Blog

Rep. Miller-Meeks with Iowa Fly-In Group

ARA Fly-In Moves the Needle in Washington

Mar 19, 2024

ARA hosted more than 90 ARA members and industry leaders for a Legislative Fly-In day to discuss key issues impacting the ag retail industry with 120 members of Congress and their staff. This event is held annually in conjunction with the ARA Winter Board & Committee Meetings in the Washington, DC area.

Basic Steps for Treated Seed Stewardship

Feb 14, 2024

As planting season begins across the country, ARA reminds ag retailers and their farmer-customers to follow the basic steps for stewardship of treated seed.

ARA Welcomes Chelsea to the Team

Oct 09, 2023

Chelsea Armstrong, ARA's new Manager of Member Services & Administration, is a communications professional with a background in promotions, administration, and management. Her flair for event coordination, social media management, and hospitality adds an invaluable dynamic to the ARA team.

Is Your Customer Satisfaction Score a Lie?

Aug 21, 2023

One of the fundamental tenets of performance improvement is to identify a metric that measures how you are doing. In business, the typical metrics are profitability, operational efficiency, and stakeholder satisfaction. The stakeholders are generally defined as ownership, employees, and customers. Of all these metrics, the one that can be the most misleading is customer satisfaction.

A Story on Culture & Engagement (Saving Babies' Lives!)

Aug 16, 2023

Erin Mies and Kristen Ireland, co-founders of People Spark Consulting, share a story about culture and engagement ahead of their breakout session at the 2023 ARA Conference & Expo:
Early in my career I worked with a consultant, Bill, who focused on culture and engagement (yes, this was a topic even way back in the 1990’s). To this day, I still remember a story he shared a story with me about engagement.

ARA Welcomes Summer Intern

Jun 06, 2023

ARA is proud to welcome Macie Miller as an intern this summer! Macie shares this message with ARA members.

ARA Welcomes New Communications Manager to the Team

Apr 11, 2023

ARA is proud to announce its newest team member, Courtney Baird, Manager of Communications & Partnerships. Courtney share this message with ARA members.

Fly-In Builds Unstoppable Momentum for Ag Industry

Feb 16, 2023

With the Farm Bill up for reauthorization this year, the more than 130 meetings between ARA member representatives and their elected officials and staff on both sides of the aisle of the 118th U.S. Congress will be critical to successful grassroots advocacy efforts at the federal level. Key issues that impact ag retail were discussed.

ARA ENGAGE for Ag Leaders training in 2022

Recap of ENGAGE for Ag Leaders

Sep 02, 2022

A small but mighty group of ARA member representatives participated in the recent ARA ENGAGE for Ag Leaders training in St. Louis, Missouri, to tackle the best way to respond to the "nightmare" questions we may be asked about from consumers as well as our own family and friends who may have limited knowledge about the agricultural production practices and the services agricultural retailers provide.

Fact Sheet on EPA's New Risk Management Program Rule

Aug 23, 2022

ARA revised a Fact Sheet on the new EPA Risk Management Program (RMP) rule with highlighted provisions that are likely to impact ARA’s ag retail members.