In the past year, retirements have dominated the reasons for 16 leadership changes at U.S. farm supply cooperatives. With a denser co-op footprint, Iowa, Minnesota and the Dakotas lead with the most transitions in the past year.
As Laura Blome, president of Hedlin Ag, shared earlier this year on The Scoop Podcast, retirements are accelerating the leadership crunch in ag retail.
Here’s a list of leadership changes at U.S. farm supply co-ops:
| Co-op Name | Location | Outgoing Leader | Incoming Leader | Title Used | Transition Type | Timing |
| Ag Partners Cooperative | MN | Bill Ahlbrecht | Rick Anderson | GM/CEO | Retirement → internal promotion | 2026 |
| Agwrx Cooperative | SD | Lanny Kirsch | Kent Borstad | CEO | New CEO appointment | 2025 |
| ALCIVIA | WI/IL/MN/IA | Jim Dell | Rodney Balvitsch | CEO | Resignation → interim → permanent | Aug 2025–Jan 2026 |
| AXESS Cooperative (merger) | ND | — | Darren Benike | General Manager | Merger-driven | 2025 |
| Central Farm Service | MN | Merlyn Kruger | Kevin “KC” Graner | President/CEO | Retirement → internal promotion | 2025 |
| Crystal Valley Cooperative | MN | Roger Kienholtz | Mitch Altermatt | CEO | Retirement → external hire | 2025 |
| Central Valley Ag | NE | Carl Dickinson | Nic McCarthy | President/CEO | Retirement → internal promotion | 2025 |
| Farmers Cooperative Elevator (Arcadia) | IA | Darrell Henkenius | Nate Fara | GM/CEO | Retirement → internal promotion | 2026 |
| Farmers Cooperative Elevator (Ottosen) | IA | Kevin Walker | Justin “Judd” Foth | GM/CEO | Retirement → replacement | 2025 |
| Five Star Cooperative | IA | Scott Black | Tony Myers | General Manager | Retirement → replacement | 2025–2026 |
| Glacial Plains Cooperative | MN | Mark Greicar | Alex Tweed | General Manager | Retirement → internal promotion | 2025 |
| Keystone Cooperative | IN/OH/MI | Kevin Still | TBD | CEO | Retirement (planned) | Announced Sept 2025 |
| Landus Cooperative | IA | Matt Carstens | Eric Heismeyer | CEO | Resignation → external hire | Apr–Sept 2025 |
| Plains Grain & Agronomy | ND | Keith Brandt | Jacob Bailey | CEO/GM | Succession (external) | 2025 |
| Rockingham Cooperative | VA | Sam Liggett | Jason Hoekstra | General Manager | Retirement → external hire | 2026 |
| United Cooperatives, Inc. | MO | Richard Selby | Daniel Clark | CEO | Succession (internal) | 2025 |
