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Todays U.S. farmers and agricultural businesses are navigating a complex landscape, with unique near-term and long-term challenges that include intensified global competition, record trade deficits, rising costs, and more frequent and extreme weather events. These challenges have created economic instability across the entire agriculture sector with U.S. row crop farmer net income remaining persistently low for the third straight year. Estimates from the University of Illinois show that corn and soybean farmers could face a net loss of between $50 and $70 per acre this growing season. On top of this, global acreage has leveled off at 2.3 billion acres and the average yield for corn and soybeans has also slowed. This uncertainty affects not only those who grow our food but also reverberates throughout the entire food system, threatening the stability we all depend on. Its clear that our sector must get off unpredictable commodity rollercoaster and create a more predictable future for farm families, agricultural businesses, consumers, and communities. Drawing on Land OLakes, Inc.s 104 years of experience as a cooperative, we have learned that collaboration is crucial for bringing stability and predictability to the food and agriculture sectors. The ag community represents only around 1% of the population but, by working together, we can capture efficiencies and reinvest in innovation, expand market opportunities, and support the communities and local businesses that are essential to our nations food supply. Become a student of the game At Land OLakes we have a saying that Our success starts with our member-owners success. What this means is that our decisions and investments must be made with our cooperative owners in mind. This mantra has never been more important than today when external factors are pressuring our bottom lines and muddying the decision-making process. In agriculture, were seeing pressure on the supply side as a result of global trade dynamics, a reduction in demand due to dips in commodity prices, and a rising cost to serve. All of which results in a tightening of margins up and down the food value chain. To be clear, these challenges are hardly unique to our sector, and I see the remedy as equally universal. Business leaders must double down on being students of the game, keeping a pulse on market dynamics and geo-political developments to stay on offense. And its not enough to simply insulate your own business, we must think more collaboratively to identify solutions that serve partners up and down our value chains. Inject predictability into our food system To address the pressures facing American farmers, we must move beyond traditional methods and invest in modern technologies and data-driven solutions that provide detailed plans down to the acre and animal, help minimize risk to inject predictability into farm operations. By creating standardized, reliable, and secure datasets, the industry can provide insights that help farmers respond to environmental and market challenges, manage supply chains, and track production volumes with unprecedented precision. As I look across this sector, Im especially inspired by how Keystone Cooperative is working to drive predictability. This Indianapolis-based cooperative is using precise, field-level data to help growers respond to seasonal challenges and maximize their ROI by applying the right crop protection products at the right time and in a precise location. For Land OLakes, data is the cornerstone of our innovation strategy. Through the WinField United Innovation Center, a leading agricultural applied research facility, we collect and analyze roughly six million data points annually to help farmers increase production, improve efficiency and optimize resource use. Those insights are then being delivered in a manner that reduces the risk farmers face each day. This includes low-interest financing, prescription programs with a performance warranty, and an AI assistant that provides real-time solutions to problems farmers encounter throughout the growing season. The power of the cooperative mindset In an era where traditional business models often prioritize short-term profits over long-term resilience, the cooperative model offers a compelling alternative. We like to say our capital is patient, meaning we can take a longer-term point of viewconsidering future generations as much as quarterly performance. With a reach that touches 50% of the U.S. harvested acres, over 100 million animals daily, and 13 billion pounds of milk per year, the Land OLakes cooperative system also demonstrates the strength of collaboration and shared purpose. By working together with established business leaders that have earned local trust and demonstrated the ability to drive change, we can strengthen the economic prosperity of our shared businesses and communities. The cooperative structure also fosters unique partnerships between stakeholders within and outside the agriculture sector. Theres a deeper level of commitment to shared success that shows up in business initiatives and community building alike. For instance, Land OLakes is collaborating with CentraCare to help establish the University of Minnesota CentraCare Regional Campus where medical students receive education, training, and career development opportunities in rural communities where local medical services are desperately needed. Going forward As we look ahead, I want to challenge other organizations to adopt this collaborative approach. Think externally and selflessly. Think long term. Think evolution. Even if youre operating outside of the cooperative framework, this mindset can help solve the challenges we all face, enhance economic performance and uplift the communities we serve. Brett Bruggeman is the executive vice president and chief operating officer of Land OLakes, Inc.
