Description
There may be no CEO in America with a resume quite like Beth Ford’s. The leader of Land O’Lakes has worked in publishing, consumer goods, and oil, and now runs one of the country’s leading farming collectives. She is on a mission to explain to Americans the joy and challenges of the farmers who make our food, and to tell the world about what agriculture means for American security and prosperity. As harvest season across the country got underway, Ford joined THE CEO MOMENT, our interview series for the world’s most influential business leaders, to talk about her career path, the state of the American farmer, and whether or not we’re eating more butter.
Read more: https://time.com/collection/the-ceo-moment/2026/?k
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0:00 Why Full-Fat Dairy, Butter and Cheese Are Making a Comeback
0:13 Meet Beth Ford, CEO of Land O'Lakes
0:35 Beth Ford's Childhood in Iowa and First Farm Job
2:03 Growing Up Working Class and Learning the Value of Hard Work
2:47 How Early Jobs Shaped Her Leadership Style
3:18 Leadership Lessons From the Oil Industry
4:35 Why People-First Leadership Matters
5:16 How Marriage and Relationships Impact Career Success
6:18 Balancing Career Success and Family Life
7:04 Why Beth Ford Became CEO of Land O'Lakes
8:00 Career Lessons From Six Industries and Seven Companies
8:26 Why Humility Is Essential for Great Leaders
9:47 Why American Farming and Food Security Matter
10:46 The Financial Crisis Facing American Farmers
13:07 Why Small American Farms Are Disappearing
13:33 How Dairy Cooperatives Work Around the World
15:29 Why American Farmers Are So Productive
16:26 The Growing Divide Between Rural and Urban America
17:48 Common Misconceptions About Rural America
19:44 Trump Administration Policies, Rural Investment and Broadband
21:05 Why International Trade Matters to American Farmers
22:54 Immigration Reform and America's Farm Labor Shortage
25:18 America's Agricultural Research Gap and Global Competition
26:49 How Climate Change and Water Shortages Threaten Farming
28:27 How the Land O'Lakes Cooperative Business Model Works
30:02 Can Young Americans Still Afford to Become Farmers?
31:20 Beth Ford's Takes the Leadership Test
32:45 The Greatest Leadership Lessons From History
33:18 Beth Ford's Final Thoughts