Membership

MEMBERSHIP

Why Belong to AGCOM?


MEMBERSHIP LEVELS

Regular Member

Regular Membership shall be available to and limited to statewide agricultural organizations whose principal interest is the promotion and sustainability of Maine Agricultural production.  Agricultural cooperatives may also be Regular Members if they do substantial business in Maine and their membership is limited to farmers.

Regular Member organizations may vote in all the affairs of the Council and shall designate one delegate who shall be entitled to one vote in the affairs of the Council.  Regular Members can serve on the Board of Directors, hold office, serve on committees and participate in any activities of the Council.

Ex-Officio Member

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension; the University of Maine College of Natural Sciences, Forestry & Agriculture; the Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources; USDA-Farm Service Agency; USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service; and USDA-Rural Development shall each be accorded one ex-officio, non-voting seat on the Council.  Dues are waived for these groups and regular attendance or representation at meetings is encouraged.

Associate Member

Associate Membership shall be available to a non-profit organization, for-profit business, organization, public or academic entity, or individual who works with, or in active support of, furthering Maine agriculture.  Associate Members have the right to participate in Council meetings and serve on committees but cannot serve on the Board of Directors, hold office and/or participate in voting.

Application for Membership

All applications for membership shall provide the name and address of the applicant organization, its form and structure, its purposes, objectives and functions and such other matters as relate to its agricultural nature, its membership, its progress and its financial responsibility.

Applications for Regular and Associate Membership shall require an approval of two-thirds vote of the Regular Members present and payment of annual dues.

Upon presentation of the proposed applicant; a vote to accept, reject, or table the application shall be made no sooner that the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Council.

Dues & Removal From Membership

Dues shall be determined by a vote of the membership at the Council’s annual meeting.  Annual dues shall be payable after the first day of the beginning of the Council’s fiscal year.  As of January 2016, full Member dues are $200 and Associate dues are $100.

Members may resign at any time.  Any member whose dues and/or assessments are two years in arrears shall be automatically dropped from the membership.

A member may be removed if they no longer qualify for membership.  Written notice will be given and removal will be made upon a vote of at least 80% of the whole number of members present at a meeting duly called for that purpose.

Voting

All Regular Members have one vote, and are entitled to vote by proxy executed in writing by the member or his (or her) duly authorized attorney-in-fact.  Anyone holding a proxy of the member organization shall be entitled to vote so long as no more than one vote is cast on behalf of the member organization.

In the event a proxy is used to determine the Council’s position on any proposal, a date by which returned proxy votes must be received by the Secretary must be specified in the notice.

VOTING ON LEGISLATIVE ISSUES: Development and support of new legislative proposals from Council members requires a two thirds vote of all members present at a properly called meeting.

VOTING ON OTHER ISSUES: Other issues that properly come before the membership will require a two-thirds vote of all members present and voting.

To become a member, please email us at: maineagcom@gmail.com