It Takes a Co-op

It takes a cooperative to make sure farmers get the fertilizer they need when they need it. Jake Niederer, senior director of risk and trading at CHS, leads a conversation with Lindsie Herzog, director of planning with CHS, and Ross Keegan, senior director of operation at CHS River Plains in South Dakota, about how proactive planning and key investments help cooperatives overcome challenges and de...

Rail is one of the most efficient ways to ship grain, fertilizer, energy and other ag products. It’s a vital part of the supply chain that supports farmers and ranchers and the cooperative system. We talk with Jackie Bailey, senior vice president of transportation with CHS, and Monica Freeman, director of rail transportation with CHS, to examine the importance of rail in the cooperative system, ho...

Propane is an important energy source for farmers and ranchers to heat homes and buildings, dry crops and even power equipment. Global and U.S. propane markets are changing how buyers should think about contracting and storing propane. We talk with Tyler Kelly, who leads propane commodity trading for CHS. He discusses propane supply and demand trends and actions CHS has taken to remain a reliable...

Farmers and ranchers are no strangers to volatility and the cyclical nature of agriculture. Although it seems like there’s more uncertainty today than ever before, there are opportunities for producers who implement sound risk management and marketing strategies.  We talk with Ken Zuckerberg with CHS Market Advisors, who describes the factors driving volatility in ag and global markets and how far...

Farming and ranching are tough jobs. Cooperatives are driving advances in crop production, supply chain efficiency and sustainability to help their owners succeed. We talk with Beth Kearns, a partner in Cerity Partners Ventures, to learn how CHS and Growmark, through Cooperative Ventures, find innovative solutions in a unique collaboration to support emerging technologies that deliver a positive i...

One family’s efforts to navigate tradition and innovation in American agriculture put them in the spotlight of a documentary. We talk with Shawn Feikema, a cooperative owner and farmer near Luverne, Minn., about his family’s farm and the impact of his involvement in that film (“From the Heartland”). Each month on It Takes a Co-op, we introduce you to people working in agriculture and energy, insid...

Have you ever wondered how crop protection products make it to market? At CHS, the research and development process to find innovative solutions to agronomic problems starts and ends at the farm. We talk with Steve Carlsen, director of proprietary products with CHS, Alissa Geske, research lead at the CHS Crop Science Research and Development Center, and Dale Madsen, a grain farmer near Casselton,...

With grain origination and export facilities around the world, CHS investments are helping U.S. farmers participate in a competitive, year-round grain supply chain.  We talk with Chris Pothen, senior vice president of international business with CHS, and Bryce Banfield, vice president of international sales with CHS, who describe the push-pull of market forces and customer demand and the company’s...

With the 2024 CHS Annual Meeting as the backdrop, we put our focus this month on seeing cooperative value in action. We have several interviews in this episode that bring you a unique view of why agricultural cooperatives are crucial to America, including Tony Rossman (CHS Board of Directors), Keri Jacobs (Graduate Institute of Cooperative Leadership), Dustin Haaland (refined fuels trading, CHS),...

We talk with Nelson Neale, president of CHS Hedging, about the economy, global trends affecting agriculture and how the cooperative system can help farmers weather economic challenges. Each month on It Takes a Co-op, we introduce you to people working in agriculture and energy, inside and outside of CHS, whose ideas and insights will help you, and your cooperative, succeed. Follow the show whereve...

We’re celebrating National Co-op Month. In this episode, you'll hear about the impact and benefits of cooperatives from two people who play key roles within the cooperative system across CHS. We talk with CHS Board Chair Dan Schurr about the structure of CHS and how cooperatives support their owners and rural America. You'll also hear from Shannon Forster, a 22-year-old cooperative owner...