Jennifer Hyman of Land O’Lakes on Becoming a Nonprofit and International Development

Through the Noise #109

Jennifer Hyman // Director of Communications // International Development Division at Land O’Lakes

It may surprise some to learn that Land O’Lakes, a massive company widely known for producing butter, is not only a farmer-owned cooperative, but also has an international division that works in developing countries to help create sustainable farming practices among people who have extremely limited resources for making a living.
We talk with Jennifer Hyman today who travels around the world meeting and assisting farmers to find out what they need to survive and thrive and through contracts with USAID, provides it. How is international development tied to corporate growth? What exactly is yak butter? Grab a cup of coffee and join us today to find out these answers and more.

As the Director of Communications for Land O’Lakes International Development, Jennifer Hyman leads internal and external communications for the organization’s international agriculture and enterprise development programs, is in charge of related advocacy efforts, and manages the group’s office in Washington, DC. She has more than 20 years of experience focused on humanitarian and international development communications, is a prolific published journalist, and has worked and traveled in more than 45 countries.

Since 1981, Land O’Lakes International Development has helped improve the quality of life for more than 3 million people in 80 countries, through more than 280 agriculture and enterprise development programs funded primarily by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).