Around three dozen U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff recently visited a working research farm in Queenstown, Maryland to see first-hand demonstrations of the latest sprayers and pieces of equipment. Organized by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA), the goal of the event was to demonstrate the voluntary steps and emerging technologies that the …
ARA Says Don’t Allow OSHA to Circumvent the Law
Misdirection may work well for magicians, but the Agricultural Retailers Association has not been distracted by the Occupational Health Safety Administration’s latest antics. The organization is responding to OSHA’s attempt to enforce rules on farm supply retailers before the rules have even been written. On May 6 the ARA sent a letter to Congress and the U.S. Court of Appeals for …
ATF Rules West Fertilizer Explosion a Criminal Act
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) has ruled that the fire which caused the explosion at the West Fertilizer Company in West, Texas on April 17, 2013 was started intentionally. ATF says they have tested and ruled out all accidental or natural causes, and are now offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest …
Senators Cochran & Thune Honored by Ag Retailers
The Agricultural Retailers Association recently recognized two legislators who have lead efforts to defend the industry’s freedom to operate: Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.). Both were named ARA’s 2015 Legislator of the Year. ARA recognized Sen. Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, for his determined efforts on behalf of the agricultural industry during his years …
Florida Rep. Gwen Graham with Ag Retailers
One of the members of Congress who met with leaders of the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) last week in Washington DC was Rep. Gwen Graham (D-FL), the daughter of former Florida governor and senator Bob Graham. She is pictured here (left) with Mary Hartney, president of the Florida Fertilizer & Agrichemical Association. Rep. Graham recently completed her first North Florida …
GROWMARK with Ag Retailers in DC
Joining the Agricultural Retailers Association last week in Washington DC was GROWMARK Executive Director for Corporate and Government Relations Chuck Spencer, who joined in legislative visits to discuss key issues for the cooperative and the industry. Spencer says top legislative priorities for GROWMARK include the labeling issue for genetically modified products. “We need to have a federal standard on genetically …
Policy Priorities for Ag Retailers
The Agricultural Retailers Association is holding its winter board meeting in Washington, DC after a day of visits on Capitol Hill. Before the meeting started I visited with ARA Chairman, Harold Cooper, Premier Ag. We talked about the policy priorities for ARA this year. The first and foremost one he says is the retail exemption to OSHA’s Process Safety Management …
Ag Retailers Storm the Hill
It’s a beautiful sunny day in Washington, DC. Perfect timing for members of the board of the Agricultural Retailers Association to take their priorities to Senate and House offices. All day these members will be visiting with their elected leaders to distribute information and talk with the Representative, Senator and/or their aides. They have been briefed. They are on a …
Ag Retailers Hold Winter Board Meeting
The agriblogger is on the highway again this week, moving to Washington, DC for a few days to work with the Agricultural Retailers Association at their Winter Board Meeting. ARA planned this right since the snow was a week ago and has been pretty well cleared up on the streets. I talked with Daren Coppock, President/CEO, ARA, to have him …
Precision Impact Award Presented to Leading Retailers
AgProfessional Magazine, MapShots AgStudio, and the Agricultural Retailers Association sponsored an award presented to three retailers leading the way in precision agriculture. Accepting the Precision Impact Award on behalf of their companies were: Elliott Marsh, East Georgia Agronomy Services, Southern States Cooperative; Glen Franzluebbers, Central Valley Ag Cooperative, and Luke Lightfoot, Co-Alliance, LLC. The award was presented on December 3 at …