New MCGA President Encourages Farmers to Join

The new president of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) Board of Directors encourages corn farmers to join the organization.

Milan farmer Jim Kanten, who became MCGA president Oct. 1, noted that paying the Minnesota corn check-off or receiving Corn Talk, the official publication of the MCGA and the Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council, doesn’t necessarily mean you’re an MCGA member.

“Corn Talk goes to all corn check-off payers, regardless of their membership status,” Kanten said. “To become an MCGA member, you need to fill out a membership form.”

(Editor’s note: The MCGA membership form can be found online here. Or, you can get one from your district field manager. You can call the MCGA office at 952-233-0333 to check your membership status or visit join.ncga.com.)

Kanten said membership has its benefits. It allows farmers to stay up to date on the latest news and policy updates affecting family corn farmers and gives them membership in the National Corn Growers Association and their local county corn organization. For young adults, it makes them eligible to apply for the $5,000 MCGA young adult scholarship. A student membership is $20.

There’s also a political benefit, Kanten said, especially now as MCGA farmer-leaders advocate for Congress to finally pass a Farm Bill. You can find out more information on how MCGA is urging a comprehensive, bipartisan Farm Bill that protects crop insurance and strengthens the farm safety net here.

Kanten said Minnesota farm families can’t wait any longer for a Farm Bill to be signed.

“When we go to policymakers and say, ‘we’re one of the largest grassroots farmer organizations in the U.S,’ or ‘we have nearly 7,000 farmer-members,’ that makes a difference,” he said. “It sets a new tone for the conversation. But for us to make that claim, we need all corn farmers who can join MCGA to do so.”

Kanten noted that joining MCGA has no additional cost for corn farmers who have sold more than 7,500 bushels of corn in the past year and paid into the Minnesota corn check-off. That’s because Minnesota has what’s called a partial refund membership program, which allows corn farmers to invest a portion of their check-off dollars into an MCGA membership.

“A one-year MCGA membership is $75, and the Minnesota corn check-off fee is one penny per bushel,” Kanten said. “So as long as you’ve sold more than 7,500 bushels and paid the check-off on them within the last year, you may be eligible for the no-cost membership.”

With nearly 7,000 farmer-members, MCGA is Minnesota’s grassroots corn farmer association. Founded in 1978, MCGA advocates on behalf of corn farmers, supports county corn growers associations, and works closely with the council to fund research, promotion, and outreach.