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. The minimum dues amount for Active members is $2,500 and the maximum dues amount is $85,000.
View a sample Active member application and investment worksheet.
Questions? Contact the NGFA Membership team 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.
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. The minimum dues amount for Allied members is $2,500 and the maximum dues amount is $85,000.
View a sample Allied member application and investment worksheet.
Questions? Contact the NGFA Membership team 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.
Other Brokers/Brokerage Firm 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
- 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. The minimum dues amount for Brokers/Brokerage Firm members is $2,500 and the maximum dues amount is $5,000.
View a sample Brokers/Brokerage Firm member application and investment worksheet.
Questions? Contact the NGFA Membership team 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 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. The minimum dues amount for Associated members is $2,500 and the maximum dues amount is $5,000.
View a sample Associate member application and investment worksheet.
Questions? Contact the NGFA Membership team 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.
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. The minimum dues amount for Associate Allied members is $2,900 and the maximum dues amount is $6,000.
View a sample Associate Allied member application and investment worksheet.
Questions? Contact the NGFA Membership team 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.
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. The minimum dues amount for Lender members is $2,500 and the maximum dues amount is $10,000.
View a sample Lender member application and investment worksheet.
Questions? Contact the NGFA Membership team 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.
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. The minimum dues amount for Transportation members is $2,500 and the maximum dues amount is $5,000.
View a sample Transportation member application and investment worksheet.
Questions? Contact the NGFA Membership team 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.
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. The minimum dues amount for Rail Carrier members is $2,500 and the maximum dues amount is $10,000.
View a sample Rail Carrier member application and investment worksheet.
Questions? Contact the NGFA Membership team 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.
Other Affiliate 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 the membership size of the Affiliate Association. The minimum dues amount for Affiliate members is $600 and the maximum dues amount is $1,000.
View a sample Affiliate Association member application and investment worksheet.
Questions? Contact the NGFA Membership team at 202-289-0873.