By Jamie Martin
Land O Lakes, Inc., a farmer- and member-owned cooperative, has announced a one million dollar investment aimed at expanding hunger relief efforts across the country. The funding is designed to help rural communities as food needs rise during the holiday season.
The grants will be distributed to 15 Feeding America partner food banks that serve areas connected to Land O Lakes members and employees. Additional support will also go directly to Feeding America to strengthen its nationwide hunger relief network. This new commitment doubles the cooperative’s total hunger relief impact for 2025, adding to nearly four million meals already provided earlier this year.
Food banks nationwide continue to see higher demand for food assistance. Rural food shelves and food banks often face extra challenges, including long travel distances and limited resources. These difficulties become more serious during the holidays, when many families struggle to meet basic food needs.
"As a farmer-owned cooperative, hunger relief is central to our philanthropic mission," said Land O'Lakes CEO and President Beth Ford. "While we support these efforts throughout the year, we're proud to double down on our hunger contributions during the holiday season to do our part to serve families when the need is so incredibly high." Increasing contributions during the holiday season reflects a focus on helping communities when the need is greatest.
Feeding America leaders highlighted the importance of partnerships in addressing hunger. With millions of people still facing food insecurity, support from agricultural organizations helps food banks continue serving their communities. These efforts allow families to bring meals home during the holidays and throughout the year.
"Everyone in our communities deserves to feel the peace of mind of gathering around a full table, especially during the holidays," said Linda Nageotte, Feeding America President and Chief Operating Officer. "With tens of millions of people in the U.S. facing hunger, we are grateful for partners like Land O'Lakes who understand this urgent need. Through their generosity, neighbors facing hunger can bring meals home this holiday season and beyond."
Through this investment, Land O Lakes demonstrates how agricultural cooperatives can support both food production and food access. The initiative strengthens rural food systems and provides meaningful support to families facing hunger during a critical time of year.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-fatcamera
Categories: National