Land O'Lakes International Development announced today a new brand and a new name - Land O'Lakes Venture37 - to further bolster its strong reputation for global leadership in helping businesses grow, linking farmers to markets and empowering communities to thrive. The new brand builds on the achievements of Land O'Lakes International Development in nearly 80 countries since 1981.
"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," said John Ellenberger, executive director of Land O'Lakes Venture37 and senior vice president of Land O'Lakes, Inc.
"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," said Ellenberger.
A revamped website, www.landolakesventure37.org was launched today in concert with the announcement.
Ellenberger noted the new name and branding maintain a clear link between the organization's nonprofit international development mission and the unique value of technical expertise offered by its affiliation with Land O'Lakes, Inc., one of America's largest farmer-owned cooperatives.
"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," said Ellenberger.
Current activities will continue uninterrupted across 16 projects spanning 10 countries. These include several projects in their early stages, with five capacity-building projects announced last fall spanning Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and three additional projects launched this year in Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania.