It is hard to believe that we have another planting season behind us, and harvest is rapidly approaching. The ARA team in Washington had its own busy spring season, working on behalf of its membership on Capitol Hill as well as behind the scenes for a robust fall and winter of programming.
Steps forward with Seasonal Ag CDL
ARA has been working closely with Sen. Moran, R-Kan.; Sen. Thune, R-S.D.; and allies on Capitol Hill to encourage reform to the farm-related restricted commercial driver’s license (CDL) program, more commonly referred to as the seasonal ag CDL program. The seasonal ag CDL program is critical to ensuring ag retailers are able to provide the level of service their farmer-customers require at peak times in the growing and harvest seasons. The House has already passed their version of a surface transportation reauthorization bill without any seasonal ag CDL reform provisions. The Senate version includes two of the four requested reforms – Jan. 1 restart and an additional 30 days for a new total 210 days for the program. At press time the bill was headed to the Senate floor and next it should go to a Senate-House conference. ARA’s policy team will continue to highlight this issue.
Revisions Coming to WOTUS
In early June, EPA and the Department of the Army announced their intent to once again revise the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS).
WOTUS was most recently revised from the 2015 rule through the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR), and ARA supported the revisions made at that time. The NWPR utilizes a much more practical approach through a cooperative federalism system where the state agencies are co-equal regulatory partners with the EPA. This setup pulls back on mission creep and gives the states a more meaningful role in regulating their waters.
The NWPR also improved the way inclusions and exclusions are defined; waters are assumed to not be jurisdictional unless they meet one of the qualifications on a list of inclusions. The result of this change removed a lot of uncertainty for landowners who needed to know the status of their property features. Under the 2015 WOTUS rule, landowners would have likely had to hire a professional engineer to make a technical determination. However, under the NWPR, they could rely on the general exclusion unless their property qualified under one of the specific inclusions.
ARA will submit comments and continue to monitor any proposed changes to be sure the voices of ag retailers and their farmer-customers are heard.
Growing Climate Solutions for the Ag Industry
More recently, the U.S. Senate passed S.1251, the Growing Climate Solutions Act of 2021, in an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 92-8. ARA president and CEO Daren Coppock applauded this bill’s passage because it would boost agricultural carbon markets by creating a certification process at the USDA.
ARA advocates that carbon markets should be voluntary and incentive-based. This vote was a step in the right direction for the ag retailers playing a pivotal trusted adviser role to farmers as they work together to develop and implement climate-smart practices.
ARA Professional Development Pathway Programming Coming Back In-person
As we look ahead, ARA is excited to bring back in-person programming through its Professional Development Pathway. At the end of August, ARA will host its Crisis Preparedness Workshop. Sponsored by FMC, this timely program will assist attendees with crisis management plans, crisis communications plans and an updated curriculum to cover new topics like cybersecurity in ag while addressing any lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the crisis preparedness program, ARA and its partners at Purdue University are gearing up for the return of Strategic Decision Making, the three-day seminar that equips participants with knowledge and tools needed to make strategic choices. Attendees will learn how to clarify specific decisions, list alternatives and manage any risk involved. Mastering this process and applying these tools significantly increases odds of success for your business.
Saddle Up for Success in San Antonio
The premier event in ag retail, the ARA Conference & Expo, will return in-person this Nov. 30-Dec. 2 in San Antonio, Texas. With an action-packed schedule filled with networking opportunities, professional development workshops, speakers with inside knowledge on the industry’s hottest topics and an expo hall filled with exhibitors ready to engage, this year’s event will be one not to miss. In next month’s issue of The Scoop, you will get a sneak peek at some of the content, but in the meantime, visit www.aradc.org/conference for the latest information and to register at the early bird rate.
