Agriculture retailers nationwide have had an interesting year, to say the least, according to Agricultural Retailers Association President and CEO Darren Coppock.
He tells Mid-West Farm Report that it’s been challenging to secure technology components from China, get fertilizer to the right place, and use the railroad as a transportation medium. Coppock notes there has been quick fixes, such as incentives for domestic production and double-cropping, but in reality, real solutions, such as new fertilizer plants, will take time.
He says a lot of work needs to be done from an infrastructure standpoint, and it’ll require patience.
The Ag Retailers Association also has a sustainability agenda. The retailers’ role is to support farmers in their efforts to get to net-zero, increased carbon sequestration, green house gas emission monitoring, etc., Coppock explains. He says the association can provide anything from its Sustainability Programming for Ag Retailers & Certified Crop Consultants (SPARC) or help make Farm Bill changes that would allow retailers to play a larger role in conservation plans for farmers.
At the ground-level, Coppock says ag retailers can help farmers track their sustainability goals. For example, if a vegetable farmer has to keep a sustainability guide for their buyers, ag retailers may be able to take on some of that load by tracking the sustainability data of the products the farmer uses/the retailer sells.
While the Biden administration has its eyes set on an electric vehicle future, Coppock warns the transition will have to be slow in order to keep America running. He reminds listeners that there are not yet electric big rigs, planes or trains to get products across America. And he adds the infrastructure is not yet in place to support electric vehicles nationwide.
In his interview with Mid-West Farm Report, Coppock also talks about the news of a recession and trade deals.
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