Land O'Lakes Internship: Requirements and Opportunities

Land O'Lakes, a Fortune 250 company with $16 billion in annual revenue, offers a variety of internship opportunities for students seeking to gain real-world experience in the food and agriculture industry. These internships are designed to provide students with hands-on experience, exposure to a collaborative and engaging culture, and the opportunity to develop professional skills.

A Fortune 250 Company Reimagining Food and Agriculture

Land O'Lakes is committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels welcomed and comfortable bringing their authentic self to work every day. Fast Company has recognized the company as one of the Top Five Most Innovative Companies in Corporate Social Responsibility. Interns at Land O'Lakes have the opportunity to work with cross-functional teams to drive performance improvements and receive a great introduction to the company's collaborative, fun, and engaging culture.

Internship Program Overview

Land O'Lakes internship programs are designed to help students build the skills they need to transition into a career in a competitive business environment. Interns gain direct business and industry acumen while developing professional skills. Paid internships are available for undergraduate and graduate students, and full-time options are also available for graduating students.

Interns have opportunities to network across the company, drive a hands-on business project over the summer, and grow their skillsets for future career opportunities. The internships typically last 10-12 weeks.

Areas of Focus

Land O'Lakes offers internships in a variety of areas, including:

Read also: Connection and Meaning in Nature

Logistics

This team creates value by effectively managing the transformation of raw materials into safe, quality, finished products, and by coordinating complex planning and distribution to ensure that products are delivered when and where the customer desires. This area is driven by customer demands.

Quality

This team works with regulatory agencies, industry experts, and global organizations to drive continuous improvement.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing is the critical link to safely producing the highest quality dairy food products for consumers, crop protection and crop input products, and lifestyle and livestock feed for animals. Manufacturing operates 85 facilities nationwide.

Sourcing & Ingredient Merchandising

This team purchases every product, service, or ingredient needed to bring the company's diverse portfolio of agriculture, feed, and dairy foods products to market, ranging from stainless steel to soybean meal.

Engineering and Environmental Health & Safety

This team manages more than $200 million per year in capital projects that support new business commercialization and manufacturing improvements in areas of plant infrastructure, quality, safety, efficiency, and sustainability.

Research & Development

This team develops new products and programs to serve Dairy Foods customers, both internal and external.

Finance and Accounting

Interns in finance and accounting will be key business team members working on high-visibility assignments and strategic projects that are designed to provide real-world experience and exposure to key areas. Opportunities include:

Financial Planning and Analysis: Work directly with the business unit, supply chain, or corporate finance function. Tasks include various types of ad hoc analysis, special projects, variance analysis, and working on quarterly forecasts.
Accounting: Involved in month-end responsibilities in areas of cost accounting or general accounting. Tasks include monthly reconciliation, journal entries, and month-end close processes.

Information Technology

Interns in IT will provide application design, development, and support for business applications. They will perform business analysis and design; work with relevant technologies; configure and develop systems to meet business requirements; and interact regularly with business customers. Internship opportunities include:

Development: Build solutions to support business strategies and fuel future growth.
Infrastructure: Work across multiple technologies, including PCs, servers, telephone, messaging, and databases.
Cyber Security & Risk Management: Learn what it takes to secure a Fortune 250 company against cyber threats.
IT Transformation: Gain experience in portfolio management, training solutions, software configuration, and vendor management.

Retail and Foodservice

Interns work with retail and foodservice businesses from multiple perspectives, including channels, formats, retailers/operators, competitors, and shoppers. During the internship, they will build skills in category management with some of the world’s top dairy brands; develop an analytical thought process; learn about marketing and CPG sales; and explore future career opportunities.

