Published April 3, 2020 By albarella

Update on COVID-19 from Jay Debertin

Dear valued customers and owners:

As our essential businesses work to meet spring season demands amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to focus on the health and safety of every person and community connected to CHS and the cooperative system.

We want you to know that CHS remains fully operational and committed to providing the essential products and services you need. Our supply chain is prepared and moving into action as spring fieldwork begins. Grain is moving and the spring shipping season has begun. We are grateful for those positive signs.

Thank you for your business. Please let us know how we can help you navigate through the days and weeks ahead.

Sincerely,

Jay D. Debertin
President and CEO

Published March 24, 2020 By Jennifer Johnson

COVID-19 Updates – Locations

Current COVID-19 Changes at CHS based out of Brandon, SD (Updated Regularly)
Last updated 4/25/2020

Overall Company Updates:

We are limiting access at all locations and have eliminated walk-in traffic. Our staff members are available via phone (calls and texts) and email to fully serve your needs during this time.
We have restricted face-to-face meetings. Our sales staff will conduct business via phone, text or email. As a company that prides itself on the relationships we have built, this will be a difficult change. However, face-to-face meetings pose a greater risk for all parties. If you need to conduct critical business that requires an in-person meeting, please call for an appointment to confirm access to the facility and availability of staff. All visitors to our office will be required to complete a questionnaire before entering our facilities.

Baltic, SD

Seasonally closed to assist other locations with spring work.

Brandon, SD Grain:

Hours of Operation: 7:30AM – 5PM
Grain Shipments: Please stay in your truck as much as possible.
Please refrain from entering our office or other buildings unless it is absolutely essential. If it is essential, you will be asked to fill out the CHS Screening form before entering facility.
To limit face-to-face contact, please email me at alan.rausch@chsinc.com or call me (O) 605-582-2415 or Cell 605-941-5244
If you are on site for necessary business, please follow social distancing guidelines of 6 feet of space between people.

Canton, SD:

Grain Hours of Operation: 8AM – 4PM
Grain Contact Number: 605-987-2714
Energy Hours of Operation: 8AM – 5PM
Energy Contact Number: 605-332-5881
Grain Loading and Receiving: Please stay in your truck and do not enter the office. We will communicate through the kiosks.
Grain checks will be mailed out or passed through the scale window – call our office to talk with a member of our staff.

Colton, SD:

Hours of Operation: 7AM – 5PM Monday – Thursday, extended hours during spring season.
Office phone: 605-446-3400

Crofton, NE:

Hours of Operation: 8AM – 5PM, Monday through Friday
Sales staff will be available by phone only.
Office is limited to essential visits only.
We are asking that appointments be made to visit staff in the main office as some staff can be working remotely, please call 402-388-4588.
Payments can be placed in the drop box outside the office door.

Elkton, SD:

Hours of Operation: 8AM – 4PM
Loading Grain: Please stay in your truck. DO NOT ENTER the scale room until further notice.
Delivering Grain: Please stay within 4 feet of your truck/tractor and wagon. DO NOT ENTER the scale room until further notice.
All grain checks will be mailed out.
Feed orders and deliveries, please call the elevator and we will assist you with your orders.
Hardware store and energy, the office is limited to essential business customers only.
Agronomy office is limited to essential business customer only and we ask that you make an appointment to visit with staff.
We have a drop box outside the office door for payments.
To talk with office or agronomy staff, please call 605-542-2371
To talk with elevator staff, please call 605-542-2211
For any emergencies, please call 507-920-1075

Ellis, SD:

Hours of Operation: 8AM – 4PM Monday through Friday
Facility is closed to visitors except by appointment
Call for information, 605-332-5881

Garretson, SD:

Hours of Operation: 8AM – 4PM, Monday through Friday
Please adhere to the CDC guidelines at all times at this facility
We ask that appointments be made to visit office staff, please call 605-594-3415.

Hurley, SD:

Hours of Operation: 8AM – 4PM Monday – Friday
Grain Receiving & Loading: Please stay in your truck and do not enter the office unless otherwise advised by staff.
All grain checks will be mailed out of the Canton office.
Site Contacts: Office – 605-238-5281 or David, Location Manager, at (c) 605-214-0517

Jasper, MN

Hours of Operation: 8AM – 4PM, Monday – Friday
Grain Shipments: Please stay in your truck as much as possible.
Please refrain from entering our office or other building unless it is absolutely essential.
If you are on-site, we ask that you adhere to the 6-foot distancing guidelines set out by the CDC.
To limit face-to-face contact, please email Brandon at brandon.mack@chsinc.com or call the office at 507-348-3911.

