Year in Review from the Board of Directors

The fall of 2024 began with tough conditions across the region with poor crop performance and low grain volumes at all of our locations. In late October and early November, the board made the decision to take a new direction for the cooperative and initiate a leadership change. Roger officially retired at the end of December, and we brought in an interim manager to lead the company during the transition and assist with a full evaluation while we conducted the search for a new CEO.

To support this process, we partnered with Hedlin Ag, who helped us find an excellent pool of candidates. We were pleased with the quality of applicants and confident in the direction we chose.

We also saw a significant change on the Board. Longtime board member Tom Trahms of Janesville retired this year. We want to sincerely thank Tom for his many years of service and dedication to Crystal Valley. His experience and insights will be greatly missed.

In January, we held director elections with two incumbents running alongside four new candidates for three open positions. Both incumbents were re-elected, and we’re pleased to welcome Ryan Brandts to the board. Ryan brings a fresh perspective and valuable insight to the boardroom, and we look forward to his contributions.

In late March, after a thorough interview process, we selected our new CEO: Mitch Altermatt. Mitch brings a deep understanding of the cooperative system along with a unique management approach. In his first six months, he has already identified key areas of improvement and is setting a strong vision for the future. We encourage everyone to take the opportunity to meet Mitch. He’s eager to listen to members and values your feedback.

In early September, the board held its annual retreat where we reviewed and approved the FY 2026 budget and fixed asset plans. Given the current state of the farm economy, we are scaling back fixed asset spending and focusing on maximizing the efficiency of the assets we already have in place.

That said, we did complete the new liquid fertilizer addition in Madelia in August. This is a major enhancement to our infrastructure and will serve our patrons well for years to come.

Thanks to the continued support of our members, Crystal Valley was able to return over $4.9 million in patronage in the past 12 months. While FY 2025 is shaping up to be a challenging year due to low grain volumes and cautious producer spending, we are optimistic about FY 2026. Early indications suggest a strong crop year, and we anticipate increased grain movement along with continued agronomy success.

Lastly, we want our members to know that we are always in conversation with neighboring cooperatives, looking for smart ways to collaborate. Our goal is to avoid duplication of assets and improve how we serve our members, both today and into the future.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you for your ongoing support. We wish everyone a safe and successful harvest season and a joyful holiday season ahead.