Scott,

That was soooo well said.  Thanks for getting the ball rolling.  In answer to a question asked a few threads down (and to paraphrase):  Pay $200 for the priviledge of donating time and energy to NALTEA?  You bet.

The arguments for and against joining NALTEA have been beaten to death already on this board.  Any association is what its members make it.  In my opinion, anybody who thinks $200 is too much to pay to help preserve the future of his/her industry is not likely inclined to pitch in much either.  NALTEA needs participation as well as numbers. 

There certainly are advantages to getting involved in your trade organization.  If that were not the case, there would be no trade organizations.