Published March 5, 2019 By Digital Content

CHS adds crop protection distribution with acquisition of West Central

CHS has completed the acquisition of West Central Distribution, LLC, a full-service wholesale distributor of agronomy products headquartered in Willmar, Minnesota.

“Completing the acquisition of West Central demonstrates our commitment to provide more of the products, services and technologies cooperatives, retailers and our farmer-owners need to compete,” said Gary Halvorson, senior vice president, CHS Agronomy. “Ownership of West Central expands our agronomy platform, positions CHS as a leading supply partner to cooperatives and retailers serving growers throughout the United States and adds value for CHS owners.”

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Published February 25, 2019 By Digital Content

Will 2019 be a disease year?

It may be impossible to tell with complete certainty where a disease will be an issue, but most people can agree on the conditions that can lead to disease. These conditions, otherwise known as the Disease Triangle, include a susceptible host, a conducive environment and a pathogen. When those three things collide, there will be a disease issue.

Though we can see the triangle forming, we can’t always predict how strong the pathogen will spread or how strong it will be. Because we are unable to make this prediction, prevention and planning are key to stopping the spread of diseases.

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Published February 18, 2019 By Digital Content

FFA: Funding future agriculturalists

One of the largest rural youth leadership organizations, FFA, kicks off National FFA Week, Feb. 16-23 to celebrate all things ag leaders, blue corduroy and agricultural education. Many CHS employees are former FFA members and many CHS locations are involved with their local FFA chapters.

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Published January 11, 2019 By Digital Content

CHS Reports $347 million first quarter fiscal 2019 net income

CHS Inc. has reported a net income of $347.1 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2019. “Our strong first quarter results position us well as we start our 2019 fiscal year,” said Jay Debertin, CHS president and chief executive officer. “We are focused on making CHS our customers’ first choice by advancing our technology solutions and equipping employees to meet the changing needs of our customers around the world. We will do this while maintaining financial discipline and rigor.”

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Published December 18, 2018 By Digital Content

CHS owners elect five directors at CHS Annual Meeting

chs board of directors at CHS Annual Meeting — CHS elected five directors at the CHS Annual Meeting.
Pictured (left to right) are: David Beckman, David Johnsrud, David Kayser, Russ Kehl and Steve Fritel.

The 2018 CHS Annual Meeting wrapped up December 7 as more than 1,900 CHS member-owners took part in educational sessions, board elections and governance, and heard company updates in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A recap of the meeting, including the 2018 CHS Annual Report, videos and photos is ready to view.

During CHS Board elections Friday morning, CHS owners elected a farmer from Nebraska and re-elected four other farmers to serve three-year terms on the board. CHS Directors must be full-time farmers or ranchers to be eligible for election to the 17-member board.

Newly elected Director David Beckman of Elgin, Nebraska, succeeds Don Anthony of Lexington, Nebraska, who retired after serving on the board since 2006. Along with his wife, brother and their families, Beckman raises irrigated corn and soybeans and operates a custom hog-feeding operation. He received his bachelor’s degree in agronomy from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and he serves as board chairman for Central Valley Ag Cooperative, York, Nebraska, and secretary of the Nebraska Cooperative Council.

Re-elected were Steve Fritel, Rugby, North Dakota; David Johnsrud, Starbuck, Minnesota; David Kayser, Alexandria, South Dakota; and Russ Kehl, Quincy, Washington.

Following the annual meeting, the CHS Board re-elected Dan Schurr, LeClaire, Iowa, to a one-year term as chairman. Other directors selected as officers for 2019 were:

J. Blew, Castleton, Kansas, first vice chairman
David Johnsrud, Starbuck, Minnesota, secretary-treasurer
Jon Erickson, Minot, North Dakota, second vice chairman
Steve Riegel, Ford, Kansas, assistant secretary-treasurer

Learn more about the CHS Board of Directors.

Published December 3, 2018 By Digital Content

CHS reports fiscal 2018 net income of $776 million

CHS Inc., the nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative and a global energy, grains and foods company, today reported net income of $775.9 million for the fiscal year that ended Aug. 31, 2018.

“Our fiscal 2018 results show the progress we are making on the priorities we set for CHS,” said Jay Debertin, CHS president and chief executive officer. “Our year-over-year financial performance shows good improvement, our balance sheet is solid, and our relationships with cooperative owners are strong. The diverse CHS business platform allowed us to deliver improved earnings and enables us to return $150 million in cash patronage and equity redemptions to owners even as we navigated challenging market conditions.” (more…)

Published November 16, 2018 By Digital Content

CHS Foundation Announces $1.5 Million Gift to Support SDSU Precision Agriculture Program

Photo from left to right: CAFES Dean John Killefer, CHS Board of Director Tracy Jones, CHS Board of Director Randy Knecht, CHS Foundation President Nanci Lilja, SDSU President Barry Dunn, Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering Dean Bruce Berdanier, CHS Board of Director Dave Kayser, and CHS Region Vice President Ed Mallett.

