Land O'Lakes Inc. - Timeline Page

EXPLORE THE 1920s

1921

It’s a new era. The Minnesota Cooperative Creameries Association forms, and John Brandt is elected to the board of directors. He’ll go on to become our first president.

1924

In need of a catchy brand for the co-op’s sweet cream butter, the Minnesota Cooperative Creameries Association hosts a contest with $500 in gold offered as the prize. Ida Foss and George Swift each walk away a winner for submitting the name, you guessed it, Land O'Lakes. And the runners up? Maid O' the West and Tommy Tucker.

EXPLORE THE 1930s

1931

During the Great Depression, butter prices sink to an all-time low. We help shore up the weakening market, buying a whopping 7 million pounds of butter. Within four months, prices edged back up.

Assorted Archive Images Of Dairy Products

1937

Our first milk-drying plant opens in Luck, Wisconsin. The facility manufactures skim milk powders, casein and buttermilk powder. Due to World War II, all of these products see an increased demand. By peak war years, we had another 21 milk-drying plants operating in the Upper Midwest.

EXPLORE THE 1940s

1941-45

The co-op has a quota of dry milk to supply troops during World War II, stepping up production from 22 million pounds in 1941 to 119 million pounds in 1945. By the war's end, Land O'Lakes is producing dried milk and dried eggs in 22 different plants and eventually became the world's largest manufacturer of dry milk products.

EXPLORE THE 1950s

A Package Of Milk Replacer From The 1950s

1951

Our invention of calf milk replacer revolutionizes the feed business. Farmers no longer have to give skim milk to their dairy calves.

EXPLORE THE 1960s

1963

We enter the cheese market in a big way with our acquisition of the Wisconsin-based Dairy Belt Cheese and Butter Company.

EXPLORE THE 1970s

1970

A merger with Farmers Regional Cooperative (Felco) kicks off the beginning of tremendous growth in ag services. We'd long been focused on producing dairy products, while Felco specialized in agricultural inputs, or farm supplies.

EXPLORE THE 1980s

An Illustration Of The Globe In Black And White

1981

Our international development journey begins. Since then, Land O'Lakes International Development has led 280 programs and trainings in 80 countries to improve food security, farmers' agricultural productivity, and create vibrant and stable market systems. It will become an independent nonprofit named Land O’Lakes Venture37, but you’ll have to fast forward a few years for that.

EXPLORE THE 1990s

1998

A merger with Dairyman's Cooperative Creamery Association of Tulare, California, bolsters our West Coast operations.

EXPLORE THE 2000s

2001

The Purina brand becomes a part of our story. Purina Mills was founded in 1894 to supply fresh, high-quality, consistent feed. Today, that same philosophy holds true.

2007

Our seed business joins with Agriliance’s crop protection products to form Winfield Solutions, LLC. The WinField^® brand is later introduced in 2012.

EXPLORE THE 2010s

2015

We take the next step in our growth journey—onto South African soil. We close on a 52.5 percent ownership stake in Villa Crop Protection. With Villa, we’re positioned to help sustainably improve the yields of farms of all sizes in South Africa and beyond.

2016

After our crop inputs and insights business merges with United Suppliers, Inc., the WinField^® United brand is launched. The business serves more than 1,300 locally owned and operated agricultural retailers with seed, crop protection products, agricultural services and agronomic insights.

Stefon Diggs Holding The Farm Bowl Trophy

2018

It’s not every day the big game comes to town. As a leader in food and ag community, we took full advantage of this opportunity to raise awareness of Land O'Lakes' full farm-to-fork business model and the cooperative's position as an innovative leader in modern agriculture. Here's how it went.

2019

Land O’Lakes International Development became an independent nonprofit in 2015 -- but in 2019 it officially comes into its own as Land O'Lakes Venture37. Why 37? Find out more here.