By Chris Policinski, President and CEO, Land O’Lakes, Inc

The industry of agriculture has a great story to tell—so great, in fact, we couldn’t make up a better one if we tried. It is an industry that is growing in size, driven by technology and entrepreneurial by its very nature. And, fundamentally, it has a noble purpose. 
 
By 2050, we will have nearly 10 billion people in the world and will need to produce 70 percent more food to meet the growing demand. This is a challenge we can and must meet because food is a human right.
 
Improving food security across the globe with increasingly limited natural resources is a challenge for the food and agriculture industry. However, with a proven track record of increasing productivity, I believe the industry is well equipped to meet this challenge if we continue to innovate, utilize technology, and think differently. Food security leads to economic stability leads to political stability.
 
Key to solving this challenge? An engaged, high-performing workforce. By 2020, over a quarter of the U.S. workforce will be over age 55. In agriculture, the situation is extreme with farmers over 50 years old accounting for 75 percent of all farmers in 2012 and 40 percent of principal farm operators over age 65.
 
A report released last year confirmed what so many of us in the food and agriculture industry already know: this is an industry ripe with demand and opportunity but lacking in inputs, namely, new recruits. The report, led by Purdue University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, highlights an annual average of 58,000 jobs available to new graduates in the areas of food, agriculture, renewable natural resource, and the environment. With an average of 35,000 annual graduates in those areas of expertise, 39 percent of those openings remain.
 
Why aren’t we attracting the talent we need? At least partially, we have ourselves to blame. Our industry, academia, NGOs, government and others in our field must engage differently. We must collapse our silos and work together to better share our story with the next generation.
 
Many young people have no idea of the industry’s career opportunities or its promise for the future. With demand for talent outstripping our needs, we need to look outward. The 98 percent of America that is disconnected from production agriculture may not know or understand what it takes to meet the demands of a growing global population in a time of shrinking resources. They simply may not know about the opportunity to help feed the world in new and exciting ways. In an increasingly complex and global environment, the next dedicated workforce to meet this global food challenge must engage the very best minds across many disciplines: students trained in business, science, technology, global affairs and more.
 
This is why Land O’Lakes, Inc., created the Global Food Challenge Emerging Leaders for Food Security fellowship in 2014. The program encourages and energizes the best thinking of student leaders and concerned citizens to explore new and sustainable solutions to the issue. Ten bright students will have an exciting year with Land O’Lakes, with a farm-to-fork global experience and view of the food and agriculture industry.
 
In addition, Land O’Lakes has robust partnerships with Purdue University, the University of Minnesota, and Iowa State University to help tell the story of the opportunities in agriculture.  Engaging students from diverse disciplines in an innovative and pragmatic way opens their eyes to the opportunities in the food and agriculture industry. “Solving” this challenge is not going to happen with just one of us, it is going to take the best minds to meet this challenge at home and across the world.
 
Despite overwhelming obstacles, talented people have and will continue to dream big, particularly when they see an opportunity to change the world for the better. By cultivating interest and leadership among the next generation, we create a foundation for building a strong future for the food and agriculture industry, and the world.