Grass-roots economic development

The concept for Midwest Grain Processors emerged from the corn processing committee  of AgVentures Alliance, a development organization dedicated to increasing farmers’ incomes by providing opportunities for them to participate in the processing of the agricultural commodities they produce.

In April 2000, several AgVA members made a commitment to turn the idea of a farmer-owned ethanol plant into a reality and created MGP as a new legal entity. Together, MGP and AgVA developed a business plan for the ethanol plant as part of a new agricultural industrial park and began planning a membership drive. The result was a membership base of 1,000 farmers committing a supply of corn and $17 million of equity.

Opportunities beyond the farm

Midwest Grain Processors was originally structured as a farmer-owned cooperative. All members were required to be agricultural producers (individual farmers, farm partnerships, farm corporations or farmer-owned cooperatives) and were required to deliver corn to the plant, either directly or through arbitrage.

A seven-member board of directors, elected by the cooperative’s members, governs MGP Cooperative. (CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS).

 

*MGP will not be involved in soliciting or negotiating any transfer of stock .