What is the National Grower Register?

The National Grower Register provides a single secure location for growers to maintain business and contact details, to streamline payment services and data management. The NGR Grower Delivery Card allows growers to manage business payments online within myNGR, with a single point of data entry, for secure and efficient processing with multiple payees.

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Who is Grain Producers Australia?

Grain Producers Australia is the national representative body for Australian grain producers; advocating national policy to boost the profitability and sustainability of Australian grain producers. GPA is represented by Grower Directors elected by Direct Grower Members and Members of the Grains Councils of the State Farming Organisations – who also represent their members on GPA’s Policy Council. The GPA Board also includes the expertise of Independent Skills Based Directors. GPA has core responsibilities, under federal legislation, representing an estimated 22,500 Australian grain producers who pay compulsory government levies. These legislative responsibilities include; biosecurity, through Plant Health Australia; oversight of the Grains Research and Development Corporation’s investment into RD&E; and chemical use/market access protections, with the National Residue Survey. Combined, these levies equate to 1.02 per cent of a producers’ annual net crop sales. Grain producers pay these levies, whether or not they’re members of GPA or State Farming Organisations. GPA membership enables stronger representation and professional oversight, to provide better value, oversight and accountability, on these compulsory levies.

 

What has changed?

By indicating ‘Yes’ to the GPA Levy Preference in the NGR system, grain traders can now work with GPA to collect levy payments. Previously, GPA was an Identification User in the NGR system and did not have individual arrangements/agreements in place with grain traders, in order to process payments for individual growers who choose this Preference. This also meant GPA was unable to identify growers who have indicated ‘Yes’ and therefore communicate directly with them. GPA has now become a Contact Level Data Subscriber, allowing this data to be provided to GPA. GPA has also started engaging with grain traders, on agreements to enable streamlined processing of payments.

 

What is the GPA Levy Preference?

Nominations to pay the GPA Grain Producer Membership fee can be made by indicating ‘Yes’ to the GPA Levy Preference within your Payee in the NGR system. GPA’s change of-status with NGR, to become a Contact Level Data Subscriber, provides a more efficient process for the users/producers who select ‘Yes’. This includes the capacity to process payments with Payees (grain traders), through the NGR system – with GPA having agreements/arrangements in place, with individual Payees. Growers who indicate ‘Yes’ will also be contacted directly by GPA, to process individual membership agreements/details, as part of this new process.

 

The annual GPA Grain Producer Member subscription fee is currently calculated at 0.035 per cent of the gross farm-gate value of grain production GVP, as per section 9.4 of the GPA Constitution. GPA’s role under legislation helps provide stronger oversight of compulsory government levies, which equate to 1.02 per cent of a producers’ annual net crop sales. GPA Grain Producer Membership is a small investment in delivering better oversight and returns for grain producers, by empowering stronger producer representation.

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What if I’m already a Member of a State Farming Organisation?

GPA was designed to empower a more sustainable representative model comprising the grass roots processes of the State Farming Organisation Grains Councils, while giving all levy-paying growers the opportunity to become direct members and have a direct say on national policy issues impacting their bottom lines. Members of State Farming Organisations and their Grains Councils are already considered members with voting rights and other entitlements, within the GPA Business Member category. However, growers can also choose to be direct members of GPA, to contribute to providing stronger resourcing and better representation and professional oversight, and ultimately the value delivered to growers, of compulsory levies.

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Practical Resources

To help communicate these recent changes, a range of support materials have also been provided; including a How To Video on NGR’s YouTube channel.

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To support GPA and join now, just follow NGR’s How To Change a Levy Preference Video below.

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