MKC to work with Land O’Lakes and Verizon on broadband connectivity project that will benefit Whitewater, KS and surrounding area

Today, MKC announces a collaboration with Land O’Lakes and Verizon to expand broadband internet access to residents of Whitewater, KS and the surrounding community. Through this partnership, a wireless communications tower has been built and turned on by Verizon at the MKC Whitewater facility. This effort to improve connectivity has the potential to provide residents in this rural area with additional broadband services in their homes. 
 
Not only is broadband increasingly critical to daily life, it also enables precision agriculture, increasing yields, improving productivity, and boosting profits. Yet, according to the Federal Communications Commission, more than 14.5 million Americans do not have access to broadband, specifically in rural areas, where more than 17% of Americans lack access. However, some claim the number is even higher, Broadband Now estimates that 42 million Americans do not have access to broadband. This effort by MKC, Verizon and Land O’Lakes aims to address these gaps. 
 
This project is part of ongoing efforts by Land O’Lakes and Verizon to address the rural broadband gap across the United States, and MKC is part of the Land O’Lakes member network. Through its American Connection Project, Land O’Lakes, along with its cooperative network, are helping to bridge the digital divide with awareness and advocacy.  
 
“This partnership will bring a high-speed service option to many residents in our surrounding communities,” said Erik Lange, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at MKC. “We are excited for what this will mean to those impacted by this project and how it will allow us to better serve our member owners. We are working towards real time notifications to our member owners while in the field and closing the digital divide is critical to accomplish this.”
 
"We're so excited to be working with MKC to bring real solutions for the lack of broadband access in these communities,” said Teddy Bekele, Chief Technology Officer at Land O’Lakes. “As a farmer-owned co-op, Land O'Lakes works to support job creation and vibrant communities where our members and their families work and live. We will continue to develop more ways to increase access to digital connectivity for all Americans."
 
“The work we’re doing with Land O’Lakes and MKC is so important in many ways and ladders back to our respective efforts to close the digital divide and bring connectivity to rural areas,” said Andy Brady, Vice President, Enterprise Sales, Verizon Business. “The work at MKC’s Whitewater facility and in Whitewater, KS, is hopefully just the start of an ongoing connectivity expansion effort.”
 
About MKC
MKC (Mid Kansas Cooperative), headquartered in Moundridge, KS, is a full-service farm cooperative offering a complete line of products, programs, and services for both farm and urban customers throughout Kansas and the surrounding states. With a current membership of over 11,000 members, MKC specializes in grain, agronomy, energy, feed and risk management. MKC services an additional 8,000 customers through their wholly owned independent ag retailer, Mid-West Fertilizer. Since its founding in 1965, MKC has expanded its footprint through mergers and acquisitions to meet the needs of the producer. Learn more about MKC at mkcoop.com and follow the MKC story on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
 
About Verizon 
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology and communications services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $133.6 billion in 2021. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.
 
About Land O'Lakes, Inc.   
Land O'Lakes, Inc., one of America's premier agribusiness and food companies, is a member-owned cooperative with industry-leading operations that span the spectrum from agricultural production to consumer foods. With 2021 annual sales of $16 billion, Land O'Lakes is one of the nation's largest cooperatives, ranking 232 on the Fortune 500. Building on a legacy of more than 100 years of operation, Land O'Lakes today operates some of the most respected brands in agribusiness and food production including Land O’Lakes Dairy Foods, Purina Animal Nutrition, WinField United and Truterra. The company does business in all 50 states and more than 60 countries. Land O'Lakes, Inc. corporate headquarters are located in Arden Hills, Minnesota.