March 30, 2022
Greetings ARA Members!
I hope all of you are navigating successfully through 2022 and that you’re looking forward to a spring season that is fast approaching (or well under way for some of us). It’s during the challenges that we’re currently facing that I’m reminded of the value that ARA brings to our industry. Recently I had the pleasure of working with Richard Gupton through a specific “hot smash” from a customer with a question relating to chlorpyrifos on treated seeds. Within a few days Richard and the policy team were able to get a definitive response from EPA on the matter and I was able to give the go ahead to our customer to get seed in the ground. This effort saved the grower significant money and put our company in a great position with the grower. Well done Richard and ARA Policy Team! ARA members have access to this type of support through the DC Help Desk. Click here for information on how to request assistance from the team.
As an association we’ve accomplished much over the past few months since we met in San Antonio for our annual conference. Shortly after the first of the year we made the difficult decision to move our board, committee meetings and Hill visits to a virtual format as the offices of members of Congress were (at the time) largely closed. Let’s hope that this is the last one of the fly-in events where this is necessary. That being said, the entire ARA staff pivoted into action and the ongoing Hill meetings have been extremely successful. As the last of those visits wrap up in the coming week, I thank the ARA staff, the Policy Committee and all of you who participated in the visits. It’s through these interactions that we help personalize our story for legislators and ensure that the voice of the ag retail industry is heard.
We all know that we live and work in an industry that is rapidly evolving. The demand on each of us as leaders is to ensure that we’re evolving our organizations to remain relevant and vibrant for the long term. ARA has long recognized this need and has had a long-term strategic plan for many years. We renew this plan every five years and this year we embark on that process again. Our Board has already begun its work and we’ll be meeting in July to continue this important process. If you have thoughts on the strategic direction of ARA, I encourage you to reach out to a Board member or to me directly. The active engagement of the membership will be critical for us to build the best plan for the next half decade.
I’m also looking forward to the ENGAGE for Ag Leaders program in August. I personally participated in this program a few years ago and found it extremely valuable. This program challenges us to step up the way we communicate with the general public about the important work our farmers and those of us who support them every day. I would encourage you to learn more about this program! Registration will open later this summer. In the meantime, click here for more information and to save the date.
Your association is working every day to ensure that we’re fighting for our collective freedom to operate. Part of that effort is making sure that the ARA is adding value to each of its members, and that you are all able to see a return on the investment you make in ARA each year. A great example of this is the merchant services program with KeyBank. The ARA team has built this program to take advantage of the collective size and scope of the membership while directly saving money for each participating member. If you have interest in learning more, please contact Donnie Taylor at dtaylor@aradc.org or 925-899-1906.
As each of us continue our work supporting growers through the upcoming growing season, let's keep in mind how blessed we are to work in such an important industry. Being there to support those who feed the world is a noble calling. Here’s to a safe and productive season for each of you!
All the best, |
Ian McGregor
2022-23 ARA Chairman |
