- Recommend candidates who are best equipped to lead Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ for the future
- Encourage broader participation in the process by Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ members and help build a pipeline of next-generation leaders
- Build confidence in Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ governance by creating a clear, consistent process
- Provide a service to Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ members as they select leaders to govern our cooperative
Nominating committee
The Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Board of Directors is forming a nominating committee to recommend candidates for seats on the Board. The nominating committee will add strength and consistency to the candidacy process.
Why form a nominating committee?
A nominating committee of Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ members will help secure the best candidates to lead Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ into the future as members of the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Board of Directors. Nominating committee recommendations will give Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ members more information to inform their choices during Director elections. And a nominating committee is a best practice for board succession and continuity.
Purpose
Nominating committee makeup
Committee members will be elected by Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ members in their region and will serve all Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ members
Two members will be elected from each region for a total of 16 committee members
Committee members will serve staggered two-year terms over no more than four consecutive election cycles
Committee members must meet the same criteria used to qualify Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Board candidates
Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Nominating Committee responsibilitiesÂ
The committee will:
-
Interview and evaluate Director candidates, including incumbents
-
Recommend up to two candidates per available seat
-
Represent members at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ annual meeting, overseeing rules and credentials and voting procedures and participating in public policy discussions
Path to Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Director candidacy
Recommendation by the nominating committee is the preferred pathway to candidacy for the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Board of Directors. Recommendation by the nominating committee will ensure a candidate is included on the ballot for both voting in advance of the annual meeting and at the regional caucus.
- A declared candidate who has participated in the nominating committee process, but is not recommended by the committee can submit a petition signed by Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ members representing at least 30% of that region’s eligible votes. The petition must be submitted by Sept. 1 of the election year.
- A candidate also can be nominated from the floor at the regional caucus, but will have missed the opportunity to be included in advance voting prior to the annual meeting.
- All candidates must meet Director qualifications set out in the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Bylaws.
Timeline for 2026 Director candidates
| Date | Action |
| Feb. 15* | Deadline for declaring candidacy and submitting candidate application. |
| March | Nominating committee interviews and evaluates candidates who meet Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ bylaw qualifications. |
| April | Nominating committee recommends up to two candidates per seat. |
| October | Recommended candidates (and validated petition candidates) appear on the ballot for advance and in-person voting at regional caucuses. |
| December | Directors are elected at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ annual meeting. |
*Note: This is a change from the former application deadline of Sept. 1 and applies to 2026 Director elections and beyond. Since a Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Nominating Committee has not been formed for 2025 elections, there is no change to the deadlines and election calendar for 2025.
FAQs
-
Why does Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ need a nominating committee?
Developing a vibrant, qualified pipeline of next-generation leaders is critical for Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ to remain strong and relevant for future generations of owners and customers. Bringing a range of voices to the table and encouraging all owners to participate in governance is a step in creating that pipeline. A nominating committee brings structure to that practice.
-
What will a member of the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Nominating Committee do?
Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Nominating Committee members will have the following key responsibilities:
- Assess and recommend qualified Director candidates in line with Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ governance and strategic requirements
- Participate in interviews, discussions and voting processes for selecting Director candidates
- Engage with Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ members, industry leaders and stakeholders to identify potential Board candidates
- Assist in Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ annual meeting activities, including overseeing meeting rules, ensuring proper voting procedures, addressing delegate credential matters and engaging on key public policy issues
-
What support will the nominating committee have to evaluate and recommend candidates?The committee will have access to tools and resources to help them effectively interview and evaluate candidates. A training session will acquaint them with the committee’s roles and responsibilities, plus best practices for interviewing and assessing candidates. Standardized criteria will be used to provide an objective view of each candidate in relation to competencies established for Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Board members. Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ staff members will be available to assist and two Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Board members will be liaisons to the committee.
-
Doesn’t starting a Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Nominating Committee require amending the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Bylaws?
Forming a nominating committee is within the guidelines of the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Bylaws, which allow for nomination of Director candidates by a nominating committee, but do not prescribe committee structure or other specifics. Benchmarking other cooperatives’ practices showed a wide variation in how nominating committees are used. The Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Board believes the committee will help meet Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ needs for the future by adding valuable structure around Board candidacy.
-
How would a nominating committee encourage more members to participate in Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ governance?
Nominating committee members must be ag producers who are Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ members or members of Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ member cooperatives. Active outreach will encourage members to serve on the committee. Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ members from each region will elect members to the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Nominating Committee and current Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Board members will not be eligible to serve on the committee.
The committee will act independently, although two members of the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Board of Directors will act as liaisons to the committee to provide support.
-
Are you changing who can run for the Board?
Candidate criteria will not change. All candidates for the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Board will be required to meet requirements for their primary profession being farming or ranching, residency in the region, age, etc.
-
How much time would I need to commit to being a member of the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Nominating Committee. Would I be reimbursed?
After completing a simple application process, Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Nominating Committee applicants should attend their regional caucus at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ annual meeting.
Committee members elected in the caucuses will participate in a day of virtual orientation in January and a two-day in-person session at Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ headquarters in Inver Grove Heights, Minn., to interview, assess and recommend Director candidates.
Committee members will attend the following year’s annual meeting to participate in governance and policy discussions and nominate recommended Director candidates in their regional caucuses.
Committee members will be elected to two-year terms, so will complete the cycle twice (with the exception of the first year of the committee, when one member from each region will be elected to a one-year term to set up a rotation of experienced and new members).
Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ will provide a per diem to each committee member and will cover travel costs for required committee meetings, including participation in the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ annual meeting.
-
Can current Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Board members serve on the nominating committee?
No, current Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Board members are ineligible to serve on the nominating committee.
-
Who should I contact if I’d like to serve on the committee?
If you or someone you know would like to be a candidate for a seat on the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Nominating Committee, contact a Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Board member with your interest and to request committee candidate information.