LAND O'LAKES, INC. AND IMAGINE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCE COLLABORATION TO REDEFINE STORYTELLING AND NARRATIVES OF RURAL AMERICA

Work together brings actionable insights and resources to help film and TV creators portray rural America with authenticity and accuracy

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. and LOS ANGELES, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, Land O'Lakes, Inc., has collaborated with Brian Grazer and Ron Howard's Imagine Entertainment to develop a toolkit for storytellers aimed at changing the way rural America is depicted across film and television.

With Land O'Lakes' roots in rural America as a farmer-owned cooperative, and Imagine's established presence in the entertainment industry and relationships with leading creatives, the two companies aim to encourage and empower storytellers in film and television to reflect a more accurate and dynamic view of rural American life. Land O'Lakes and Imagine Entertainment are coming together as part of The Modern Rural Collective – a network of storytellers, marketers and brands with a mission to inspire a new, shared narrative for all Americans – one rooted in mutual aspiration and authentic representation.

Designed for screenwriters and producers, this toolkit distills perspectives from rural residents including some Land O'Lakes member-owners, and aims to equip the entertainment industry with credible context and practical guidance for representing rural life.

"Authentic representation matters. Rural communities are not monolithic—they're dynamic, innovative, and essential to our shared future," said Heather Malenshek, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Land O'Lakes. "At Land O'Lakes, we're committed to challenging outdated stereotypes and elevating stories that reflect the true nature of rural America. This initiative is about more than imagery; it's about fostering understanding and connection across cultural divides."

"I had an early impression of how welcoming, interesting, and layered rural life was, even in the 60s, when I was a kid visiting the small towns and farms where my parents grew up in Oklahoma and Kansas," said Ron Howard, co-founder of Imagine Entertainment. "There has long been a tendency to oversimplify rural America, and I look forward to storytellers using the context and practical guidance in this new resource to portray these communities with the depth, energy, and authenticity they deserve."

The toolkit centers on uses of theme, character and visuals to better represent the incredible richness of rural America. In addition to this research, there are direct recommendations provided in the toolkit, such as:

• Showcase innovation and entrepreneurship as inherent and critical qualities.
• Emphasize themes of community involvement and helping neighbors.
• Include more teenagers and members of Gen Z, represent people of color, and show working women.
• Visually, show more types of people and places, expand employment seen on-screen, and move beyond lifestyle clichés.

The full toolkit is available here.

For more information and additional resources, please visit the Modern Rural Collective website. In addition, you can find the Repicturing Rural playbook referenced throughout the toolkit and created through Land O'Lakes' work with Getty Images.

About Land O'Lakes
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 2024 annual sales of $16.2 billion, Land O'Lakes is one of the nation's largest cooperatives, ranking 245 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, Animal Nutrition and WinField United. 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.

About Imagine Entertainment
Imagine Entertainment, founded by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, is a multi-award-winning film and television production company with a remarkable track record of creating critically acclaimed and commercially successful content. With numerous hit projects to their credit, Imagine Entertainment has consistently redefined the boundaries of storytelling in the entertainment industry.

About MRC
The Modern Rural Collective (MRC) is a network of storytellers, marketers, and brands with a shared mission. Convened by Land O'Lakes, Inc., MRC is working to inspire a new narrative for all Americans – one rooted in mutual aspiration and authentic representation.

Through tools and strategic collaborations with Getty Images and Imagine Entertainment, MRC is helping to shape the portrayal of rural America, reflecting both its value and values. By elevating the truth and potential of rural communities, MRC fosters cultural understanding and connection across geographies. modernruralcollective.com

SOURCE Land O'Lakes, Inc.