A farewell message from JoAnne Berkenkamp

Greetings everyone,

Today, I’m sharing my final missive as MBOLD’s Managing Director. At the end of this week, I’m making a joyful leap into my brand new, post-career life of leisure and adventure. It’s been a big decision, but I’m endlessly excited about my next phase.

What a wonderful journey my career has been. From international development to investment banking in the early days, to sustainable agriculture, regional food systems to food waste reduction, it has been an amazing odyssey in the company of amazing leaders and friends.

That’s been no more true than in the past six years leading the MBOLD Coalition. It has been a great honor to work with MBOLD’s executive leaders, steering team members, a diverse array of partners and allies, and fellow staff at Greater MSP.

When I came to MBOLD in 2019, I wanted to pull the biggest levers I could find to advance sustainability in our food and agriculture system. This role has not disappointed. MBOLD has tackled tough issues and we’ve come so far -- together.

Jeff Harmening, CEO of General Mills and 6-year veteran of the MBOLD chair role, reflected, “When we hired the first Managing Director, we knew we needed someone who could take a vision and not only shape it into action but take it further than we had imagined. JoAnne was the perfect choice – she met the challenge and exceeded our expectations. Through her leadership, MBOLD is meeting its goal to lead the food and agriculture sector in addressing the world’s challenges. We are improving soil health, creating a circular economy, and developing the protein solutions of the future. Thank you, JoAnne!”

As I look ahead, I’m glad to say that MBOLD is well-positioned for the future. For instance, we were just awarded $2.4 million for our Protein Catalyst initiative and crop diversification efforts. We’re forging new collaborations in the U.S. and with partners in Canada and Europe. Minnesota’s reputation for crafting practical solutions to global challenges is more prominent than ever.

Soon, my colleagues will share more good news about our plant protein and animal feed work, crop insurance innovations to reduce barriers for farmers, and our next steps to forge a circular economy.

While my successor has not yet been named, I know I leave the coalition in the hands of creative, determined, capable leaders. To provide some continuity, I will continue to lead MBOLD’s plant protein innovation work on a consulting basis (and so can be reached at my current email through October).

I’d like to send a special thanks to MBOLD’s current chair, Jase Wagner, the CEO of Compeer Financial, for his allyship. Jase shares this with us, “JoAnne has been pivotal in bringing together leaders across the coalition to turn our shared mission into real, lasting impact. Her determination, passion, and unwavering commitment have shaped not just what we’ve accomplished, but how we’ve worked together. She will be deeply missed.”

We set out to do hard things with an approach rooted in trusting relationships and collaboration in a world where collaboration can be all too scarce. Much more lies ahead. I want to thank every one of you for being on this journey with me, and I send you the warmest wishes for continued joy, well-being, and success in making the world a better place.

JoAnne Berkenkamp

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