Membership Categories and Annual Dues Information

NGFA member companies fall into several different categories, each having multiple benefits.

Active members have full voting rights at association meetings and are engaged in the warehousing, processing, manufacturing, merchandising, or distribution of grain, feed, or feed ingredients in the United States.

Associate members are engaged in a business allied with the grain or feed trade. NGFA also has separate categories for Allied members in Canada and Mexico, Associate Allied members, Lenders, Transportation, Rail Carriers, Brokers, and Affiliates. Dues are paid annually and are determined by the investment worksheet referenced in the descriptions below.

Active

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.

Other Active member benefits include:

  • Legislative representation in Washington, DC
  • Direct access to NGFA staff subject matter experts
  • The opportunity to serve on NGFA committees and the Board of Directors
  • Professional development and networking at NGFA’s annual events
  • Business development opportunities within the membership
  • NGFA information services including the weekly NGFA Newsletter
  • Access to NGFA’s best-in-class safety and feed resources
  • The protection of the NGFA trade rules
  • Access to NGFA’s contract arbitration system
  • Rail Arbitration/Mediation

Annual Dues are determined by an investment worksheet which calculates dues amounts based on the company’s annual bushel put through, licensed storage capacity, and gross dollar revenue.

Brokers/Brokerage Firm

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.

Other Brokers/Brokerage Firm member benefits include:

  • Direct access to NGFA staff subject matter experts
  • The opportunity to serve on NGFA committees and the Board of Directors
  • Professional development and networking at NGFA’s annual events
  • Business development opportunities within the membership
  • NGFA information services including the weekly NGFA Newsletter
  • The protection of the NGFA trade rules
  • Access to NGFA’s contract arbitration system

Annual Dues are determined by an investment worksheet which calculates dues amounts based on the company’s annual customer fees and commissions from the grain, feed, and processing industry.

Allied (Canada, Mexico)

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.

Other Allied member benefits include:

  • Legislative representation in Washington, DC
  • Direct access to NGFA staff subject matter experts
  • The opportunity to serve on NGFA committees and the Board of Directors
  • Professional development and networking at NGFA’s annual events
  • Business development opportunities within the membership
  • NGFA information services including the weekly NGFA Newsletter
  • Access to NGFA’s best-in-class safety and feed resources
  • The protection of the NGFA trade rules
  • Access to NGFA’s contract arbitration system
  • Rail Arbitration/Mediation

Annual Dues are determined by an investment worksheet which calculates dues amounts based on the company’s annual bushel put through, licensed storage capacity, and gross dollar revenue.

Associate Allied

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.

Other Associate Allied member benefits include:

  • Legislative representation in Washington, DC
  • Direct access to NGFA staff subject matter experts
  • The opportunity to serve on NGFA committees
  • Professional development and networking at NGFA’s annual events
  • Business development opportunities within the membership
  • NGFA information services including the weekly NGFA Newsletter
  • Access to NGFA’s best-in-class safety and feed resources
  • The protection of the NGFA trade rules
  • Access to NGFA’s contract arbitration system
  • Rail Arbitration/Mediation

Annual Dues are determined by an investment worksheet which calculates dues amounts based on the company’s annual sales/business volume with the grain, feed, and processing industry.

Associate

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 arbitration rights. Companies qualifying for Associate membership status that desire the right to use Rail Arbitration and Regular Arbitration may become Associate Allied members.

Other Associate member benefits include:

  • Legislative representation in Washington, DC
  • Direct access to NGFA staff subject matter experts
  • The opportunity to serve on NGFA committees
  • Professional development and networking at NGFA’s annual events
  • Business development opportunities within the membership
  • NGFA information services including the weekly NGFA Newsletter
  • Access to NGFA’s best-in-class safety and feed resources

Annual Dues are determined by an investment worksheet which calculates dues amounts based on the company’s annual sales/busines volume with the grain, feed, and processing industry.

Lender

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.

Other Lender member benefits include:

  • Legislative representation in Washington, DC
  • Direct access to NGFA staff subject matter experts
  • The opportunity to serve on NGFA committees
  • Professional development and networking at NGFA’s annual events
  • Business development opportunities within the membership
  • NGFA information services including the weekly NGFA Newsletter

Annual Dues are determined by an investment worksheet which calculates dues amounts based on the company’s annual loan volume with the grain, feed, and processing industry.

Transportation

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.

Other Transportation member benefits include:

  • Legislative representation in Washington, DC
  • Direct access to NGFA staff subject matter experts
  • The opportunity to serve on NGFA committees
  • Professional development and networking at NGFA’s annual events
  • Business development opportunities within the membership
  • NGFA information services including the weekly NGFA Newsletter
  • The protection of the NGFA trade rules
  • Access to NGFA’s contract arbitration system
  • Rail Arbitration/Mediation

Annual Dues are determined by an investment worksheet which calculates dues amounts based on the company’s annual sales/business volume with the grain, feed, and processing industry.

Rail Carrier

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.

Other Rail Carrier member benefits include:

  • Legislative representation in Washington, DC
  • Direct access to NGFA staff subject matter experts
  • The opportunity to serve on NGFA committees
  • Professional development and networking at NGFA’s annual events
  • Business development opportunities within the membership
  • NGFA information services including the weekly NGFA Newsletter
  • The protection of the NGFA trade rules
  • Access to NGFA’s contract arbitration system

Annual Dues are determined by an investment worksheet which calculates dues amounts based on the company’s annual business/sales volume with the grain, feed, and processing industry.

Affiliated Association

Affiliated Association members are “association(s) comprised of persons or firms engaged in the trade.” Affiliated Association members have full voting rights at association meetings.

State grain and feed associations and other grain and feed professional associations are Affiliated Association members.

Other Affiliated Association member benefits include:

  • Legislative representation in Washington, DC
  • Direct access to NGFA staff subject matter experts
  • The opportunity to serve on NGFA committees and the Board of Directors
  • Professional development and networking at NGFA’s annual events
  • Business development opportunities within the membership
  • NGFA information services including the weekly NGFA Newsletter
  • Access to NGFA’s best-in-class safety and feed resources

Annual Dues are determined by an investment worksheet which calculates the size of the Affiliated Association’s membership.

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