The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) advocates, influences and educates on behalf of its members – retailers and distributors who supply goods and services to America’s farmers and ranchers. ARA works to maintain a profitable business environment for ag retailers, while helping them adapt to a changing world and preserving their freedom to operate.
As the political voice for agricultural retailers and distributors, ARA educates legislators, collaborates with regulatory officials and offers programs and services to keep agricultural retailers on top of critical issues impacting profitability. The landscape of crop input practices, technology developments and government regulations is constantly changing. Staying informed means staying ahead, and no national organization helps the retail distribution industry more than ARA.
The American Feed Industry Association, based in Arlington, Va., is the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to representing the business, legislative and regulatory interests of the U.S. animal feed industry and its suppliers. Founded in 1909, the organization membership is comprised of the total feed industry—from commercial and integrated feed manufacturers, to ingredient suppliers, pet food manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, industry support and equipment manufacturers. AFIA is also the recognized leader on international industry developments and holds membership in the International Feed Industry Federation.
Members include more than 575 domestic and international companies. More than 75 percent of the commercial feed and 70 percent of the non-grain ingredients including soybean meal, distillers co-products, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, yeast products and other miscellaneous/specialty ingredients in the U.S. are manufactured by AFIA members.
The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) is one of the oldest trade organizations in the United States. Its membership consists of over 700 companies involved in seed production and distribution, plant breeding, and related industries in North America. As an authority on plant germplasm, ASTA advocates science and policy issues of industry-wide importance. ASTA’s mission is to be an effective voice of action in all matters concerning the development, marketing and movement of seed, associated products and services throughout the world. ASTA promotes the development of better seed to produce better crops for a better quality of life.
BIO is the world's largest trade association representing biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO’s Food & Agriculture section works to create and advance industry policies on all food & ag biotech issues related to international affairs, government relations, science and regulatory affairs, and media and public affairs. We work for a safe and clean supply of healthy food for a growing global population.
CropLife America (CLA) is the national trade association that represents the manufacturers, formulators and distributors of pesticides. CLA’s member companies produce, sell and distribute virtually all the crop protection and biotechnology products used by farmers, ranchers and landowners. CLA advocates for and promotes the responsible use of innovative, safe and environmentally sound crop protection products (including herbicides, fungicides and insecticides) that are essential in the production of food, fiber and renewable or alternative fuels. Our vision is to increase awareness and advance policy that highlights the vital role of pesticides in protecting public health; enhancing our environment and biodiversity; and meeting the food and nutritional needs of billions of individuals. The association is governed by a board of directors that guides and defines strategic activities to reach our overarching goal: supporting farmers and ranchers, families, wildlife and the vital resources that we all share.
GMO Answers is committed to responding to your questions about how our food is grown. Our goal is to make information about agricultural biotechnology easier to access and evaluate. The members of GMO Answers commit to five core principles —welcoming and answering questions on all GMO topics; making GMO information, research and data easy to access and evaluate, and supporting independent safety testing of GM products using validated science-based methods; supporting farmers as they work to grow crops using precious resources more efficiently, with less impact on the environment and producing safe, nutritious food and feed products; respecting farmers’ rights to choose the seeds that are best for their farms, businesses and communities and providing seed choices that include including making non-GM seeds based on market demands; and respecting people around the world and their right to choose healthy food products that are best for themselves and their families. GMO Answers is produced by the members of The Council for Biotechnology Information, which includes BASF, Bayer CropScience, Dow AgroSciences, DuPont, Monsanto Company and Syngenta. Our members are dedicated to the responsible development and application of plant biotechnology.
The Mid America CropLife Association (MACA) is a nonprofit association that researched public issues related to crop production issues and works together to improve the life cycle via health, safety and education. MACA is an association of crop protection companies which provides educational opportunities and info on industry issues, promotes uniformity of industry standards and regulations, offers a forum for idea exchange on crop production issues and provide opportunities to network. MACA was incorporated in 1967 and covers the 13 Midwestern states.
The National Grain and Feed Association, established in 1896, consists of more than 1,050 grain, feed, processing, exporting and other grain-related companies that operate more than 7,000 facilities and handle more than 70 percent of all U.S. grains and oilseeds. Its membership includes grain elevators; feed and feed ingredient manufacturers; biofuels companies; grain and oilseed processors and millers; exporters; livestock and poultry integrators; and associated firms that provide goods and services to the nation's grain, feed and processing industry. The NGFA also consists of 26 affiliated State and Regional Grain and Feed Associations, and has strategic alliances with Pet Food Institute and North American Export Grain Association.
TFI is the leading voice of the fertilizer industry, acting as an advocate for fair regulation and legislation, a consistent source for trusted information and data, a networking agent, and an outlet to publicize industry initiatives in safety and environmental stewardship. Our Mission is to represent, promote and protect the fertilizer industry through the following strategic initiatives: To foster a prosperous fertilizer industry through legislative and regulatory activities at the federal, state and local level; To effectively address issues impacting TFI member companies; To share knowledge about the fertilizer industry with members, government and the agriculture industry on issues related to fertilizer and the farm economy
