Join the NGFA admin November 1, 2023

JOIN THE NGFA

Becoming a Member

The NGFA’s membership encompasses all sectors of the industry, including country, terminal and export elevators; feed and feed ingredient manufacturers; biofuels companies; cash grain and feed merchants; end users of grain and grain products, including processors, flour millers, and livestock and poultry integrators; commodity futures brokers and commission merchants; and allied industries.

Categories

Active members are "any individual or firm engaged in the warehousing, processing, manufacturing, merchandising, or distribution of grain or feed, or feed ingredients in the United States, and whose membership in (the NGFA) is independent of its membership in any other organization." Active members have full voting rights at association meetings.

Annual Dues Investment:

Minimum Dues = $2,500 | Maximum Dues = $85,000 | Investment worksheet

Active Member Application.

Questions? Call Rebecca Grubbs at 202-289-0873. 

Associate members are “any individual or firm engaged in a business allied with the grain or feed trade, or a foreign firm engaged in the grain or feed industry without facilities in the United States which does not qualify for membership as an Associate/Allied Member.”

Lending institutions; boards of trade and grain exchanges; equipment manufacturers; suppliers; accountants; consultants; market advisers; law firms; service providers and others are Associate members. (Lenders pay membership dues based on a different schedule; please see Lender Member application.) Associate members do not have Rail Arbitration or Regular Arbitration rights. Companies qualifying for Associate membership status that desire the right to use Rail Arbitration and Regular Arbitration may become Associate/Allied members.

Annual Dues Investment:

Annual Sales/Business Volume with Grain, Feed and Processing IndustryAnnual Investment
up to $1 million$2,500
$1 million to $5 million$3,500
more than $5 million$5,000

Associate Member Application.

Questions? Call Rebecca Grubbs at 202-289-0873.

Allied members are companies involved in the grain or feed, or feed ingredients business in Canada or Mexico with no locations in the U.S. that would be otherwise eligible for Active member status. In addition, U.S.-based individuals or firms otherwise qualified to be an Associate member may elect to become an Allied member (see separate application for Associate Allied Member). NGFA Allied members are not subject to compulsory arbitration or automatic application of the NGFA Trade Rules. However, Allied members may use the NGFA Trade Rules and are eligible to use the NGFA Arbitration System by making reference to the rules in their contractual documents or otherwise consenting to the use of the rules. Employees of NGFA Allied members are eligible to serve on the NGFA Trade Rules Committee and also may serve as NGFA arbitrators.

Annual Dues Investment:

Minimum dues = $2.500 | Maximum dues = $85,000 | Investment worksheet

Allied Member Application.

Questions? Call Rebecca Grubss at 202-289-0873. 

Lender Members are a subset of Associate membership as defined in the NGFA Bylaws but pay membership dues based on a different schedule.  Banks, farm credit system institutions, and other organizations that provide lending services to the grain, feed and processing industry are Lender Members.

Annual Dues Investment:

Annual Loan Volume with Grain, Feed and Processing IndustryAnnual Investment
up to $500 million$2,500
$500 million to $1 billion$5,000
more than $1 billion$10,000

Lender Member Application.

Questions? Call Rebecca Grubbs at 202-289-0873.

Transportation membership is comprised of individuals or firms providing rail, barge, vessel or truck transportation within North America. Railroads are defined in the NGFA Bylaws as Transportation members, but rail carriers pay membership dues based on a different schedule (see Rail Carrier application). Transportation members are not subject to compulsory arbitration or automatic application of the NGFA Trade Rules. However, Transportation members may use the NGFA Trade Rules and are eligible to use the NGFA Arbitration System by making reference to the rules in their contractual documents or otherwise consenting to the use of the rules.

Annual Dues Investment:

Annual Sales/Business Volume with Grain, Feed and Processing IndustryAnnual Investment
up to $1 million$2,500
$1 million to $5 million$3,500
more than $5 million$5,000

Transportation Member Application.

Questions? Call Rebecca Grubbs at 202-289-0873.

Rail Carrier Members are a subset of Transportation membership as defined in the NGFA Bylaws but pay membership dues based on a different schedule. Rail Carrier members are firms providing rail transportation within North America. Rail Carrier members (like other Transportation members) are not subject to compulsory arbitration or automatic application of the NGFA Trade Rules. However, Rail Carrier members may use the NGFA Trade Rules and are eligible to use the NGFA Arbitration System by making reference to the rules in their contractual documents or otherwise consenting to the use of the rules.

Annual Dues Investment:

Annual Sales/Business Volume with Grain, Feed and Processing IndustryAnnual Investment
up to $100 million$2,500
$100 million to $250 million$5,000
more than $250 million$10,000

Rail Carrier Member Application.

Questions? Call Rebecca Grubbs at 202-289-0873.

Brokers/Brokerage Firm Members are any individual or firm acting as a cash broker, introducing broker, or futures commission merchant for customers in the grain, feed and processing industry. Brokers/Brokerage firms are a subset of Active membership and pay membership dues based on a different schedule. Brokers/Brokerage firms have full voting rights at meetings of the association.

Annual Dues Investment:

Customer Fees and Commissions from Grain, Feed and Processing IndustryAnnual Investment
up to $500,000$2,500
$500,000 to $3 million$5,000
more than $3 million$10,000

Brokers/Brokerage Firm Member Application.

Questions? Call Rebecca Grubbs at 202-289-0873.

Associate Allied Members are a subset of Allied membership but pay dues based on a different membership schedule. Associate Allied members are individuals or firms that otherwise qualify for Associate membership but opt for Allied membership in order to preserve access to the NGFA Arbitration System. Associate Allied members have the same rights and obligations as Allied members, including eligibility to serve on the NGFA Trade Rules Committee and serve as NGFA arbitrators.

Annual Dues Investment:

Annual Sales/Business Volume with Grain, Feed and Processing IndustryAnnual Investment
up to $1 million$2,900
$1 million to $5 million$4,200
more than $5 million$6,000

Associate Allied Member Application.

Questions? Call Rebecca Grubbs at 202-289-0873.

Affiliate Association members include "any Association composed of persons or firms engaged in the grain or feed trade, or related business." More than 30 state and regional grain and feed and agribusiness associations are Affiliate Association members. Each NGFA Affiliate Association member has the right to vote at NGFA meetings, such as the annual business meeting. In addition, Affiliate Association members may qualify to appoint a representative to the NGFA Board of Directors. Appointed directors have the same rights as elected directors. 

Questions? Call Rebecca Grubbs at 202-289-0873.

Learn About Membership