Land O’Lakes CEO Beth Ford: Dairy needs immigration reform

As Land O’Lakes CEO Beth Ford sees it, one will break first: gridlock on U.S. immigration policy or the nation’s food system.

How President Donald Trump’s crackdown is affecting agriculture and thus the economy overall is at the forefront for Ford, chair of the immigration committee for Business Roundtable. That CEO organization lobbies on behalf of the nation’s businesses, meaning Ford’s voice on the issue carries more weight than other execs’.

“For a dairy producer, if they lose their staff, I mean, that’s a black swan event. There’s not much you can do,” Ford said. “As we look at challenges with immigration, with labor, especially on the dairy side, they don’t have options. There is no year-round visa. And that is stressful.”

Nationwide, more than half of all farm workers are foreigners, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Different operations have different needs, meaning some growers make do just fine while others are hurting for help. Dairy falls into the latter category.

The National Milk Producers Federation said the country’s uncertainty about agricultural labor and immigration “continues to harm workers and their families, farm employers, rural communities and national food security.”

Milking cows doesn’t happen only at certain times of year, which makes seasonal temporary visas feasible for other farming unworkable. And in most cases, automation is too expensive or unwieldy to consider.

So ensuring a predictable flow of labor — alongside strong border security — is imperative for Ford’s co-op, best known for its butter, cream and cheese. As she talks with the more than 3,000 dairy producers, farmers and smaller cooperatives who own Arden Hills-based Land O’Lakes, immigration remains a hot topic.

“That is the primary discussion point in our conversations,” she said. “It’s not as though producers haven’t been out trying to hire Americans. Americans don’t want these jobs.”

What’s more, she said, animal agriculture requires a technical know-how that means “not just anybody can take these jobs.”

Nearly 80% of the U.S. milk supply comes from producers that employ immigrant labor, according to a Texas A&M survey. Having year-round farm worker visas or a similar solution to import labor for year-round farm operations would make a meaningful difference, Ford said.

“The immediate answer has to be: What are some things that are both supportive and recognize the need for border security while recognizing both the technical proficiency that is necessary and the fact that there are no visas available that are year-round,” Ford said. “That’s a miss. That’s an opportunity area.”

With a major increase in border spending tucked into the sprawling tax bill that passed Congress earlier this month, Ford sees an opportunity for action, calling immigration “a now issue.”

“We’re short farm workers, and I think the president has recognized this, has said he wants to work on solutions,” she said. “I’m grateful for his support of farmers. I’m grateful for his discussions. ... We’ve got to come up with solutions to move the ball down the court.”

Ongoing labor scarcity compounds a financially stressful time for agriculture overall. The number of U.S. farm bankruptcies through the first three months of the year has already surpassed all of 2024 combined, according to the University of Arkansas. Higher costs of doing business and lower commodity prices are squeezing growers of all kinds.

Median net farm income in Minnesota fell to its lowest level this century last year, though dairy producers caught a break from higher milk prices and saw profits rise markedly, according to the University of Minnesota.

Beyond its recognizable dairy brands, Land O’Lakes sells seeds, fertilizers and animal feed across the country. That makes the co-op keyed in to the commodity market swings affecting members and customers.

“This is the third year in a row of low grower profitability,” Ford said. “There’s a weakening position ... that has our attention.”

Land O’Lakes itself is on solid financial footing, Ford said, thanks to a “fortress balance sheet” that has taken years to construct. Sales and profits were up for the first quarter compared to the start of 2024.

With trade policies continuing to shift and immigration policy toughening, just one week could present new challenges.

“The most immediate risk is a farmer,” Ford said, “a dairy farmer especially, who loses their labor.”