The Pacesetter Pod

Show Highlights:

• How episodic vs. structural challenges impact ag. [04:51]

• Alarming fertilizer vulnerability data—why sovereignty matters. [06:00]

• The effects of reshoring and supply chain resilience. [06:33]

• Divestiture of non-core assets as a remedy for high capital costs. [07:49]

• The value of America's arable land and its future ownership. [15:38]

• Ag retail conditions ripe for consolidation and value-added services. [19:52]

• Should country grain elevator owners sell or hold today? [25:00]

• Richardson's selective Canadian elevator strategy. [31:28]

• Understanding co-ops as a capital reservoir or river. [33:27]

• How has Ceres secured scale by partnering with co-ops? [37:32]

• Why value-added processing benefits co-ops and farms, but less so PE. [40:09]

• Discover tactics for de-risking fertilizer dependency. [46:39]

To explore Ascendant Partners, go to https://ascendantpartners.com/.

Connect with Austin Liepold on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/austinliepold/.

If you are interested in connecting with Joe, go to LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemosher/, or schedule a call at www.moshercg.com.

Show Highlights:

• Explore what's new at DTN and their Ag Hub platform. [03:07]

• DTN's vision to be a data escrow solving data-sharing distrust in ag. [05:38]

• Problematic fragmentation and B2C treatment of farmers. [09:55]

• How Ag Hub IDs use cases to drive higher wallet share. [13:54]

• Why in-house ag-data solutions and AI can't really work. [18:03]

• DTN's ability to combine data with customer CRMs/ERPs. [22:19]

• Current and future benefits for growers through Ag Hub. [26:36]

• Ag Hub's decision-grade intelligence beyond digitizing workflows. [31:21]

• Will more data transparency worsen commoditization? [41:08]

• A case for traceability-driven future proofing for "data-enhanced" bushels. [43:14]

Explore DTN by visiting https://www.dtn.com/agriculture.

Connect with Grey Montgomery on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/greymontgomery/.

Find Katherine Sartiano on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinesartiano/.

If you are interested in connecting with Joe, go to LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemosher/, or schedule a call at www.moshercg.com.

Show Highlights:

• Evolving leadership demands on ag co-op GMs or CEOs. [08:01]

• What are the co-op GM/CEO turnover trends and stats? [15:18]

• The role and risks of mergers as a succession strategy. [19:37]

• Why strategic clarity is crucial in succession-driven mergers. [22:14]

• Whose responsibility is it to lead succession planning? [25:28]

• Impacts of boards choosing executive search over internal CEO pipelines. [30:39]

• What exactly is the job of a recruiter? [32:53]

• Best practices to develop future CEO talent and retain runners-up. [39:26]

• Mitigating internal disengagement during external CEO searches. [43:24]

• How CEOs can foster top talent for candidate readiness. [48:19]

• Advice to integrate talent management and strategy. [50:57]

• Why performance reviews from the board-level down matter. [52:09]

Discover more about Ag1Source at https://ag1source.com/brands/ag-1-source/.

To explore People Spark Consulting, visit their website at https://peoplesparkconsulting.com/.

Check out The People Spark Podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/4MDxso5DYdYbaCrJOv8tw3.

Links to past Pacesetter Pod episodes with today's guests for deeper insights:

• Mark Waschek on Episode 140:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5HKupTrIzI6EWK8IZVhrjQ?si=oFnYcIQGTOuj7rJxOSdsdg

• Kristen Ireland on Episode 74:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6vnpmQZeohfINYk1AHl82U?si=UpyQRd2nSz66nWrU5ayFdQ

If you are interested in connecting with Joe, go to LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemosher/, or schedule a call at www.moshercg.com.

Show Highlights:

• Will asset-light be a tough sell in co-ops wired for asset-based value? [03:22]

• Risks of remote advisory with no community touchpoints. [05:52]

• Facing the revenue bridge in a transition to asset-light. [08:09]

• Can newly advisory-based ag co-ops avoid cultural drag? [10:16]

• Why sequence matters over speed in a major transition. [14:34]

• Greenfielding an asset-light co-op vs. transformation. [18:22]

• Building the stamina for a multi-year asset-light shift. [20:36]

• How to leverage disruption as an ag co-op in transition. [25:17]

• What the fit-for-the-future co-op could look like. [28:08]

• Are we ready to accept that co-ops don't have to be asset-first? [31:23]

• Join the dialogue on shaping the future ag co-op model. [34:37]

If you are interested in connecting with Joe, go to LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemosher/, or schedule a call at www.moshercg.com.

Show Highlights:

• Can ag co-ops survive with no physical community anchors? [01:50]

• Uncover the true core of asset-light co-ops—hint: it's not tech. [06:15]

• What does "acqui-hiring" in tech mean for future ag co-ops? [10:14]

• Discover 4 key skill demands on asset-light co-op talent. [12:17]

• Entrepreneurial vs. process-oriented talent profiles. [14:41]

• Understanding employee flight risk in asset-light co-ops. [17:55]

• Why talent retention needs ownership in the asset-light model. [22:18]

• Potential equity structures asset-light co-ops can try. [24:31]

• What's coming up next in the asset-light co-op series? [27:46]

If you are interested in connecting with Joe, go to LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemosher/, or schedule a call at www.moshercg.com.

