2011 March/April Issue - Land O'Lakes Inc.

Farms and animals across the Midwest and East Coast dealt with record snowfalls this winter.Land O’Lakes Weathers the StormMembers keep up milk supply and delivery, even in tough winter conditionsSince 1921, Land O’Lakes has been committed to maintaininga home for member milk. Ninety years later,Land O’Lakes stands firm and continues to deliver onthat commitment – through rain, sleet, and especiallythis winter, through the mountains of snow that hit various partsof the country.The winter of 2010-11 has presented a number of challenges tothe 90-year-old promise, with some areas in the Upper Midwestand East Coast receiving record snowfalls of more than 60 inches.But with the help of experienced dairy producers, dedicatedhaulers and strategically located processing facilities, milk hasbeen produced, transported and processed day-in and day-out.“We have had at least eight storms this winter in our variousregions. Some of these storms included freezing rain before theyhit, and we’ve faced a three-day shutdown of interstates and secondaryroads with absolutely no travel possible,” said Roger Nordtvedt,director of Northwest Food Products Transportation. “But overallwe’ve fared pretty well despite these extreme conditions.”This success has not come by accident, but is the result of carefulplanning and teamwork. The process begins at the farm level,with dairy producers taking the necessary steps to ensure herdcomfort and safety.According to Pennsylvania dairy producer Scott Kreider, partnerof S&A Kreider & Sons, Inc., ensuring herd safety is an ongoingprocess that begins with keeping an eye on the weather report.“When a large storm is forecasted, we check the curtains anddoors on all the barns to make sure they can be closed tight, andwe check that the generators are running well and all fuel tanks20 growingtogether www.landolakesinc.com