Kanaranzi, MN:

Hours of Operation: 8AM – 4PM, Monday through Friday
Grain Receiving and Shipments: Please remain in your truck and wait for instructions from staff. DO NOT ENTER the office area.
Please adhere to the 6-foot distancing guidelines set out by the CDC.
For any questions, please call 507-283-8989

Luverne, MN:

Hours of Operation: 7:30AM – 5:00PM
We are asking that appointments be made to visit staff in the main office, please call 507-283-4418.
Grain Deliveries: Please stay in your vehicle until the attendant comes out to give you instructions.
For Feed: Please call the mill at 507-449-2002 and someone will come to assist you.
For Energy Parts: Please call 507-283-4418 and someone will come to assist you.
Payments can be placed in the drop box located to the left of the main door.

Magnolia, MN:

Grain Hours of Operation: 8AM – 4PM – Monday through Friday
Grain Receiving and Shipping: We ask truckers and patrons adhere to the 6-foot distancing guidelines set out by the CDC. We will bring all paperwork to you.
For grain questions, please contact Brad Skattum at 507-920-9553

Ag Center Hours of Operation: 8AM – 5PM, Monday through Friday
Visitors are by appointment only.
Please contact our office at 507-283-2431

Marshall, MN:

Hours of Operation: 8AM – 5PM
Agronomy sales staff will be available by phone or video calls only.
Office is limited to essential visits only. If necessary, please adhere to the 6-foot distancing guidelines set out by the CDC.
Seed Department: receiving and pickup, please leave paperwork on the back of your trailer and stay in your truck.
Grain Loading: Please stay in your truck.
Unloading Grain: Please stay within 6 foot of your truck/tractor while unloading.

Pipestone, MN:

Hours of Operation: 7:30AM – 4:30PM
We are adhering to the CDC guidelines, using 6′ spacing, wiping down contacted surfaces multiple times a day.
We ask that you limit contact with route drivers and adhere to the 6′ spacing.
For energy parts, please call 507-825-4256 and someone will come to assist you
Payments can be placed in the drop box located to the right of the main door
While assisting customers with portable LP tanks to be filled we are asking that you keep maximum distance and no follow employees to the fill station.

Ruthton, MN:

Hours of Operation: 8AM – 4PM
Agronomy sales staff is available by phone or video calls.
Office is limited to essential visits only. If necessary, please adhere to the 6-foot distancing guidelines set out by the CDC.
Grain Probe Shack: Please do not enter until further notice.
Loading Trucks: Please stay in your truck.
Unloading Grain: Please stay within 6 foot of your truck/tractor while unloading.

Tracy, MN:

Hours of Operation: 8AM – 4PM
Loading Grain: Please stay in your truck. DO NOT ENTER the scale room until further notice.
Delivering Grain: Please stay within 4 feet of your truck/tractor and wagon. DO NOT ENTER the scale room until further notice.
All grain checks will be mailed out.
Please call, 507-629-3780 to talk with staff.

Feed Mill Hours of Operation: 6AM – 5PM
Please call or email in feed orders
Bulk and back delivery drivers, please stay in your trucks and call 507-629-3781 for assistance.
Bag feed orders, please call and we will bring bags outside to the loading dock.
Please contact Jacob Portz at Jacob.Portz@chsinc.com or Rod Benson at Rod.Benson@chsinc.com for any questions or orders.

Wausa, NE:

Hours of Operation: 8AM – 5PM – hours will adjust to 6:30AM – Dark when agronomy season starts.
If you with to meet with office staff, please call ahead to make an appointment as some staff is working remotely.
Our office is open, but ask that if you are ill, please stay home or call and we will meet you at the door. We would like to limit the number of people in the office.
Please respect the CDC guidelines of social distancing at 6ft if you are on the premises.
Sales staff is available by cell phone only.
We ask that you please stay in your vehicle when we are loading chemical or fertilizer.
If you are a trucker, please stay on the scale and someone will come to you.
Protocols are subject to change with recommended guidelines and management discretion.

