Getting Real About Food Production
Being a farmer-owned cooperative means working together for the common good. From March 9 to 12, Land O’Lakes had an opportunity to do just that at a different venue than usual: the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference. SXSW is an annual event held in Austin, Texas, that celebrates the convergence of the technology, film and music industries.
Sound like an odd place for Land O’Lakes to be? It’s really not. Finding answers to help ensure the future of food security and efficient, sustainable food production will rely on input from innovators from all walks of life. Many of the more than 100,000 SXSW participants are the very people who can help address these challenging issues. And they need to hear things from your perspective.
What Land O’Lakes did at SXSW
To help close the gap between farm fields and family tables, Land O’Lakes, working with many members of the WinField United team, created The Food Effect — an immersive, interactive experience designed to encourage open, honest dialogue and meaningful interactions between food producers and consumers. Topics for the exhibits in The Food Effect demonstrated:![]()
Leaders from diverse areas, including academia, technology, food production, public policy and more, participated in panel discussions on topics as varied as food policy; urban agriculture; modern farming; big data; how science and food production interact; and ensuring that people have access to sufficient, nutritious and affordable food.
Encouraging the conversation
Together, WinField United and Land O’Lakes are actively fostering the food production and sustainability conversation. And we’re backing up our words with actions. For example, our technologies can help farmers place crop protection products, nutrients, seed and water where and when they will be most effective. And the Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN team supports farmers with conservation and sustainable practices that allow them to keep as many acres as possible at top production levels.
![]()
SXSW attendees represent the future. They are curious and on a continuous quest for learning. So are we, and so are you. It’s what we all do on a daily basis: work together for the common good. To explore the conversation further, follow @LandOLakesInc and #TheFoodEffect on social media.
Sound like an odd place for Land O’Lakes to be? It’s really not. Finding answers to help ensure the future of food security and efficient, sustainable food production will rely on input from innovators from all walks of life. Many of the more than 100,000 SXSW participants are the very people who can help address these challenging issues. And they need to hear things from your perspective.
What Land O’Lakes did at SXSW
To help close the gap between farm fields and family tables, Land O’Lakes, working with many members of the WinField United team, created The Food Effect — an immersive, interactive experience designed to encourage open, honest dialogue and meaningful interactions between food producers and consumers. Topics for the exhibits in The Food Effect demonstrated:
- How farmers are working to keep excess carbon out of the atmosphere.
- How ag technology is helping farmers farm more economically and sustainably.
- How science in our food is helping farmers around the world grow more crops (even in dry climates) and may eventually enable the delivery of much-needed vaccines.
- How personalized nutrition for dairy cows allows them to produce more milk.
Leaders from diverse areas, including academia, technology, food production, public policy and more, participated in panel discussions on topics as varied as food policy; urban agriculture; modern farming; big data; how science and food production interact; and ensuring that people have access to sufficient, nutritious and affordable food.
Encouraging the conversation
Together, WinField United and Land O’Lakes are actively fostering the food production and sustainability conversation. And we’re backing up our words with actions. For example, our technologies can help farmers place crop protection products, nutrients, seed and water where and when they will be most effective. And the Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN team supports farmers with conservation and sustainable practices that allow them to keep as many acres as possible at top production levels.
SXSW attendees represent the future. They are curious and on a continuous quest for learning. So are we, and so are you. It’s what we all do on a daily basis: work together for the common good. To explore the conversation further, follow @LandOLakesInc and #TheFoodEffect on social media.
