Benefits of Cooperative Ownership
Cooperative ownership means you own a system focused on meeting the needs of your business and your community. From expanding market opportunities to providing valuable inputs to giving you access to a reliable energy supply, cooperatives help you own every day.
TOPICS THAT MATTER TO YOU
Global Market Access
CONSUMER DEMAND OPENS NEW DOORS
FROM DAKOTA PLAINS TO ITALY
CO-OPS FIND NEW VALUE STREAMS
THINKING INSIDE THE BOX
You Have a Voice
“People may wonder if co-ops will still be relevant down the road. But there is, and always will be, the value of working with others who have the same goals and the resources to make them happen.”
“Cooperatives play a very important role, not only for farmers, but for the communities they support. Rather than being driven solely by profits or a handful of shareholders like an investor-owned company may be, they’re driven by what it takes to support their customers.”
“I started on the co-op’s associate board just to learn more about the cooperative system and what that really means for local communities and local economy. Eventually, that turned into a desire to play a part in making decisions that would keep our cooperative here for many years to come.”
“As we gain more clarity on these and other issues, CHS will continue to do what we can to help farmers be as successful as possible—whether that’s assisting them in their daily decisions on the farm or advocating on their behalf in Congress.”
“Just like any business, we have a drive to bring value to our owners. Unlike many other businesses, our owners are the farmers and ranchers that buy from us. And being an owner means helping create the vision for the company’s future.”
Benefit from Local Expertise
“The co-op has gone over and above to provide me with information and make sure I have the products I need when I need them. Their expertise and reliability has a lot of value to me.”
“Investing in a quality fuel we know we can depend on helps us get the most out of our equipment. Thanks to our co-op, we don’t ever have to worry about running out of fuel and we can use fuel contracts to manage price.”
“Since field activity across that area is rarely all taking place at the same time, we’re able to move applicators where they’re needed, when they’re needed. That kind of flexibility allows us to provide better service.”
Earn Patronage and Equity
Patronage and member equity are fundamental benefits of cooperative ownership.
Help Communities Thrive
The benefits of cooperative ownership go beyond your operation. Cooperatives bring strength to rural communities by providing jobs, building economic stability and supporting local services. Through the CHS Foundation and CHS Community Giving, CHS is committed to meeting these 2023 goals on behalf of its farmer-owners.
CHS Foundation 2023 Goals
students educated about ag co-ops
students prepared for ag careers
future ag leaders supported
CHS Community Giving 2023 Goals
youth learn lifesaving safety and health lessons
communities receive matching grants
percent increase in employee volunteerism
Tap into a Global Supply Chain
As a cooperative owner, you are part of an extensive grain origination network that links your farming operation to world markets. And you benefit from a broad-based input system that harnesses the power of cooperative-owned refineries and growing agronomy resources to deliver inputs when and where you need them.
DATA-DRIVEN SUPPLY CHAIN
ENSURING NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY
END-TO-END TRACEABILITY
Focus on Long-Term Thinking
Looking for the next right answer is central to the cooperative model. That balance drives cooperatives to look for new, more efficient ways to do business with an eye to long-term success and value. Cooperative ownership means you’re part of a global network of experts and advocates who focus on market trends, challenges and opportunities, so you can stay focused on managing a productive business.
To make the most of early season nitrogen applications, many growers add sulfur, a secondary nutrient that helps plants process the nitrogen. Now, farmers and cooperatives can benefit from a change in sulfur supply that brings the nutrient to crop input suppliers directly from a farmer-owned oil refinery.
In the process of creating diesel and gasoline, the CHS refinery at McPherson, Kan., removes and recovers sulfur. This sulfur is then combined with ammonia to create ammonium thiosulfate (ATS), a crop nutrient that helps boost yield for corn and other crops.
“Now that the cooperative system manages the supply chain from start to end, we have more reliability for getting ATS to our owners.”
E15 is now able to be sold at all Cenex® branded retail locations. Increased access to higher ethanol blends not only helps consumers more readily access renewable fuels but increases ethanol demand for our farmers.
“These steps demonstrate the commitment of CHS and the Cenex brand to renewable fuels, which play an important role in our environment and contribute to the success of our agricultural economy.”