Land O’Lakes describes its SUSTAIN program as “a partnership between farmers, companies and Land O’Lakes that aligns and harmonizes on-farm conservation and company-led sustainability targets to maximize the positive impact we can have on the environment, in our communities and for our customers.”
The company has held minority equity in Iowa-based Agren since 2016. The two have been working together on innovative conservation stewardship with the SoilVantage program.
It assists farmers and agricultural retailers in becoming industry leaders in sustainability with the tools of a comprehensive soil health platform.
'Safeguarding water quality'
Matt Carstens, senior vice president of Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN, said, “This acquisition bolsters our goal at Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN to be industry leaders in conservation stewardship and sustainability, helping ensure Land O’Lakes and the farmers we serve can lead the way on stewardship using the latest technology in our industry.”
“By strategically designing conservation practices and visualizing results using these innovative tools, retailers and farmers can maximize conservation benefits while keeping productive land in farming. It’s one more way Land O’Lakes is leading in the conservation arena.”
The new tools will help “safeguard water quality, reduce erosion and improve soil health,” according to Carstens.
Agren has worked to make precision conservation a nationwide reality since its inception as a consulting firm in 1996. It offers alternative solutions to the difficulty of working with the public sector. Soil and water management tools are accessed online, allowing farmers to make quicker decisions regarding their sustainability efforts.