Agricultural Retailers Association

06/12/2026

There’s still time to nominate the 2026 ARA Retailer of the Year! Winners receive an on stage award presentation at the ARA Conference & Expo in front of hundreds of industry pros. Submit your nomination before the June 26 deadline!

Past Ag Retailer of the Year award winners include:Setting The Standard: Why River Valley Cooperative Is Retailer of the YearThe Buttonwillow Way: Centered On The Customer, Nimble For ChangeA Partner In Shared Success: Retailer Of The Year MKCOutstanding In Their Field: Marion Ag ServiceValley Ag: I...

06/11/2026

What's on the minds of ag retailers? ARA's Hunter Carpenter covers it all in a recent Agriculture of America interview - glyphosate regulations, label requirements, opposing the UP/NS rail merger, and the latest Farm Bill developments. Listen below:

06/10/2026

ARA's Hunter Carpenter, a CTIC Board Member, and Richard Gupton joined conservation leaders, farmers, researchers, and agribusiness representatives at the 2026 Conservation in Action Tour in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Hosted by the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), the tour featured behind-the-scenes visits to BASF, Cotton Incorporated, and NC State Plant Sciences, followed by a conservation agriculture banquet and keynote presentation by North Carolina chef and author Vivian Howard.

Attendees also visited innovative farming operations, including Leggett Farming Partnership and Z3 Agriculture, where farmers showcased diverse crop rotations, no-till systems, cover crops, on-farm research, and conservation practices that improve soil health, water quality, and profitability.

The tour provided a valuable opportunity to see conservation agriculture in action while strengthening relationships across the food and agriculture value chain. It also highlighted practical, farmer-led conservation solutions and offered excellent networking opportunities with stakeholders from across U.S. agriculture.

06/09/2026

Rail consolidation has a track record, and it’s not good. ARA President & CEO Daren Coppock penned an op-ed in Agri-Pulse, outlining concerns about how the proposed merger of Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern (NS) would impact ARA members and the agribusiness sector as a whole. Read below:

Daren Coppock of the Agricultural Retailers Association argues that the proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger would further concentrate rail power, drive up already rising transportation costs and undermine the reliability of the agricultural supply chain.

06/08/2026

ARA represents agricultural retailers and distributors across the country — the businesses that supply America’s farmers and ranchers with seed, nutrients, crop protection products, feed,...

06/03/2026

The BUILD America 250 Act has historic investment in our transportation infrastructure- something all Americans, especially ARA members, can benefit from. ARA's Richard Gupton joined RFD-TV to discuss more- watch below:

06/01/2026

Registration is now open for the 2026 ARA Conference & Expo in Austin, Texas! Join 600+ ag retail professionals December 1–3 at the JW Marriott Austin for three days of insight, innovation, and connection centered on this year's theme: Amplifying Ag Retail: Tech, Trade, & Transformation. Register today and save with Early Bird pricing through October 16.

Join more than 600 ag retail leaders in Austin, Texas, Dec. 1–3, for the 2026 ARA Conference & Expo—where Amplifying Ag Retail: Tech, Trade, & Transformation comes to life through insight, innovation, and industry leadership. This can’t-miss event delivers compelling keynotes, meaningful netwo...

05/21/2026

Agricultural retailers are the critical link between manufacturers and the farmers and ranchers who feed America. The reliability of that link depends on a modern transportation system - safe roads and bridges, qualified commercial drivers, and federal rules that reflect the realities of agricultural freight. The BUILD America 250 Act addresses each of these needs in meaningful ways, and ARA is proud to support it. These provisions represent a meaningful step toward a transportation system that works with - rather than against - the agricultural supply chain.

05/20/2026

Happy ! 🐝 Bees help pollinate more than 75% of the crops we rely on every day. By following proper stewardship practices, we can help protect these vital pollinators. Explore Growing Matters’ resources to learn more this growing season: https://bit.ly/47yiEaI.

BeSure! is a stewardship initiative to support farmers in accomplishing the important goal of protecting bees and other wildlife during planting season.

05/15/2026

It's always a great day when members stop by! We had the pleasure of welcoming Emergent Connext CEO Mike Roudi, as well as Jay Vroom, and David Beaudreau, to ARA headquarters this week. To our members: if you're ever passing through the D.C. area, come visit. We'd love to connect in person.