Category:
E-Commerce
The last six months have been a strange, exhilarating time for crypto. First, there was the so-called Trump effecta surge in crypto prices and on-chain activity triggered by the then president-elects vocal support of crypto. Then came the viral Hawk Tuah meme, which somehow alchemized into a crypto memecoin that rocketed in value, pulled headlines, and emptied wallets in equal measure. For many first-time crypto users, these moments were their gateway into the blockchain. Wallets were downloaded. Tokens were swapped. Twitter (now X) feeds were flooded with strange new lingo: HODL, degen, DYOR. It was a wild ride. For most newcomers, the experience probably felt like trying to join a conversation in a foreign language while riding a rollercoaster. As the leader of a nonprofit dedicated to educating everyday Americans about crypto, I welcome this influx of interest. Crypto, at its best, can democratize financial access, create transparency, and offer new tools for digital empowerment. But hype cycles also bring risk: not just of financial loss, but of alienation and misunderstanding. Its time we decouple the signal from the noise. Crypto isnt just for brosand it never was Lets start by busting one of cryptos most persistent stereotypes: that its just for young, wealthy finance bros chasing dreams of Lamborghini sports cars (aka Lambos) and going to the moon. Sure, that subculture existsjust like it does in day trading and sports betting. But cryptos roots are far more diverse. Earlier this year, we conducted one of the largest-ever studies of crypto holders in America. We found that almost one third (31%) are women, and more are over the age of 55 (15%) than under 25 (11%). Nearly as many crypto users work in construction (12%) as do in technology (14%)far more than those working in finance (7%)and many do not belong to higher income brackets, with roughly a quarter (26%) of crypto-owning households earning less than $75,000/year. The stereotype is outdated and, frankly, dangerous. It discourages thoughtful newcomers from participating and lets bad actors hide behind a smokescreen of memes and cartoonish masculinity. The future of crypto will be shaped by everyday Americans, not caricatures. Decode the lingo, stay for the mission Dont let the lingo intimidate you. You dont need to speak crypto fluently to participatejust like you dont need to know what “https” means to send an email. But to new users feeling overwhelmed by the language of crypto, heres a quick translation guide to get started: HODL: Originally a typo for hold, it means holding on to your crypto for dear life and resisting the urge to sell in volatile markets. Its become a philosophy for long-term belief in a projects value. Degen: Short for degenerate, it describes high-risk traders chasing fast gains in often unvetted projects. Its part joke, part warning. Memecoin: A token built around a joke or cultural moment like Dogecoin or the recent Hawk Tuah coin. Some are created in jest, others are tapping into legitimate community-driven goals. Think of these as digital collectibles, like Pokemon cards. Tips for crypto newbies Start small, stay curious: The best way to learn is by doing. Treat your first crypto transaction like your first gym sessionyoure here to learn the ropes, not break a record. Use reputable platforms: Avoid buying coins just because theyre trending on TikTok. Stick to exchanges and wallets with strong reputations, transparent policies, and educational resources. Do your own research: Known as DYOR in the crypto world, do your own research and lean on trusted sources. Unfortunately like any industry, there is risk of scams or fraud with crypto. Rule of thumb: If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Beyond the buzz Cryptos potential isnt defined by celebrity endorsements or trending memes. It lies in what happens beyond the hype: freedom to exchange value directly, without back-office delays or middlemen taking control. Transparent governance and extra layers of privacy. True ownership and accessibility of your digital identity and assets. Regardless of what piqued your interest in crypto or when, welcome. Youre right on time. The memes may fade, but cryptos promise is here to stay. Stu Alderoty is president of the National Cryptocurrency Association.