Worthing, SD:

Hours of Operation: 7AM – 5PM , Monday through Thursday
Office Phone: 605-372-3700

Published March 19, 2020 By Jennifer Johnson

General Manager Update On COVID-19

March 19, 2020

As you are aware, the impact of the global pandemic caused by COVID-19 continues to rapidly evolve. Safety is a core value for CHS and includes a focus on the health and wellbeing of our employees, families, customers and owners, and the communities in which we live and work.

We understand that spring is here, and I want to emphasize; we are open for business. We are simply adjusting some protocols. CHS based out of Brandon, S.D. has implemented the following changes effective Thursday, March 19^th, until further notice:

We are limiting access at all locations. We respectfully ask you to contact us through phone or email whenever possible. Some of our locations have enacted split shift schedules; staff that can work remotely, have been asked to do so and will be available via phone or e-mail.
If you need a grain check, please contact us and we will mail it promptly, deliver it to local bank for deposit or setup a pickup location outside of the office.
All visitors to our office will be required to complete a questionnaire before entering our facilities. We are also asking all staff and visitors to adhere to the 6-foot distance recommended by the CDC to reduce virus spread.
For in-home propane leak checks, inspections or service; customers will be asked to complete a simple screening questionnaire prior to any CHS employee providing in-home service work.
We have restricted face-to-face meetings. Our sales staff will conduct business via phone, text or email. As a company that prides itself on the relationships we have built, this will be a difficult change. However, face-to-face meetings pose a greater risk for everyone involved. If you need to conduct critical business that requires an in-person meeting, please call for an appointment to confirm access to the facility and availability of staff.
We ask you to call ahead for product pickup whenever possible, our team will ensure that everything is ready to load upon your arrival.
For those customers or vendors delivering grain or picking up products, we ask that you limit your time in the office to essential business. At some locations, we are asking drivers to remain in their cab. Please check our location policies or watch for information and direction upon arrival.

We will adjust our practices as necessary in the coming days, weeks or months. Rest assured, it is our commitment that we will continue to provide excellent service and support throughout this unprecedented time, even if we must do it differently. We value your business, your trust in CHS and appreciate your understanding during this time. We look forward to resuming normal interactions as soon as it is deemed safe to do so.

Kent Mulder
General Manager
CHS based out of Brandon, S.D.

CHS_Brandon_KentLetter_COVID19_FINAL_3.19.20 Download a printable copy.

Published March 16, 2020 By albarella

A message about COVID-19

With the impact of the global pandemic caused by COVID-19 evolving rapidly, we want to reassure you that CHS is taking steps to protect the health and safety of our employees, our owners and customers, and the communities we serve.

We are developing plans with the goal of continuing to provide the highest possible level of service to our customers and owners. Specific measures include:

Close coordination and collaboration to ensure safety and wellbeing of employees, customers and communities
Cancelation of annual meetings and other meetings of large groups and limiting visits to CHS facilities
Additional use of voice, video and other technology to serve you, our customers and coordinate farm visits
Activating plans to flex employees between locations or business units to better serve you
New process and rigor for interactions with vendors, suppliers, contractors or other third parties to promote health and safety
Fully utilizing our powerful and flexible supply chain and asset base should it become necessary to deliver to or from alternate locations

As the busy spring season unfolds, we will continue to adjust as circumstances change. We don’t take this challenge lightly, but we’re committed to working through it with effective planning, communication and execution. With our talented and committed team, best-in-class assets and our values of safety and cooperative spirit, we are confident CHS will continue to deliver products and services for customers and value for owners.

This means the cancellation of our upcoming annual meeting to be held on Friday, March 13, at the Caboose in Tracy, Minnesota, and Monday, March 16, at the Sioux Falls Convention Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Extended absentee voting for the producer board in Region 6, which includes our locations in Crofton, Dixon and Wausa, Nebraska will take place at each respective location until Friday, March 20th at 4pm.

Further Cancellations:
The Worthing Ag Center Trade Show scheduled for Wednesday, March 18th and the Chili Cook-off in Garretson scheduled for Tuesday, March 24th have been cancelled.

Thank you for your understanding.