Land O’Lakes CEO Beth Ford warned that American agriculture faces a deepening crisis, from food insecurity to acute labor shortages. As head of one of the few Fortune‑500 cooperatives, she answers to thousands of farmer‑owners who channel roughly half of U.S. harvested acres through the firm. Ford says the nation is ignoring a storm that threatens the sector’s stability for the next decade.

Bankruptcies among farms have doubled in the past year, while median farm income slides downward. Roughly 90% of family‑owned operations now depend on off‑farm earnings, and fewer than 5% generate a profit. Those figures underscore why Ford has taken growers to the White House, pressing for immigration reform, a refreshed farm bill and infrastructure spending for long‑term viability.

The cooperative’s network underpins an industry that contributes more than $1.5 trillion to the U.S. economy, yet its profitability hinges on policy action. Ford’s public advocacy aims to rally both legislators and consumers, warning that without coordinated reforms the supply chain could contract, driving up food prices and eroding rural livelihoods. The message is clear: immediate policy fixes are essential across the nation.