PLEASE ATTEND: GGC Annual Meeting, Thursday March 20th, DoubleTree Conference Center, West Fargo

Golden Growers Cooperative will hold its Annual Members Meeting on Thursday, March 20th at the Doubletree Conference Center, 825 E Beaton Drive, West Fargo, ND

Director Election

Our current director up for re-election for 3-year terms is: David Kragnes, Felton, MN (North District). Brett Johnson, Mooreton, ND (Central District) and Matt Hasbargen, Breckenridge, MN (At-Large Director) have both reached their term limit and are ineligible to be re-elected. Therefore, three-year terms are open for the Central District and an At-Large Director position on the Board.

Glenn Johnson, Mayville, ND submitted a petition as for the At-Large Director position being vacated by Matt Hasbargen and Chris Johnson, Wahpeton, ND submitted a petition for the Central District position being vacated by Brett Johnson.

2025 Annual Meeting Notice, Ballot & Report – What to Expect

This year, we will mail our ‘Annual Meeting and Election Booklet’ that will contain the Annual Meeting Notice, Minutes from the 2024 Annual Meeting; a Message from our Chairman, Brett Johnson, Director Candidate Biographies, and the Election Ballot. The booklet will include 2024 Financial Highlights and identify where the detailed Annual Report can be found on the Golden Growers website as soon as the audit report becomes available. This change will assure that members will receive their election ballot in time to return it before the annual meeting.

Recently, Golden Growers announced that Cargill will purchase our interest in ProGold, LLC at the end of 2026 when the ProGold lease with Cargill expires. Because of a two-year timeline to fully dissolve and to avoid excess operating costs, the 2025 ballot will also include a vote on a resolution to ratify the sale and to notify the MN Secretary of State (where GGC is registered) of our intent to dissolve. If the resolution is approved, the clock will start on that two-year timeline.

Chairman Brett Johnson’s message to Golden Growers members will explain the circumstances that led to announced sale of our interest in the ProGold corn milling facility to Cargill at the end of 2026 and what this sale will mean to Golden Growers members. Johnson will explain why the Board proposed the dissolution resolution. “We know that our members have many questions, but we want them to know what to expect in the next two years.”

Many of those questions are answered in the notice of Annual Meeting mailed on March 4th. In addition, a list of Questions and Answers about Cargill’s purchase of GGC’s interest in ProGold can be found under the Member Information tab here.

Election Ballots

Members must separate their ballot from the booklet, place the ballot in the blank envelope and then into the ballot return envelope addressed to Eide Bailly, LLP. To assure your vote is counted, write your member number and sign on the back of the ballot return envelope.