Category:
E-Commerce
In any language, silence sounds just about the same. It carries a thunderous kick, though, when it comes from Duolingo, the worlds most popular language-learning app, and its famously irreverent social media presence. Facing heavy backlash online after unveiling its new AI-first policy, Duolingo went dark over the weekend on the social media channels where it cultivated an enormous following with quirky posts. The company even took down all of its posts on TikTok and Instagram, where it has 6.7 million and 4.1 million followers, respectively, after both accounts were flooded with negative feedback. After days of silence, on Tuesday the company posted a bizarre video message on TikTok and Instagram whose meaning is hard to decipher. Duolingo had been riding high before CEO Luis von Ahn announced on LinkedIn that the company is phasing out human contractors, looking for AI use in hiring and in performance reviews, and that headcount will only be given if a team cannot automate more of their work. The company ended 2024 with $748 million in revenue, up 41% year over year, and it had more than 116 million monthly active users and 9.5 million paying subscribers as of March. The previous month, the company had executed its most successful social media campaign ever, with the death (by Cybertruck) of the brands mascot, Duo the owl, and his eventual resurrection two weeks later. Duolingo has had such a tremendous yearwith its stock near an all-time high, closing at $526 per share on Tuesdaythat it recently raised its sales forecast for 2025. But that was before the backlash. Duolingo previously faced criticism for quietly laying off 10% of its contractor base and introducing some AI features in late 2023, but it barely went beyond a semi-viral post on Reddit. Now that Duolingo is cutting out all its human contractors whose work can technically be done by AI, and relying on more AI-generated language lessons, the response is far more pronounced. Although earlier TikTok videos are not currently visible, a Fast Company article from May 12 captured a flavor of the reaction: The top comments on virtually every recent post have nothing to do with the video or the companyand everything to do with the companys embrace of AI. For example, a Duolingo TikTok video jumping on board the Mama, may I have a cookie trend saw replies like Mama, may I have real people running the company (with 69,000 likes) and How about NO ai, keep your employees. Another video that tied into the How to Train Your Dragon character Hiccup brought comments like Was firing all your employees and replacing them with AI also a hiccup? This weekend Duolingo expunged all its videos and photos on TikTok and Instagram, and ceased putting out new content on all other channels. Lets just say were experimenting with silence, a spokesperson for Duolingo told Fast Company over email. Sometimes, the best way to make noise is to disappear first. If that last line sounds like a cryptic Don Draperism, it recalls one of the more famous pieces of advice from Mad Men: If you dont like what is being said, change the conversation. Over the past several days, the silence made it seem like Duolingo was gearing up for another of its signature viral stunts. Sure enough, on Tuesday, one arrived. @duolingo DUOLINGO WAS NEVER FUNNY. WE WERE. original sound – Duolingo Duolingos first video drop in days has the degraded, stuttering feel of a Max Headroom video made by the hackers at Anonymous. In it, a supposed member of the companys social team appears in a three-eyed Duo mask and black hoodie to complain about the corporate overlords ruining the empire the heroic social media crew built. Everything came crashing down after one single post about AI, our interlocutor says, a winking nod to the cause of the backlash. The problem, however, wasnt one single post about AI, but the companys policies around AI. If the problem were just a cute post that went sideways, it could be solved with another cute post. But this is something Duolingo cant cute-post its way out of. Its the double-edged sword of a company becoming famous for its fun, massively popular social media presence: When social media turns on you, its a lot more noticeable. Creating a kooky, personality-driven brand identity online has zero downside until the moment a company must respond to an actual backlash in the exact same digital town square where it conducted all that brand-building business. Now Duolingo has thrust itself into what looks like a cant-win double-bind, whereby posting through it might seem callous and tone-deaf, but addressing the controversy seriously would be a jarring disruption that plays like it was filmed at gunpoint. Wendys, which kind of pioneered the unhinged corporate brand account in the early 2010s, faced a similar dilemma last year. When the company appeared to float the idea of implementing surge pricing on its burgers, fans revolted on social media. Some responded to typically cheeky Wendys posts by mocking the brands attempt to harness internet humor at a time when the internet was mad at that brand. In that case, Wendys quickly denied plans to implement surge pricing, and disgruntled fans moved on nearly as quickly. Duolingo, on the other hand, has not yet meaningfully addressed the policies that inspired the backlash against it. Now the Duolingo social media team is trying to have it both ways, taking an ironic, postmodern approach to address a serious issue, instead of breezing past it. Without the company confronting the controversy elsewhere, though, the subtext of every cute social post is that the customers unhappy with Duolingos AI direction are not worth taking seriously. We cant just move on and pretend everythings fine, the mask-wearing Duolingo employee says at one point in the new video. Hes flicking at the idea of taking accountability for the AI fallout, but in the video, its meant to be a rejoinder from the Duolingo social team to the faceless entities above whove made them look bad. Its difficult to parse the exact message here. The video is somehow simultaneously defensive, satirical, avoidant, and flippant. Though it may be the opening salvo in a broader message, for now it seems like a half-baked rush response to a very real issuethe Duolingo brand version of just moving on and pretending everythings fine. Judging by the eyeroll-y comments on the brands TikTok post, though, users can sense as much. It doesnt take a language-learning app to know how to read between the lines.
Category:
E-Commerce
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