Washington, D.C.-The Agricultural Retailers Association’s 40-member Board of Directors met in Washington, D.C., Feb. 25-27, to discuss important industry public policy issues with key federal agency officials and members of Congress. The board met with Craig Matthiessen of the EPA Office of Emergency Management about existing Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) rules and some proposed modifications, and with senior officials within the EPA Office of Pesticide Programs about pesticide container recycling and the proposed new EPA Web site for pesticide labels. The board also met with Gary Mast, USDA Under-Secretary of Natural Resources and Environment, to discuss USDA conservation programs. Mark Palmer, Agricultural Counsel for the Majority Staff for the House Small Business Committee, discussed the challenges agriculture and rural communities face from the nation’s railroad industry, including high shipping rates, lack of competition and poor service. The ARA Public Policy Committee discussed fertilizer trade issues and the current supply and price situation with John Gilliland of Miller & Chevalier, a law firm that specializes in U.S. trade laws and regulations. The board also met with Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), sponsor of the Agricultural Chemicals Security Credit provision included in the Senate-passed Farm Bill (H.R. 2419). ARA said Roberts provided an upbeat assessment on the chances of maintaining the Agricultural Chemicals Security credit in the farm bill conference agreement.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain