1. (Published on www.chssource.com, written by Rachael Rostad)
CHS funds grain bin rescue equipment
A farmer who was rescued by emergency responders from a grain bin near Rose Creek, Minn., in
2014 served as the catalyst for the Rose Creek Volunteer Fire Department to better prepare any
future accidents. Thanks to a $2,500 CHS grant, RCVFD members now have the equipment and
training to more effectively respond to emergencies at grain facilities throughout the region.
Being a smaller department it can be really difficult to get the funding that is needed,” said Karsen
Ulwelling, RCVFD firefighter. “Any help we receive can make a huge impact for our department and
community.
The CHS grant helped purchase a GSI Grain Bin Res-Q Tube. The Rose Creek volunteer firefighters
conducted several grain bin rescue training sessions with the new equipment to train for actual
circumstances, should they arise.
With the new equipment we feel better prepared for anything that could happen in the future,” said
Ulwelling. “If it happened again we would have a much better chance for a successful rescue.
Approximately 20 volunteer firefighters serve the community and surrounding region, responding to
emergencies across southwestern Mower County, including several CHS locations.
We have a lot of CHS elevators around us and it is cool that CHS can give back to their
communities,” said Ulwelling. “Who knows, we could get a call to go out to a CHS elevator in the
future so, really, they are providing better safety for their own sites as well.
CHS and the CHS Foundation are dedicated to shaping the future of agriculture by awarding grants
that develop future leaders, improve Ag safety and build strong rural communities. In 2015, more
than $550,000 was awarded for safety projects such as this one. For more information
on CHS Stewardship, visit www.chsinc.com/stewardship.
https://www.chssource.com/news-and-events/news/2016/01/12/chs-funds-grain-bin-rescue-equipment
2. Midwest dairy students participate in successful meeting
Kelsie Hinds, Hinds Photography
Over 300 collegiate dairy enthusiasts from 12 Midwestern schools recently gathered in Fort Wayne,
Ind., for networking and professional development during the recent 2016 Midwest Regional
American Dairy Science Association-Student Affiliated Division (ADSA-SAD) meeting.
The CHS Foundation supported Purdue University and Michigan State University dairy clubs with a
$1,000 mini-grant to host the event.
“This is a great opportunity for students to do something outside of the box,” says Steve Hendress,
Purdue Dairy Club Advisor. “This conference gives them the chance to look at something different
than what they might see in class and get them off of campus, which makes it really fun.”
Students arrived on a Friday afternoon for the quiz bowl contests, followed by the annual meeting.
Saturday morning began with farm tours at Kuehnert’s Dairy and Blessings Farms. The afternoon
continued at the IPFW Campus with five workshops covering everything from dairy markets to
animal husbandry to securing an internship. The day rounded off with the annual banquet, which
included regional awards highlighting accomplishments from the 12 collegiate clubs, a keynote
speaker and the election of the 2017 regional officers.
“Receiving funding from corporations meant the world to us,” says Kelly Beeker, ADSA-SAD
Student Chair. “This conference is run solely by the donations that we are able to collect. Without
sponsors like the CHS Foundation, we wouldn't be able to have this conference. We are so thankful
for everyone who made this possible.”
CHS and the CHS Foundation are dedicated to shaping the future of agriculture by awarding grants
that develop future leaders, improve Ag safety and build strong rural communities. In 2015, more
than $12.5 million was awarded for programs that help students develop leadership capacity such as
this one. For more information on CHS Stewardship, visithttps://www.chssource.com/our-
company/stewardship.
3. SDSU tours CHS Argentina
Ag students from South Dakota State University recently traveled around Argentina and Uruguay to
learn about agriculture policy, global agricultural trade issues and South American culture. The
group of 11 students were supported by a $10,000 travel grant from the CHS Foundation.
As a part of the experience, students visited CHS Argentina in Buenos Aires, where they visited with
Ezequiel Simmermacher, Finance Manager for Southern Cone, and learned how the CHS Southern
Cone was covering Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
“The main goal of our travel study program was to create a new knowledge and appreciation for
global agriculture,” said Dr. Lynn Gordon, SDSU Extension Agricultural Leadership Specialist and
trip advisor. “It was really interesting to see how CHS had so much global presence. The students
were very familiar with CHS but found it exciting to see the company in the southern hemisphere.”
Leading up to the trip the students spent a semester learning about Argentina and Uruguay’s
agricultural production and culture. Other visits during the twelve-day experience included the U.S
Embassy, Liniers Livestock Market, the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange and various farms. Visit
their travel blog to see more of their experiences.
“Our students were grateful for the support from a company that believes in them enough to help
them learn about global agriculture,” said Gordon.
4. CHS Food and Fund Drive surpasses goal, creates local impact
Employee cooking, giving and friendly completion were the key ingredients in a successful
2016 CHS Food and Fund Drive that raised nearly $11,000 for Minnesota FoodShare and local social
service agency Neighbors, Inc.
CHS employees from the Inver Grove Heights, Eagan Office Center (EOC) and Rosemount
transportation locations participated in events throughout this year’s annual Food and Fund Drive,
held March 7-11. Events included desktop bingo, a CHS Field Suite raffle, and a Monday morning
breakfast cart. Among the most popular events was the third annual CHS Cook-Off which challenged
IGH employees to prepare their best chili, soup and brownie recipes. More than 20 amateur cooks
donated pots and plates of their top recipes. Their coworkers who donated $7 to taste test and judge
the dishes. Prizes were awarded for the top three vote getters in each category.
“Not only does the food drive raise food and funds for Neighbors, it also raises awareness about
hunger and the importance of access to basic nutrition for those in need,” says Carol Maurer, Agris
support analyst, CHS Country Operations. “I think what I love the most is watching people’s
awareness and excitement grow throughout the week.”
The cash was flying during Dollar War competitions at two locations. IGH floors were challenged to
compete for a pancake breakfast served by leadership, while EOC battled east versus west for a pizza
party. This year’s Dollar Wars not only raised over $3,200, it also generated great friendly
competition. The Eagan location had the option to trade food items in for tickets that counted against
their competitor’s Dollar War totals.
“The competitions help make the food and fund drive more interactive and exciting,” says Rachel
Lubich, Propane finance supervisor. “We were able to collect about $1,000 from Eagan employees to
purchase more food for the Dollar War. There was a lot more strategy this year, which really got
everyone engaged.”
Overall, IGH and EOC employees contributed $10,700 and 940 pounds of food to Neighbors, Inc.,
surpassing the goal by nearly $2,000. Learn more about the Minnesota FoodShare March
Campaign here.