EXHIBIT 24.1 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Noel K. Estenson and John Schmitz, and each of them his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities to sign a Form 10-K under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of Cenex Harvest States Cooperatives, and any and all amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, full power and authority to do and perform to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, or the substitutes for such attorneys-in-fact and agents, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. Name Title Date - ---- ----- ---- /s/ Noel K. Estenson ___________________________ Chief Executive Officer November 2, 1999 Noel K. Estenson (principal executive officer) /s/ John Schmitz ___________________________ Senior Vice President -- Finance November 2, 1999 John Schmitz (principal financial officer) /s/ Gerald Kuster ___________________________ Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors November 2, 1999 Gerald Kuster /s/ Elroy Webster ___________________________ Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors November 2, 1999 Elroy Webster /s/ Bruce Anderson ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Bruce Anderson /s/ Robert Bass ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Robert Bass /s/ Steven Burnet ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Steven Burnet /s/ Steve Carney ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Steve Carney /s/ Curt Eischens ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Curt Eischens /s/ Robert Elliott ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Robert Elliott /s/ Edward Ellison ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Edward Ellison /s/ Sheldon Haaland ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Sheldon Haaland /s/ Fred Harris ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Fred Harris /s/ Jerry Hasnedl ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Jerry Hasnedl /s/ Edward Hereford ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Edward Hereford /s/ Douglas Johnson ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Douglas Johnson /s/ James Kile ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 James Kile /s/ Leonard Larsen ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Leonard Larsen /s/ Tyrone Moos ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Tyrone Moos /s/ Gaylord Olson ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Gaylord Olson /s/ Duane Risan ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Duane Risan /s/ Denis Schilmoeller ___________________________ Director November 1, 1999 Denis Schilmoeller /s/ Duane Stenzel ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Duane Stenzel /s/ Michael Toelle ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Michael Toelle /s/ Richard Traphagen ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Richard Traphagen /s/ Russ Twedt ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Russell Twedt /s/ Merlin Van Walleghen ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Merlin Van Walleghen /s/ Arnold Weisenbeck ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 Arnold Weisenbeck /s/ William Zarak ___________________________ Director November 2, 1999 William Zarak