Inver Grove Heights-based agribusiness company
CHS is owned by farmers, ranchers, and cooperatives across the country, and now, all of those stakeholders will be able to connect even more effectively through a new online platform.
Dubbed the
CHS Center for Cooperative Growth and launched in October, the platform gathers diverse viewpoints from the industry and academia, with the goal of making cooperatives more effective.
Jessica Lamker, CHS Director of Marketing and Organizational Development, notes that the project came together when the organization considered the needs of the next generation of agribusiness leaders.
"Many agricultural cooperatives were formed in the 1930s," she says. "What we're finding is that as time goes on, young people don't understand the value of having them, and why they're important."
The online tool will provide clarity about complex topics related to cooperatives. For example, the latest content includes insight about equity management, with four industry leaders offering videos and articles on the topic. A future topic will be how cooperative boards of directors can achieve more alignment with each other and with customers.
The reaction from users has been strong, Lamker notes. Not only are farmers and ranchers turning to the site to access research papers and garner advice, but also to connect with others.
For the future, Lamker expects that content will continue to be king, with tutorials and tools. "Having the opportunity to bring this to life has been exciting, and we look forward to seeing where it goes from here," she says.
Source: Jessica Lamker, CHS
Writer: Elizabeth Millard