ARA's Work To Improve The Industry Continues
As our 30th anniversary year ends, ARA looks back on the advocacy efforts made by our policy team on Capitol Hill and our ag retailer-members across rural America. For 30 years, ARA and its membership have worked together to advance positive outcomes that benefit the business of ag retailers and their farmer-customers. We are proud of what we have been able to accomplish and look forward to continuing to strive for a better agriculture industry for all.
A Better Seasonal Ag CDL
One of the biggest highlights of this year came in September with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s announcement that the final reforms to the farm-related restricted commercial driver’s license program—more commonly referred to as the seasonal ag CDL program—would go into effect immediately. ARA, along with its engaged membership, other industry stakeholders and legislators in Congress, has long advocated for reforms to modernize this program.
The seasonal ag CDL is now valid for 30 additional days to help ag retailers provide the level of service their farmer-customers need during peak times of the growing and harvest seasons. Additionally, the program will change to a calendar year rotation to prevent any overlaps from season to season from one year to the next. These improvements will allow states to implement the program changes prior to the 2023 planting season.
ARA Educating Retailers
Just in time for the Nov. 1 prepay for the 2023 season, ARA and the Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology (CPDA) partnered to host an educational webinar, Adjuvant Advantage for the Sales Agronomist. More than 1,000 certified crop advisers and agronomists signed up to learn how they can assist their grower-customers in understanding how to select and use the right adjuvant to improve their crop protection programs.
As our industry faces supply chain challenges, rising costs and an urgent need for a safe and secure food system worldwide, retailers and their growers can turn to adjuvants to maximize their crop protectant investment while saving time and money by using lower rates of water with drift and deposition agents. This webinar was developed by these ARA members who make up the CPDA advisory working group: Growmark, Helena Agri-Enterprises, Nutrien, J.R. Simplot Company, Wilbur-Ellis and WinField United.
Retailers Educating Legislators
It’s not every day that an elected official in Congress visits an ag retail facility in rural America to learn more about the value these facilities bring to their farmer-customers and communities. However, several ARA retailer-members went the extra mile this year to invite and host their legislators for facility tours, which have a goal to educate legislators about these facilities’ approach to environmental stewardship and team safety. By seeing the work of the ag retailer firsthand, members of Congress will be in a better position to enact legislation that promotes innovative, modern solutions to problems farmers face.
Our Work Continues
While we celebrate the advocacy wins of 2022, we must acknowledge that our work to advance commonsense regulations and legislation is never finished, especially when it comes to the EPA.
ARA opposes the EPA’s new proposed Risk Management Program (RMP) elements that add requirements for covered facilities. In part, the opposition stems from concerns that the agency is likely exceeding its regulatory authority.
In comments filed recently to the EPA, ARA’s Richard Gupton says the current RMP regulations are working well and additional requirements will only increase operating costs, paperwork burdens and compliance costs for ag retail facilities without decreasing the chance of an accidental release. One example of the steps already being taken by our industry to ensure safe handling and storage includes the industry-led ResponsibleAg Certification Program, which has helped thousands of ag retail facilities with ammonium nitrate fertilizer or anhydrous ammonia fertilizer comply with strict regulations.
2023 and Beyond
Issues such as the burdensome RMP regulations and the EPA’s registration review for dicamba and other crop protection products will continue to be top of mind as ARA continues to be the voice of ag retailers. In 2023, ARA members will set public policy priorities and meet with lawmakers and regulators at the ARA Winter Board Meeting and Legislative Fly-In to address these concerns. To strengthen the collective voice of ag retailers in Washington, join ARA today.