Agricultural retailers are the trusted advisers to American farmers as well as leaders in the local communities in which they operate. They serve as a trusted source of information not only to their farmer-customers seeking the best agronomic advice to improve yields but also the regulators and legislators in Washington, D.C. The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) supports its member-companies as they proactively bridge the gap between rural America and the nation’s capital.
Sen. Chuck Grassley at Asmus Farm Supply
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, visited the facility of ARA member Asmus Farm Supply (AFS) in Rake, Iowa, on July 7. Sen. Grassley led a question-and-answer session with 22 local community members including growers, county supervisors, local IT professionals, bankers and AFS personnel.
Following the discussion, Sen. Grassley toured the facility of Asmus Farm Supply to see firsthand how this ag retailer goes above and beyond to support its employees, grower-customers and local stakeholders by providing quality ag products and services that support sustainable agricultural practices.
During the on-site visit, discussion topics related to the ag industry included:
- Rural broadband
- Rural emergency response
- Federal crop insurance policy
- Disaster relief policy
“We enjoyed hosting Sen. Grassley and believe he appreciated learning more about ag retail,” says Harlan Asmus, owner at Asmus Farm Supply. “We also involved multiple stakeholders from the local businesses, which led to a broader discussion and really highlighted how many issues affect ag. It also showed that in rural Iowa, ag and ag retail truly need to work as a community.”
How to Host Legislators at Your Facility
Several more ARA members took up ARA’s challenge to invite their elected officials in Congress to tour their ag retail facilities to ensure their industry voice is heard and considered when legislators make decisions that have a far-reaching impact across rural America.
Helena Agri-Enterprises referenced ARA’s Congressional Facility Visit Guide leading up to a visit by U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., at the ARA member facility in Morse, Louisiana.
EPA’s Field Trip to Ag Retail Facilities
ARA hosted more than 30 staff from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) at two ag retail facilities operated by ARA members located in Delaware—just a few hours outside of our nation’s capital. The goal was for EPA officials to witness the exceptional efforts being made daily by both Nutrien Ag Solutions in Milford, Delaware, and Willard Agri-Service in Greenwood, Delaware, to offer sustainable, environmentally safe agricultural products and solutions to their grower-customers.
“I wanted to express our sincere thanks for the opportunity for so many of us to see some representative facilities and get the chance to have such a fulsome conversation,” says Jan Matuszko, acting director at the EPA’s Environmental Fate and Effects Division, Office of Pesticide Programs. “It is clear that ARA’s team and the folks at the facilities put a lot of thought and effort into it, and it really contributed to the success of the trip.”
The participating EPA staff came with an interest to learn firsthand about ag retail facility operations, including the use of labels and the safe storage and handling of products such as atrazine, paraquat and glyphosate—all of which are currently under review with the EPA OPP.
Continuing the Work in Washington
The work does not stop there. ARA will build on the momentum from such tours featuring ARA members as we represent ag retailers’ interests related to current issues such as the EPA’s Risk Management Program rule, which is open for comment, as well as the pending Occupational Safety and Health Administration process safety management request for information.
The ARA DC Help Desk service is available to ARA members seeking support when setting up tours with federal regulators and legislators or seeking clarifying answers to legislative and regulatory uncertainty. Learn more at aradc.org/helpdesk. For those seeking to support ARA’s advocacy efforts by joining as a member, go to aradc.org/join.
