Supporting Farmers Through the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association
The Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association represents Ohio corn and small grain farmers on the issues that affect their farms, families, and future. Through farmer-led advocacy, we work with policymakers in Columbus and Washington, D.C., on priorities including the Farm Bill, trade, ethanol, water quality, tax policy, infrastructure, and risk management.
When you become a member, you add your voice to farmers working together to protect the freedom to farm, strengthen market opportunities, and help create a productive future for the next generation.
Unlike Ohio’s commodity checkoff programs, the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association is funded by membership dues. Your membership directly supports the advocacy, education, and policy work we carry out on behalf of Ohio grain farmers.
2026 Voter Guide
Why Join the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association?
Ohio farmers are stronger when their voices are heard together.
Membership gives you an opportunity to participate in grassroots advocacy, help shape policy priorities, stay informed about issues affecting your operation, and access resources and benefits created for members.
As part of the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association, you can also help legislators, consumers, and other decision-makers better understand modern farming and the policies Ohio agriculture needs to remain productive and competitive.
Member Benefits
Membership currently provides access to benefits including:
- $200 Seed Coupon: With a three-year membership, receive a $200 seed coupon honored by participating seed companies in Ohio.
- Grassroots Advocacy: Make your voice heard at the Ohio Statehouse and in Washington, D.C., on issues such as ethanol and market access.
- Scholarships: Access college scholarship opportunities for eligible members and their children.
- Commodity Classic: Attend the national member meeting and trade show at a discounted member rate.
- Leadership Development: Build leadership skills through programs and opportunities for agricultural professionals.
- Member Communications: Receive timely updates about policy, agriculture, and issues affecting your farm and community.
- Member Discounts: Access eligible discounts from participating companies and organizations.
- National Corn Yield Contest: Connect with growers advancing corn production and management practices.
- National Wheat Yield Contest: Participate in a national competition focused on wheat production, innovation, and performance.
- Consumer Education: Support efforts that help consumers understand modern agriculture.
- Ohio Corn & Wheat Events: Receive invitations to member-focused events throughout the year.
- Stewardship Education: Access resources that can support responsible and sustainable farm management.
Our Mission
Running a farm already demands your time, attention, and resources. The Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association works on the broader policy issues that can affect your ability to keep that farm productive and profitable.
We bring farmer perspectives into conversations about agriculture at the state and federal levels and advocate for policies that support long-term opportunities for corn and small grain producers.
From protecting risk-management tools to expanding markets for ethanol and grain, our goal is to make sure Ohio farmers have a meaningful voice when decisions affecting agriculture are made.
Policy Priorities for Ohio Corn and Wheat Farmers
Our policy priorities are shaped by farmers and guide the Association’s advocacy in Ohio and Washington, D.C.
The Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association focuses on issues that influence your ability to farm, manage risk, move products to market, remain competitive, and prepare your operation for the future. Membership dues fund this policy work, helping strengthen the collective voice of Ohio grain farmers.
Public Policy Brochure
Tax Policy
Modern farming is a complex business, and tax policy can have a direct effect on farm families, investment, succession, and rural communities.
We advocate for tax policies that recognize the realities of production agriculture and support family farms across Ohio.
Water Quality
Clean water matters to farmers, rural communities, and everyone who calls Ohio home.
For more than a decade, the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association has worked to make sure farmer perspectives are represented in water-quality discussions, particularly around nutrient management and watersheds such as Lake Erie and Grand Lake St. Marys.
As you evaluate your own operation, consider:
- How do conservation practices fit into your business plan?
- Can technology help reduce nutrient loss?
- Where can phosphorus use become more efficient?
- Which management practices could improve water quality?
- What are the economic consequences of inefficient fertilizer use?
The goal is to find practical approaches that protect water resources while allowing farms to remain productive and economically sustainable.
Trade
Ohio farmers depend on customers beyond their local communities.
Strong domestic and international trade relationships can create additional demand for U.S.-grown corn and small grains. As populations and economies grow, agriculture has opportunities to help meet demand for food, feed, fuel, and other grain-based products.
The Association supports policies that protect market access and help Ohio farmers compete in global markets.
Ethanol
Ethanol creates an important market for corn and remains a major advocacy priority for Ohio growers.
Ohio has seven ethanol production plants, and the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association advocates for policies that increase access to ethanol-blended fuels and expand long-term demand for corn.
Higher-ethanol fuel choices also give consumers another option at the pump.
Learn more about Unleaded 88 (E15 fuel) and how it connects your fuel choice with demand for corn grown by farmers.
Infrastructure
Ohio agriculture depends on reliable infrastructure to move grain from farms to customers.
Roads, bridges, rail systems, intermodal facilities, and inland waterways all help connect Ohio farms with domestic and international markets. Maintaining and improving these systems supports agricultural commerce and keeps grain moving efficiently.
Farm Bill
The Farm Bill affects many of the tools farmers use to manage uncertainty and make long-term business decisions.
The Association advocates for a comprehensive Farm Bill that supports Ohio farmers, including strong crop-insurance and risk-management programs.
Because federal farm policy can change, this section should continue to be reviewed and updated as new Farm Bill developments occur.
Risk Management Programs
Risk is part of farming. Weather, yields, commodity prices, government policy, and global markets can all affect farm income.
Crop insurance and other agricultural risk-management programs can help producers recover from significant losses and continue investing in their operations.
These tools are particularly important because widespread weather or market events can affect many farms at the same time. The Association supports maintaining risk-management options that help protect the long-term stability of Ohio agriculture.
Farmer-Led Advocacy for Ohio Agriculture
The work of the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association starts with farmers.
Members help identify the issues that matter on their farms, and farmer leaders help turn those priorities into policy positions and advocacy efforts.
That grassroots structure gives policymakers a direct connection to the people producing corn, wheat, and other crops throughout Ohio.
The Association also works with national agricultural organizations so Ohio priorities can be represented in broader federal policy conversations.
Meet the Farmers Leading the Association
The Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association is led by farmers who bring firsthand experience from farms and communities across the state.
Board members help guide policy priorities, advocacy, membership efforts, and the overall direction of the Association.
The Association is also supported by Corporate Sponsors that help strengthen programs, events, and opportunities for Ohio growers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association?
The Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association is a membership organization that advocates for Ohio corn and small grain farmers on public-policy issues affecting their farms and agricultural businesses.
Is the Growers Association funded by checkoff dollars?
No. The Association is funded by membership dues rather than commodity checkoff dollars.
What does my membership support?
Your membership supports farmer advocacy, policy engagement, communication with state and federal decision-makers, consumer education, and initiatives that help represent Ohio grain farmers.
What issues does the Association advocate on?
Key priorities include the Farm Bill, trade, ethanol, tax policy, water quality, infrastructure, and farm risk-management programs.
How can I join the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association?
Use the Join or Renew option to become a member or renew your existing membership.
Add Your Voice to Ohio Agriculture
The policies that influence your farm may be shaped miles away from your fields, but your experience should still be part of the conversation.
By joining the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association, you help strengthen a farmer-led voice working on the issues that affect Ohio agriculture today and the opportunities available to the next generation.
Whether you want to get more involved in advocacy, access member benefits, or simply make sure Ohio farmers are represented when important decisions are made, your membership matters.
