Melisa Augusto has joined the staff of the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) as director of communications and marketing. In this capacity, Augusto will be responsible for ARA’s publications, media relations, website, marketing materials and associated issues. She will also support the communications aspects of ARA’s advocacy efforts on behalf of agricultural retailers. “We’re excited to welcome Melisa to the ARA …
ARA Recognizes Efforts to Support Ag Retailers
The Agricultural Retailers Association recognized two legislators who led efforts to defend the industry’s freedom to operate: Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas). Both were named ARA’s 2017 Legislator of the Year. ARA recognized the congressmen for leading legislative relief on regulatory issues such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s illegal Process Safety Management retail exemption …
ARA Honors AGCO Operator of the Year
The 2017 Operator of the Year, sponsored by AGCO Corporation, Andrew Myburgh of Aberdeen, South Dakota, was honored at the recent Agriculture Retailers Association (ARA) annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. Originally from South Africa, Myburgh is a Certified Applicator at the Wheat Growers in Aberdeen, where he treats 40,000 acres of fields and is often requested by name. Now a …
GROWMARK’s Wells Joins ARA Executive Committee
GROWMARK Crop Nutrients Division Manager Rod Wells is the newest member of the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) executive committee. Wells has been involved in ARA for a number of years and believes it is an important place to participate. “It’s all about being engaged in the process. It’s about advocating for the industry,” said Wells. “It’s critical that we make …
ARA Conference Chair Optimistic Amid Challenges
For the past nine years, Leroy Startz with ING Capital has chaired the committee that plans the Agricultural Retailers Association annual conference. Startz said this year’s conference had strong attendance and even stronger enthusiasm from participants, even though low commodity prices continue to challenge the industry. “Prices are not where they need to be. Everybody’s trying to figure out how …
New Ag Retailers Chair Has Game Plan
The new chairman of the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) says 2017 was a championship year for the organization and he hopes to sustain that excellence moving forward. John Oster with Morral Companies in Ohio says one area where ARA will be very active in the coming year is in development of the new farm bill. “Although we are a small …
Agriculture Secretary Addresses Ag Retailers
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue topped off the ARA Conference and Expo on Thursday in Phoenix, covering a broad range of topics in his comments including tax reform, de-regulation, trade, food security, infrastructure, school lunches and the farm bill. Perdue, who noted his past experience in the fertilizer business and with ARA’s predecessor organization, the National Fertilizer Solutions Association, talked …
ZimmCast from #ARA2017
This ZimmCast comes to you from the 25th annual Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) conference and expo in Phoenix. Chuck interviews ARA communications director Brian Reuwee, provides comments from BASF and Monsanto representatives about dicamba in 2018, and shares the comments of ARA’s retailer of the year award winners. Brian was actually the subject of the ZimmCast at this time in …
ARA Presents Distinguished Service and Lifetime Awards
The Agricultural Retailers Association recognized the 40-year career of William “Tip” O’Neill with the Jack Eberspacher Lifetime Achievement Award, and presented the Distinguished Service Award to long-time board member Steve Nielsen during the ARA Conference and Expo in Phoenix this week. Nielsen, most recently general counsel and corporate secretary for United Suppliers, joined the ARA board of directors in 2011. …
Asmus Farm Supply Named ARA Retailer of the Year
The Agricultural Retailers Association this week presented Asmus Farm Supply of Rake, Iowa with the 2017 Retailer of the Year at the ARA conference and expo in Phoenix. The operation is lead by second-generation owners Harlan and Amy Asmus, who accepted the award along with their sons Garrett and Holden and daughter-in-law, Billie. Mark Helt, National Sales Manager for Monsanto, …