The Impact Of ARA Policy Priorities & Fly-In

ARA members met with Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tenn.
ARA members met with Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tenn.
(ARA)

Before ARA members flew to Washington, D.C., to lead more than 130 meetings with their legislators in Congress, they needed to get on the same page. By first establishing the association’s set of public policy priorities, ARA members spoke as one unified voice on Capitol Hill as part of ARA’s 2023 Fly-In event.

These priorities are established annually with a focus on always benefiting the ag retailer. This is why ARA’s public policy committee includes industry-leading volunteers. They collaborate to identify the top challenges facing their businesses and their farmer-customers’ businesses. 

Under guidance from ARA’s public policy experts, the committee finalizes the list of top priorities that will steer discussions between ARA and federal regulators and legislators.

The Priorities

“It’s important for ag retailers to bring their challenges to the table because we work to align ARA’s priorities with those challenges to focus our collective voice where it matters most,” said MKC’s Dave Spears, who serves as ARA public policy committee chair. “This is the foundation of a successful fly-in.”

The ARA public policy committee convened the day before the Capitol Hill visits to confirm these top priorities for 2023:

  • transportation and supply chain
  • farm bill
  • ag labor
  • economic growth and trade
  • energy
  • modern agricultural crop production technologies 
A group of California-based ARA members spoke with Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif.
A group of California-based ARA members spoke with Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif.

The Impact

With the priorities set, more than 80 ARA members split into regional groups to visit more than 130 congressional offices in just one day. 

“It was great to meet with our legislators on both sides of the aisle to speak directly with elected officials about issues like trade, workforce, FIFRA and the upcoming farm bill process,” said ARA board chair Ian McGregor with The McGregor Company. “These meetings were critical to advance the core public policy goals of our association.”

Some legislators and their staff in the U.S. House and Senate maintain productive relationships with ARA and our industry partners, but others have little knowledge about the value ag retailers provide to American farmers and their communities. That is why it is so important for ag retailers to get involved in grassroots advocacy efforts led by ARA. 
“I had a chance to discuss issues of particular importance for California, such as water policy and water infrastructure. But we also discussed issues that transcend across the nation like transportationand labor,” said ARA board member Clay Houchin with Buttonwillow Warehouse Company. “Preserving the science-based approach and focus for the EPA was also discussed; any moves to politicize the agency pose a great danger to agriculture by limiting our ability to handle the challenges of the future.”

Fly-in participants saw firsthand that when elected officials hear directly from ag retailers in face-to-face meetings about common-sense solutions for our industry, it impacts their work on Capitol Hill and legislation.

ARA members met with Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash.
ARA members met with Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash. 

The Next Step

The momentum established during ARA’s Legislative Fly-In will continue as ARA members invite their elected officials to tour their facilities and see firsthand our industry’s commitment to safety and stewardship. 

Last year, several ARA members hosted legislators for facility visits and used the visits as an opportunity to not only showcase their business operations but also establish themselves as an educational resource when agricultural policies arise. Building trust between rural America and Washington, D.C., is an intentional focus of ARA’s advocacy approach. 

Asmus Farm Supply proved this possible last year by hosting Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, at its facility in Rake, Iowa. By extending the invitation to local growers, county supervisors and IT professionals, Asmus Farm Supply established itself as a leader in the community. 

“We enjoyed hosting Sen. Grassley and believe he appreciated learning more about ag retail,” said 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.”

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, met with members.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, met with members.

More Advocacy In Action 

On Feb. 28, Michael Twining of Willard Agri-Service testified on behalf of ARA member-companies before the House Committee on Agriculture on the “Uncertainty, Inflation, Regulations: Challenges for American Agriculture.”

To set ag retailers up for success, ARA developed the Congressional Facility Visit Guide with best practices, media samples and a step-by-step process to hosting a successful visit.

To explore ARA’s public policy priorities and learn how you can help pave the way for lasting relationships with your elected legislators in Congress, visit the ARA website at www.aradc.org.

 

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