Thursday, March 14, 2024

Membership

Active, Affiliate or Associate?

Members

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Membership categories:

Membership has three categories of : Active, Affiliated, and Associated.

Members also register under any or all of the following groups:

  1. Grain Producer
  2. Grain Trader; and
  3.  Grain Processor

Active Members : Members who join as individual companies, cooperatives, associations, or other types of representative organizations from the three core grain sub-sectors; grain producers, traders and processors. These members have voting rights, representational privileges, and access to all services of the Council.

Affiliated Members: Key associations that represent one or more recognized grain sub-sectors (producers, traders and processors) at the national level. Each organization shall have the right to one vote representing its members’ views. Registered active and affiliate members are afforded equal status and equal voice regardless of size, type, and sector. The Association as a single unit has the same rights and access to services as an Active Member, but members of these associations must join the Council directly as Active Members in order to benefit from the full range of EAGC services.As an alternative, members of these associations may choose to join the EAGC as a Recorded Affiliate . As a Recorded Affiliate the organization may register their contracts with the EAGC and thereby build up a history with the EAGC. However, a Recorded Affiliate has no voting rights or the right to discounted member service costs (such as reduced arbitration fees due to registered contracts; arbitration registration cost would be based as a non-member) or other EAGC member services.

Associate Members: This is a broad member base which includes allied industries, service providers, international organizations and interested individuals who operate within and outside the Council area of operation. Although services are not focused on Associate Members, nor are they involved in the governance process, Associate Members are strongly encouraged to participate in EAGC activities, and lend active technical and other support to EAGC programs and services. They have access to websites and news information and may enjoy event discounts at the discretion of the BOARD.

Membership Fees

  1. All members, regardless of category (Recorded Affiliate is an exception), pay a one-time registration fee and a subscription fee. Fee rates are based on membership category.
  2. EAGC offers members an option of a one-year or a five-year annual subscription plan. The five-year plan provides a 20% discount. All fees and subscriptions are determined and approved by the Board. The Board maintains the right to adjust registration fees, and the annual and
  3. 5-year subscription rates, at its discretion and shall inform members within two weeks of such adjustments. Fee and rate adjustments do not affect members in good standing and only apply to new members and to member subscriptions at time of one-year or five-year renewals.
  4. A member’s one-year or five-year subscription period commences on the date that annual subscription fees (and registration fee in the case of new members) are received.
  5. Upon registration, the member is given a membership number, a certificate of membership and copies of Council operating documents including but not limited to the following: The Bylaws, EAGC operation manual including the standard terms of trade, arbitration procedures, and template contract forms.

 EAGC membership benefits :

  1. Trade linkage and expanded markets through trade facilitation
  2. Representation in forums through advocacy and lobbying actions on key regional grain trade policy issues
  3. Networking with different stakeholders of the industry to profile your business and form linkages with other members for mutually beneficial business partnerships.
  4. Up to date market prices and cross border volumes data. Only active members have access to daily market information through www.ratin.net
  5. Monthly bulletins and quarterly newsletters
  6. Provision of standard contract terms among participating stakeholders
  7. Arbitration services tailored to the grain sector which will provide speedy settlement to disputes at reduced costs
  8. Availability of financial services such as collateral financing, through a standardized approach to warehouse suitability expressed through warehouse certification and commodity care
  9. Discount to EAGC hosted conferences, trainings, workshops among other activities. These platforms will equip you and your staff with up to date information on how to stay ahead of the curve and follow best practices in structured trading systems.
  10. Information and exposure to new technologies
  11. Once you are in our database, EAGC offers you an opportunity to profile your business on our frequently circulated newsletters as well as on our website.