Top U.S. Wheat Growing State to Leave National Association of Wheat Growers
Following a long-running dispute, The North Dakota Grain Growers Association (NDGGA) announced it will be cutting ties with the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) as of the end of June.
Although the NDGGA has partnered with the NAWG since 1977, in recent years there have been tensions stemming from a perceived lack of support from the NAWG for issues that specifically affect grain growers of North Dakota.
As North Dakota pays some of the highest dues rates among NAWG members, committing 80 percent of its annual budget to NAWG dues, the NDGGA believes that it is no longer realizing a beneficial return on investment and has decided not to renew its contract with the NAWG, which expires on June 30.
In response, the president of the NAWG said that the NDGGA has only paid half their dues for the past two years, making it difficult for the NAWG to fulfill its mission for the nation’s growers, adding that despite many conciliatory measures taken by the NAWG, the NDGGA has still moved forward with resigning their membership.