Land O’Lakes rebrands non-profit to Venture37
This charitable sector of Land O’Lakes has been around since 1981, and currently works with nearly 80 countries by growing local businesses, “linking farmers to markets and empowering communities to thrive.”
John Ellenberger, executive director of Venture37 and senior VP at Land O'Lakes, Inc, said, "You may ask why we chose Land O'Lakes Venture37? It's simple. Farmers are working with approximately 37% of the earth's land to grow the crops and raise the livestock that nourish our growing global population."
"Working together across continents, cultures and markets is critical to make abundant, nutritious food available so everyone can realize their full potential. It's a challenge Land O'Lakes International Development has helped meet for nearly 40 years through more than 300 unique projects. The launch of Land O'Lakes Venture37 is an exciting new chapter that builds on our long history of results."
The company said all ongoing activities and projects will continue uninterrupted, including five capacity-building projects throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and three launched this year in Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania.
The USDA and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) awards funding for these programs, often focused on food safety, building agricultural capacity and cooperative development.
"One of the elements that truly sets Land O'Lakes Venture37 apart, and has set us apart for almost 40 years, is our close bond with a leading farmer-owned cooperative that brings nearly a century of experience unlocking the potential of dairy, livestock and crop farms in fulfillment of our purpose of Feeding Human Progress," Ellenberger said.
"Farmers help one another, no matter where they live, and the new Land O'Lakes Venture37 brand shines a spotlight on our shared work to bring agricultural solutions to countries across the globe."
The new Venture37 website outlines the company’s emphasis on data science and making evidence-based decisions with their projects, and “finding challenges in the market and turning them into opportunities—all to accelerate supply and demand.”
They cite the exploding global population - expected to reach 10 billion by 2050 - as a crucial reason to come together in food production to feed the world and sustain the health of the planet.
