Beth Ford

How Beth Ford is Helping Farmers Grow a More Sustainable Future

When Beth Ford was tapped to lead Land O’Lakes in 2018, she became the first openly gay woman to head a Fortune 500 company. But that was just one first among many for the forward-looking exec, who was named one of TIME’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2024. A fierce advocate for the thousands of farmers that make up the 100-year-old cooperative, Ford has pushed for expanded broadband access in rural America, lobbied for more funding for agricultural R&D, and helped farmers adopt regenerative agriculture practices. Under her leadership, the company has deftly navigated culture-war dustups, dropping its logo featuring a kneeling Native woman and opting instead to focus on its farmer-owned bona fides. It implemented an AI-powered tool that protects crops by analyzing pesticide, herbicide, and fungicide data. And, in 2024, Land O’Lakes became one of few manufacturers to offer a flexible work policy at 60 of its factories, allowing employees to choose their own start times and shift length.

By Audrey Goodson Kingo