On Dec. 2, the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) concluded its annual Conference & Expo with a keynote presentations and a panel featuring industry experts sharing insights on what impact the 2020 election results will have on the ag retail industry.
Dr. Kevin Freiberg kicked off the final day with a keynote message focused on how to create a culture where people are passionate about growth and new ideas, then continued his message in an engaging afternoon workshop with strategies to navigate the “messy middle of change.”
The closing general session began with a live keynote address from U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney with Q&A from the audience. ARA Chairman Rod Wells with GROWMARK, Inc., presented the Chairman’s Report.
“It was great to see the different ways attendees engaged with each other whether it be in the networking lounge, in one-on-one meetings with exhibitors, in the session chats, or in the other special events,” said Wells.
The Scoop’s Margy Eckelkamp moderated the closing panel discussion featuring insights on the impact the 2020 election results will have on ag retailers and their farmer customers with panelists such as ARA’s Richard Gupton and ARA members Scott Rawlins with Wilbur-Ellis and Chuck Spencer with GROWMARK, Inc.
“There are many major events that have occurred this year, and being prepared for a new Congress and new president with sharply different policy views on how to move America forward on climate change, trade, taxes, water management, pesticides, labor, and transportation is crucial for our industry to stay ahead,” said ARA Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Counsel Richard Gupton.
The grand-prize winner of trivia, who will receive $500 and a complimentary ARA NAVIGATOR 360° online leadership assessment, was announced during the final hour of the Expo Hall.
“While we were forced to meet virtually this year rather than learn from each other face-to-face, I am proud of how our attendees and speakers rose to the occasion and made this year’s event a success,” said ARA President and CEO Daren Coppock. “Our top-notch speaker lineup exceeded expectations and offered attendees plenty of practical approaches they can apply to their daily work. I look forward to further sharing the valuable insights even now that the event has concluded by making session recordings available to those who register online.”
