CHS Annual Meeting
December 3-4, 2026
The 2026 CHS Annual Meeting will be held Dec. 3-4, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Registration information will be available in October.
2025 CHS Annual Meeting recap
CHS Foundation ag teacher grants
During the 2025 CHS Annual Meeting, attendees voted for their favorite finalists in the CHS Foundation ag teacher grant program. Based on the voting results, these grants were awarded:
- Ashby (Minn.) Public Schools received $20,000 to develop a greenhouse that will be a living classroom, expanding access to fresh produce and deepening student understanding of agriculture.
- Madison (Ind.) Consolidated High School received $15,000 to expand the Growing Minds Farm Stop, a student-run farm store and cafe.
- Edwards County High School, Albion, Ill., received $10,000 to purchase tools and software for its precision agriculture program.
CHS New Leaders Forum
Young farmers and ranchers are nominated by their cooperatives to participate in the CHS New Leaders Forum where they learn about CHS and the cooperative model, build leadership skills and discover how they can advocate for agriculture and cooperatives.
Forum registration is completed in conjunction with annual meeting registration.
If you are a young cooperative owner who is interested in participating in CHS New Leaders Forum, contact the CEO or general manager of your cooperative or email [email protected].
Annual meeting procedures
A nominating committee of CHS members was elected by CHS members at the 2025 CHS Annual Meeting to help lead CHS into the future by assessing and recommending candidates for the CHS Board of Directors.
| Region | One-year term | Two-year term |
| 1 | Ryan Mackenthun, Minnesota | Chad Okeson, Minnesota |
| 2 | Wagner Harmon, Montana | Dan Schuler, Montana |
| 3 | Darren Sletten, North Dakota | Adam Leiphon, North Dakota |
| 4 | Miles Mendel, South Dakota | Tyler Fischer, South Dakota |
| 5 | Jeremy Mills, Indiana | Tom Walker, Wisconsin |
| 6 | Adam Clark, Idaho | John Schumacher, Idaho |
| 7 | Glenn Christ, Iowa | Tracy Studer, Iowa |
| 8 | Jeff Loschen, Nebraska | Rick Brune, Nebraska |
The 2026 CHS Nominating Committee has recommended Board candidates for the 2026 election.
At the CHS annual meeting, the CHS Nominating Committee will handle additional responsibilities on behalf of CHS members:
- Discuss and provide input on top CHS public policy issues
- Recommend rules governing member meetings for full membership vote and consider future rules revisions
- Oversee delegate credentials, including presenting the credentials report for full membership vote
- Oversee electronic voting processes
The 2026 CHS Nominating Committee, elected by CHS members, completed the process of evaluating and recommending up to two candidates for each open Board seat. CHS members will cast their ballots in Director elections at regional caucuses during the 2026 CHS Annual Meeting in early December or via absentee voting prior to the annual meeting.
The following candidates will be included on the ballot:
Region 1 (first seat)
Scott Cordes, Wanamingo, Minn. (incumbent)
Kevin Sharkey, Hanley Falls, Minn.
Region 1 (second seat)
Tony Rossman, Oronoco, Minn. (incumbent)
Region 2
Courtney Herzog, Rapelje, Mont.
Cortney Wagner, Hardin, Mont. (incumbent)
Region 3
Jon Erickson, Minot, N.D. (incumbent)
Region 5
Les Danielson, Cadott, Wis.
Tracy Jones, Kirkland, Ill. (incumbent)
Region 7
Nate Schulte, Rock Rapids, Iowa
Jake Taylor, Ashland, Mo.
Region 8
C.J. Blew, Castleton, Kan. (incumbent)
The CHS Board seats shown in the table below will be elected by CHS members at each year’s annual meeting:
| Anticipated seats for election by year | |||
| Region | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 |
| 1 | 1 seat | 2 seats | |
| 2 | 1 seat | ||
| 3 | 1 seat | 1 seat | 1 seat |
| 4 | 1 seat | 1 seat | |
| 5 | 1 seat | 1 seat | |
| 6 | 1 seat | ||
| 7 | 1 seat | 1 seat | |
| 8 | 1 seat | 1 seat | 1 seat |
Every owner’s voice matters in CHS governance.
- Absentee online voting for director elections is available for members who cannot be at the annual meeting in person to cast their votes. Members are not able to vote remotely during caucuses – they must either vote in advance electronically or attend the caucus in person to vote in director elections.
- Absentee members are able to vote online during the annual meeting general session on any procedural motions brought forward during the meeting.
- Mobile electronic voting technology will be used for all owner governance actions at the CHS annual meeting.
- Direct questions related to voting procedures to Megan Bern, CHS corporate secretary.