WinField United

WinField United is a transformative supply and marketing cooperative. Internship opportunities include:

Read also: Internship Success Tips

Sales: Engage with growers and retailers on business development, foster customer relationships, and build sales skills while learning about the WinField United product line.
Agronomy: Execute Answer Plot® field trials to demonstrate the best management practices. Inspect crop fields and execute spray trials to identify and overcome barriers to yield.
Answer Plot: Study factors that contribute to yield in a crop acre and how we can more efficiently apply nutrient inputs to improve yield while reducing the total applied fertility footprint. Gain an understanding of corn nutrient management, production methods, and critical growth stages through research, process, and execution.
Digital Technology: Develop an understanding of how to use Winfield United’s digital portfolio. Learn how to deliver results during the sales process to make better agronomic decisions.
FGI Marketing: Assist in the development of marketing materials, communication initiatives, campaigns, branding, market analysis, and data analytics to grasp consumer and market insights.
SureTech Lab: Execute laboratory experiments and participate in the analysis of experimental data. Draw conclusions and understand how data can be used to drive agronomic decisions.
Research and Development: Research seed and crop inputs in the market and experience what it takes to innovate, test, and release new products.
Marketing and Services: Build skills in marketing, sales, and data analytics.

Purina Animal Nutrition

Purina Interns do real work alongside the Purina Animal Nutrition team, learning and developing skills in sales and marketing, animal nutrition and husbandry, and more. Opportunities include:

Sales and Marketing: Provide nutritional solutions to animal owners by conducting sales calls and recommending appropriate Purina products or technologies. Develop marketing strategies and sales plans to help grow Purina market share. Gain understanding of farm-supply dealers and cooperative business structure. Key areas of focus: dairy, beef, equine, swine, and show-feed products.
Research and Development: Assist with daily research associated with nutritional research projects. Gain understanding of the science and innovation that goes into animal feed. Experience a state-of-the-art research farm.

General Requirements and Qualifications

While specific requirements may vary depending on the internship role, some general requirements and qualifications often include:

Must be working towards a relevant four-year degree (e.g., accounting, finance, agricultural science, marketing, IT).
Preferably a junior or senior, but some internships may consider sophomores.
A GPA of 3.0 or higher is often preferred.
Completion of relevant coursework in the field of study.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Ability to work effectively in a team environment.
A genuine interest in the food and agriculture industry.

Accounting Internship Examples and Requirements from Other Minnesota Companies

To provide a broader context, here are some examples of accounting internship requirements from other Minnesota companies and accounting firms:

Various Firms: Applicants must be working towards a four-year accounting degree with sufficient course work to become a CPA.
St. Cloud-Based Firm: Prefers a GPA of 3.3 or higher.
St. Cloud-Based Firm: Prefers juniors or seniors with a major in accounting for Tax and Audit Internships.
St. Cloud-Based Firm: Prefers juniors or seniors majoring in Accounting for Tax Season Internships. Will consider sophomores majoring in Accounting for Summer Internship.
Various Firms: Juniors or Seniors pursuing an Accounting degree having completed introductory and immediate accounting and auditing classes.
Various Firms: Sophomores, Juniors or Seniors in a Bachelor's of Science Accounting program. Preferred GPA at or above 3.0.
Dana F. Cole & Company, PLLP: Interested individuals should be pursuing a four-year degree in accounting or a related field and have completed coursework in both accounting and tax. Applicants should be going into their Junior or Senior year of school, and a GPA of 3.2 or higher is preferred.
Various Firms: Accounting majors well into their program.
Various Firms: The student should be pursuing an Accounting degree.
St. Cloud-Based Firm: Internships run from early January through April 15. Upon completion of the internship, you will be considered for a full-time position. Ideally completed an individual tax course and have at least a 3.0 GPA.
KPMG: Hires interns within tax, audit, and advisory practices. Primarily hires accounting majors who will be CPA eligible upon graduation.
St. Cloud-Based Firm: Intern must be an accounting major, junior or senior preferred.
Sarah A. St. John, CPA: Working towards B.A. / B.S. in Accounting.
Various Firms: Junior or Senior in their Accounting degree.

These examples highlight the common themes of pursuing an accounting degree, being in the junior or senior year, and maintaining a good GPA.

Benefits of a Land O'Lakes Internship

Land O'Lakes internships offer numerous benefits, including:

Generous health and dental coverage for most roles.
A 401(k) match to build your future.
Technical and leadership training to enhance your skill set.
Exposure to a collaborative, fun, and engaging culture.
Opportunities to network with industry leaders.
Hands-on experience with business-critical projects.
Development of professional skills.

How to Apply

Applications are open for Summer 2026 internships. Interested students can visit the Land O'Lakes careers website to search for available internships and submit their applications. If you don't see your school listed, you can always join the Early Careers Talent Community to express your interest in internships.

tags: #land #o #lakes #internships #requirements