The CHS Foundation, funded by charitable gifts from CHS Inc., announced a $1.5 million grant to support the South Dakota State University (SDSU) precision agriculture program and construction of the new Raven Precision Agriculture Center on campus.

“The gift from the CHS Foundation is pivotal in allowing us to make our globally preeminent precision agriculture program a reality,” says John Killefer, the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council Endowed Dean of the SDSU College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

The gift aligns with CHS priorities around ensuring that educating the next generation of ag leadership includes technology and tradition.

“The CHS Foundation is committed to supporting projects that cultivate opportunity for students interested in the agriculture industry,” says Nanci Lilja, president, CHS Foundation. “By supporting the precision ag program at SDSU, there will be more qualified graduates entering the agriculture industry.”

SDSU is the nation’s first land-grant university to offer a bachelor’s degree and minor in precision agriculture. The degree is a collaborative effort encompassing the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department and the Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science Department in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, as well as the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering.

SDSU’s precision agriculture degree will provide students with access to cutting-edge developments in the rapidly evolving intersection of agronomics, high-speed sensor technology, data management and advanced machinery development. Students will be prepared for lifelong careers that support economically and environmentally sustainable agriculture.

This facility will allow the state to lead the nation in precision agriculture research, teaching and innovation.

“The gift in support of the Raven Precision Agriculture Center will positively impact our students and industry for decades to come,” says Killefer. “This commitment from the CHS Foundation illustrates the leadership role and vision they have within the agricultural industry.”

The building has 129,000 square feet of floor space that will be able to house modern precision farm equipment and will provide collaborative learning spaces for student design projects. Flexible space will give scientists from a variety of departments and industry space to collaborate on research and education.

“Precision agriculture technology is ever-changing,” says Lilja. “It’s exciting to envision the impact students will have by developing new technologies through collaboration with their peers and industry leaders in this new environment.”

Final construction plans are in-progress. Some ground work is expected to begin this fall, with construction starting in the spring of 2019.

About the CHS Foundation

The CHS Foundation, funded by charitable gifts from CHS Inc., is focused on developing a new generation of agriculture leaders for life-long success. Together, with our partners, we are igniting innovation and driving excellence in agriculture education, cultivating high-impact programs for rural youth and accelerating potential for careers in agriculture. Learn more at https://chsfoundation.org.

About South Dakota State University
Founded in 1881, South Dakota State University is the state’s Morrill Act land-grant institution as well as its largest, most comprehensive school of higher education. SDSU confers degrees from seven different colleges representing more than 200 majors, minors and specializations. The institution also offers 36 master’s degree programs, 15 Ph.D. and two professional programs.

The work of the university is carried out on a residential campus in Brookings, at sites in Sioux Falls, Pierre and Rapid City, and through Extension offices and Agricultural Experiment Station research sites across the state.

Published November 8, 2018 By Digital Content

A simple 4-question test for choosing a diesel engine oil

By Erin Wroge, CHS market supervisor, Cenex brand lubricants

Choosing the right engine oil for your equipment can get complicated fast. Today’s diesel engine oils are more advanced than ever, and with all the options on the market today, it’s no wonder if your head is spinning. Viscosity control? Shear stability? TBN retention? It can almost feel like you need an advanced degree in mechanical engineering just to pick the right product for your equipment.

Not everyone is a lubricants expert, and they shouldn’t have to be. Still, choosing the right engine oil is a critical decision. The oil inside your heavy-duty equipment is a protective barrier against thousands of pounds of pressure and constant stress. Without the right premium lubricant, your equipment can wear itself down to the bone — incurring costly damage and downtime.

The good news is that picking an engine oil doesn’t have to be rocket science. Cenex^® offers a full line of high-quality lubricants designed to meet a variety of heavy-duty applications. To determine which product is right for your operation, just ask yourself these four simple questions. (more…)

Published October 15, 2018 By Digital Content

CHS celebrates National Co-op Month through cooperative education

The CHS Foundation, funded by charitable gifts from CHS Inc., announced it has awarded more than $440,000 in cooperative education grants to projects that will help students learn about the cooperative business model and what makes cooperatives unique.

“October is National Co-op Month to raise awareness about cooperatives. What better time to celebrate how the CHS Foundation has supported cooperative education projects for more than 20 years?” says Nanci Lilja, president, CHS Foundation. (more…)

Published October 4, 2018 By Digital Content

How to maximize crop nutrients throughout the growing season

Image Courtesy of Kyle Schafer

Crops demand nutrition throughout the entire growing period, but most of them can’t utilize those nutrients effectively during early development. A shortage of nutrients can lead to significant yield loss and stunted plant development.

How effectively those nutrients are managed in the spring can affect how the crops look in the fall. Weather and other pest and weed influences can also impact crop growth and development, but good nutrient management is essential as crops reach the final stages of growth. As crops move through the grain fill period in the fall, growers need to keep an eye out for nutrient deficiency symptoms. (more…)