ARA Honors Mike Twining with Excellence in Advocacy Award
The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) has honored Mike Twining, vice president of sales and marketing at Willard Agri-Service, with the new Excellence in Advocacy Award in front of more than 620 ag retail industry professionals during the 2023 ARA Conference & Expo.
The ARA staff awarded Twining because of his service as vice chair of the ARA public policy committee, his testimony before the House Agriculture Committee on the onerous Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) regulations, and more.
“Mike has shown incredible commitment to ARA’s advocacy initiatives,” says ARA Senior Director of Public Policy Hunter Carpenter. “His leadership, acts of service to ARA, and can-do attitude make him the perfect choice for this award.”
Setting the bar for grassroots advocacy, Mike and his team hosted nearly 30 staff members of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) at his ag retail facility on the Eastern Shore of Maryland to show federal regulators first-hand the exceptional efforts made by ag retailers to offer sustainable, environmentally safe agricultural products and solutions to their grower customers.
“Aside from his remarks to lawmakers and federal regulators about the great lengths ag retailers go to in order to safely provide fuel, feed and fiber to a growing population, he is an active and generous donor to the ARAPAC, our political action committee,” says ARA President & CEO Daren Coppock. “Our entire industry no doubt has benefited from his proactive generosity.”
This is a brand-new award created to highlight an ARA member who has surpassed expectations in grassroots advocacy to educate lawmakers and regulators about the invaluable work ag retailers do to help their farmer customers ensure a secure and plentiful food supply for all.
View the 2023 ARA public policy priorities established by the membership.
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