerate early adoption by leveraging the trusted, local relationships between participating retailers and farmers.
This launch comes at a pivotal moment for U.S. agriculture. Net farm income for U.S. row crop producers remains persistently low, while public funding for agricultural research has declined to 1970s levels. At the same time, global competitors like China have dramatically increased their investments.

"Right now, we're seeing a wave of necessary innovation stall before it reaches the farm gate — often lacking the local trust and infrastructure needed to succeed," said Brett Bruggeman, chief operating officer and executive vice president of ag business at Land O'Lakes, Inc. "As one of the largest farmer- and retailer-owned cooperatives in the U.S., we know our retail-owners are uniquely positioned to bridge that gap and get proven innovation into farmers' hands faster."

Retail partners include Keystone Cooperative (Indiana), Central Valley Ag (Nebraska), Farmers Cooperative - Dorchester (Nebraska), Farmward Cooperative (Minnesota), Alabama Farmers Cooperative (Alabama), and GreenPoint Ag (Alabama). The AgRogue Growth Partners will be managed by Radicle Growth, a leading ag tech investment firm, which will help identify and vet cutting-edge startups from around the world.

"AgRogue Growth Partners represents an exciting new chapter in agricultural innovation, driven by a commitment to farmer success," said Kevin Still, President & CEO of Keystone Cooperative. "By uniting our strengths, we'll focus on creating new opportunities for farmers to thrive - providing them with new tools and resources they need to overcome industry challenges and grow a more reliable, abundant food supply."

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 2024 annual sales of $16.2 billion, Land O'Lakes is one of the nation's largest cooperatives, ranking 245 on the Fortune 500. Building on a legacy of more than 100 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, 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.