The president of the California Farm Bureau Federation welcomed members of the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) to his state this week for their annual meeting. Wenger talked about the importance of the agricultural industry in the United States and his home state. “As we see that today (farmers) are less than two percent of the population and in California farmers …
The Andersons Named ARA Retailer of the Year
The Agricultural Retailers Association this week named The Andersons as Retailer of the Year for 2015. The award was accepted by Joe Hodges, Vice President of the Southern Region Plant Nutrient Group, during the ARA Conference and Expo. “On behalf of all the employees of The Andersons – thank you for this special recognition,” Hodges said. “It’s extra special when …
ARA Lifetime Achievement Award to Gearheard
The Agricultural Retailers Association this week presented this year’s Jack Eberspacher Lifetime Achievement Award to Richard Gearheard, former President and CEO of Agrium Retail. Gearheard served as Senior Vice President of Agrium, Inc. and President of the Retail Division from August 1996 until his retirement in April 2014. He also worked in various capacities with other Agrium retail companies such …
Farm & Food Partnerships – A New Paradigm
The topic was “The New Paradigm: Farm + Food Partnerships to Meet New Consumer Demand.” Our opening keynote speaker at the Agricultural Retailers Association Conference & Expo was Steve Peterson, Retired Director of Sourcing and Sustainability, General Mills. Steve actually just recently retired and is now farming full time on his farm in Minnesota. Steve told us that he has …
Agricultural Retailers Gather in California
The 2015 ARA Conference & Expo is underway in Palm Desert, CA. Opening the general session this morning is Steve Peterson, Retired Director of Sourcing & Sustainability, General Mills. I’ll share an interview with him later. We have a big crowd attending again this year. The theme is Performance. Precision. Passion. and the conference programs reflect those concepts. After a …
ARA Performance. Precision. Passion. Preview.
It’s time to get back on the agriblogging highway with a trip to the 2015 Agricultural Retailers Association Conference & Expo. The theme is Performance. Precision. Passion. We’re going to discover how performance, precision and passion shapes success through presentations, networking and exhibits at this event for ag retailers and suppliers. You can still attend if you would like and …
Wheat Growers’ Applicator Finalist for Operator of the Year
Four finalists have been named to AGCO’s Operator of the Year award; one will be announced as the 10th Annual Operator of the Year at the 2015 ARA Conference and Expo in California December 1-3, 2015. Curtis Fick, Wheat Growers’ lead applicator at the Carpenter location, has been chosen as one of four national finalists for AGCO’s Operator of the …
Ag Groups React to EPA Farmworker Standards Update
Ag groups are reacting to the Environmental Protection Agency’s final revisions to the Worker Protection Standard. The American Farm Bureau Federation worries the government is getting away from a science-based approach in guarding against risk. “Farm Bureau shares the agency’s desire to protect workers, but we are concerned that the agency is piling regulatory costs on farmers and ranchers that …
ARA Conference & Expo Registration Open
Registration is now open for the 2015 Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) Conference & Expo. The event will take place December 1-3 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA. The Conference & Expo will feature presentations and discussions on sustainability, water issues, fertilizer trends, branding, finical movements, personal health and wellness, and many other topics. Discover how …
Industry Pleased with White House Pollinator Plan
Last June, President Obama called for an interagency Task Force to create a Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators. Tuesday, the Task Force released its strategy, under the joint leadership of EPA and USDA. Industry reaction to the plan, which outlines actions to be taken by more than a dozen other federal agencies and departments, …