Show Highlights:

• Two mistakes to avoid when ideating asset-light co-ops. [01:33]

• If you enjoy the Pacesetter Pod, help us grow at no cost! [03:12]

• Fathom the true cost of capital for asset-heavy co-ops. [04:29]

• The power of an asset-light co-op's intelligence layer. [06:04]

• What can co-ops stop owning with external alternatives? [07:09]

• How asset-light co-ops can profit from unbiased advisory services. [09:11]

• Do members know that co-ops are no longer one-stop shops? [11:16]

• Asset-light adoption and fit by 4 core lines of business. [14:54]

• Discover a new revenue model beyond volume in asset-light. [23:34]

• Next week's big topic in the asset-light miniseries. [27:05]

If you are interested in connecting with Joe, go to LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemosher/, or schedule a call at www.moshercg.com.

Show Highlights:

• What's the historical rationale for ag cooperatives? [02:14]

• Questions about current and future relevance of co-op solutions. [03:11]

• Points of high-volume member sophistication needing new co-op services. [05:20]

• Are co-ops largely serving shrinking member segments? [08:05]

• How co-op consolidation is reaching its limits of effectiveness. [09:39]

• The dangers of merging co-ops with the same flaws. [12:58]

• Discover the three real assets co-ops must aim to own. [15:15]

• What a reimagined asset-light co-op could look like. [15:36]

• Spoiler alert on this asset-light co-op miniseries! [16:56]

• Why you must weigh in on the "co-op of the future." [18:55]

If you are interested in connecting with Joe, go to LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemosher/, or schedule a call at www.moshercg.com.

Show Highlights:

• Key points from last week's pod on co-op governance. [00:31]

• Is member-owner governance an asset or liability? [04:36]

• Why a co-op board is not a substitute for management. [07:24]

• Should boards prioritize co-op-wide value or district interests? [10:22]

• Understanding the true role of strategy for co-op boards. [14:04]

• The 3 scopes of decision-making and how to apply them. [18:01]

• Understanding vs. challenging productively with a sample discussion. [23:39]

• The power of assertive inquiry advocated by A.G. Lafley. [29:27]

• Encourage candor over costly silence in the boardroom. [32:02]

• The critical importance of public solidarity on decisions. [36:00]

Make sure to check out the resources mentioned in the pod:

• Ep65: Is Decision Friction Impairing Your Agribusiness? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep65-is-decision-friction-impairing-your-agribusiness/id1674259917?i=1000657879207

• Playing to Win (book by A.G. Lafley and Roger Martin) https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Win-Strategy-Really-Works/dp/142218739X

If you are interested in connecting with Joe, go to LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemosher/, or schedule a call at www.moshercg.com.

Show Highlights:

• Why the cooperative governance model exists. [03:07]

• The power of ground-level market intelligence in the boardroom. [07:33]

• Mission alignment and accountability in member-owner boards. [08:21]

• The problem of personal agendas on co-op boards. [12:07]

• Do modern scaling co-ops need corporate governance? [14:58]

• Are fewer future board leaders arising from ag today? [17:17]

• The need for continuous director education and development. [20:17]

• Setting explicit board/CEO boundaries and term limits. [21:11]

• What is the board role in your co-op's strategy? [23:49]

• Critical practical questions for co-op leaders and GMs. [25:10]

Co-op Business Model Breakdown (Agtech - So What? podcast): https://open.spotify.com/show/7kb5rjTDpqHFC2wUmTBA5S2023

Study on farmer-director skills in ag co-ops: https://brill.com/view/journals/ifam/26/4/article-p655_4.xml?language=en

If you are interested in connecting with Joe, go to LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemosher/, or schedule a call at www.moshercg.com.

Show Highlights:

• Burnett Dairy's unique ownership and voting structure. [03:57]

• The complexity and opaqueness of federal milk orders. [08:41]

• Why is futures trading underutilized in dairy? [10:12]

• The quota system Burnett uses for supply management. [17:12]

• Reducing milk component wastage and value leakage. [24:08]

• Trends in fluid milk demand, protein, and derivatives. [35:18]

• The power of strategic partnerships for value capture. [37:34]

• Dairy co-op diversification strategies and emerging value extraction. [40:58]

• Is it possible to make jet fuel with lactose? [45:57]

• Pacesetter Pod impact for co-op GMs and how to join in. [47:47]

Learn more about Burnett Dairy Cooperative by visiting https://www.burnettdairy.com/.

Connect with Matt Winsand on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-winsand-84b01a3ab/.

If you are interested in connecting with Joe, go to LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemosher/, or schedule a call at www.moshercg.com.