CHS launched the “It Takes a Co-op™” podcast in 2025. Through interviews with people inside and outside CHS, each episode highlights agricultural, energy and transportation topics and raises awareness of the cooperative system. Here are four of our favorite episodes in no particular order.
1. Co-op owners benefit from global supply chain
Grain trade flows are changing and CHS is adapting to those shifts by strategically investing in grain origination and export facilities in the U.S. and around the globe. The goal is to be a competitive year-round grain supplier, preserving market access for American farmers and the cooperative system. Listen in as Chris Pothen, senior vice president of international business with CHS, and Bryce Banfield, vice president of international sales with CHS, describe the push-pull of market forces and customer demand and the company’s international strategy.
2. Proactive planning helps meet fertilizer demand
Fertilizer is essential for growing a great crop. The cooperative system is dedicated to ensuring farmers have the crop nutrients they need when they need them. In this episode, Jake Niederer, senior director of risk and trading with 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 have helped cooperatives overcome challenges and deliver needed fertilizer for the growing season.
3. Finding opportunity amid ag volatility
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. Listen in as Ken Zuckerberg with CHS Market Advisors describes the factors driving volatility in ag and global markets and how farmers can manage risk in the unsettled economic environment.
4. Rail keeps ag products moving
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. Listen in as Jackie Bailey, senior vice president of transportation with CHS, and Monica Freeman, director of rail transportation with CHS, examine the importance of rail in the cooperative system, how it fits in the overall transportation strategy and how cooperatives leverage rail to drive value for owners.
Want more insights like these? Explore more episodes of the It Takes a Co-op podcast.
