As this edition of Farm World goes to press, I want to send you our warmest wishes for a happy and safe new year, on behalf of the boards and staff of the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan (CMPM) and the Michigan Corn Growers Assoc. (MCGA).

We in the Michigan Corn office are excited to launch our new membership benefits through the MCGA. It seems only appropriate that as we look to a new year, we also look to more and new benefits for membership.

The MCGA has been in existence since the 1970s, when it focused on meeting the farmer’s needs for an economically viable corn crop.

As time has passed and the organization has developed, it is now the only organization in the state focused solely on corn-friendly legislation, policy and regulations.

As the needs of growers evolved, the CMPM was created as a corn checkoff program to invest in corn-related research and promotion, while MCGA membership grew to meet the ever-increasing legislative needs of our growers. In the article below, we will provide an update on membership benefits, and one of MCGA’s major events, the annual meeting.

In our accompanying advertisement, we have highlighted the upcoming meetings in which updates on the checkoff and highlights of the research funded are summarized. So, please read up on and attend meetings to learn more about your state corn organizations!

Where it all began: Membership. There are numerous benefits to being an MCGA member besides legislative representation in both Washington, D.C., and Lansing. The information below will provide you with a quick update, but if you have more questions or need more information, do not hesitate to contact us at 888-323-6601.

•Auto Owners Insurance: Members are eligible for special savings on their insurance policies through the MCGA special savings program. This includes savings of up to 10 percent on personal automobile; homeowners and mobile homeowners; commercial and personal umbrella; business policies; commercial automobile; and workers compensation.

•Connect Your Home: The MCGA has partnered with Connect Your Home, a national retailer for home services, to bring members discounted services and promotional incentives while receiving exclusive money-back discounts on everyday home services. Discount offers are available for Dish Network; Protect Your Home – ADT Authorized Dealer; HughesNet; DirecTV; Verizon; Charter; Time Warner Cable; and more.

•Growers National Cooperative (GNC): The MCGA is the only sponsoring association partnered with GNC in Michigan. Through GNC, members have the opportunity to participate in exclusive benefit opportunities administered by Hudson Insurance Group and to take advantage of other cost-saving programs.

•Plant Management Network (PMN): The MCGA is an official sponsor of the PMN’s Focus on Corn webcast resources. The series of webcasts were created to help corn growers develop healthier, higher-yielding crops through applied crop management information delivered over the Web. As a sponsor organization, MCGA members also have access to journals, efficiency trials, focus topics and other electronic resources.

•Volunteer Energy: Volunteer Energy has partnered with the MCGA to bring members a discounted rate on natural gas. Customers have seen an average savings of between 5-10 percent. The process is simple and member’s utility service and billing remain the same; the only change is a discounted rate reflected on the gas bill each month. There are no contracts and no cancellation fees.

Other benefits of membership in the MCGA include:

•Free or reduced entry fees to special membership events throughout the year, including the MCGA Annual Meeting on Feb. 7 at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing; the Thumb Area Golf Outing on Aug. 14 at Verona Hills Golf Club in Bad Axe; the Central Michigan Golf Outing on Aug. 16 at Centennial Acres Golf Course in Sunfield; and Ethanol Night at the Races on Sept. 8 at Dixie Motor Speedway in Birch Run.

•A quarterly MCGA newsletter.

•The opportunity to apply for various scholarship programs, including a collegiate scholarship for members and their children.

Through our affiliation with the National Corn Growers Assoc. (NCGA), MCGA members are also able to take advantage of national member benefits and services, including:

•Ford Motor Co. vehicle discounts through the Ford X-Plan

•Discounts at Dell Products and Enterprise Rent-A-Car

•Ten percent discount on Cabela’s gift cards

•Admission to NASCAR’s private Web portal, with access to exclusive and unadvertised offers on official merchandise and partner company products, as well as discounted race tickets

As you can see, we have many, many membership benefits; however, the largest focus of the organization is on policy. One opportunity to get involved in policy is attending our annual meeting in Lansing on Tuesday, Feb. 7. Registration, including a full breakfast, will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the program at 9:30 a.m.

Again this year, lunch and roundtable discussions will be with legislators, so growers get the opportunity to speak firsthand with them. We also have a diverse program of speakers, award winners and business items on the agenda, including updating our bylaws to reflect the many changes in the industry.

If you are a member, you should have received your registration materials and you may attend free of charge. If you are not a member, but would like to vote and have your voice heard, please contact us at 888-323-6601 or visit www.micorn.org for a membership application.

Membership is $60 for one year, $155 for three years or $500 for a lifetime. Students in an accredited agricultural program may join the MCGA at a cost of $20 for one year.

As we are talking about membership, we also want to introduce you to our new membership coordinator, Nikki Beattie, who will manage our membership programs and ensure we continually increase the benefits of membership to our growers and industry representatives. Nikki brings more than 10 years of experience to our corn team, working with nonprofits and membership organizations.

As the daughter of an agriscience teacher and FFA advisor, Nikki grew up on a small hobby farm in mid-Michigan and was active in the FFA and 4-H. She has worked with Gratiot County 4-H, Eaton County 4-H and the Michigan 4-H Youth Programs in various capacities over the past 10 years.

Nikki comes to us from Eaton County Farm Bureau, where she worked with volunteers to meet the goals and objectives of the small nonprofit, planned and organized member events, developed and implemented communications and facilitated member benefits and services.