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Non-profit

Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA)

Website:

www.aradc.org/
Location:

Arlington, VA
Tax ID:

43-1448690
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(6)

Budget (2022):

Revenue: $3,721,691
Expenses: $3,251,864
Assets: $7,161,238
Type:

Business League
President and CEO:

Daren Coppock
Budget (2023):

Revenue: $4,539,549

Expenses: $3,956,274

Assets: $11,460,607 17

References

  1. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Agricultural Retailers Association. 2023. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/431448690/202500859349301530/full

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) is a non-profit business league that advocates on agriculture-related issues on behalf of retailers and distributors. 1

The group has criticized the second Trump administration for its trade-restrictionist policies, though its political committee has previously donated to the campaigns of Republican candidates running for office. 2 3 4

Background

The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) is a trade advocacy group formed in 1992 as a merger between the National Fertilizer Solutions Association and the National AgriChemical Retailers Association. 5 6 7

The ARA is a member of the Conservation Technology Information Center, which focuses on agricultural conservation. 8

The ARA supports the sellers of agriculture goods including seeds and nutrients, crop-protection products, farm equipment and agronomic services. 9

Programs

The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) hosts an annual conference and expo that includes an invitational golf tournament and an Alligator Airboat and Wildlife tour. 10

The organization provides several programs for members. These include ARA’s Payment Processing Service for reducing the costs of accepting credit card payments, the ARA Navigator 360 for agricultural leadership assessment, the group’s DC Help Desk for ARA policy experts to answer regulatory and legislative questions, and the ARA Member Resource Library with educational literature on issues such as pandemic and natural disaster preparation. 11

In March 2025, the ARA announced it was partnering with CropLife America and the Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology to create a new “decision guide” for reacting to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Endangered Species Act Workplan as well as updated label requirements under the EPA’s Pesticide User Guide to understand which farmers and retailer qualify. 12

In May 2025, the ARA partnered with H-2 visa provider másLabor to create LaborLink, a member benefit program designed to assist agricultural retailers with hiring new employees. 13

Advocacy

The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) advocates on agricultural issues retailers such as  transportation and supply chain issues, the periodic Farm Bills in Congress, energy issues, and agricultural technology. 11

In April 2025, following the second Trump administration’s announcement of major increases to tariffs, ARA released a statement claiming to support the President’s advocacy for “fair trade,” but further alleged that, “damage to export market relationships from bilateral tariff escalations would likely be severe and long-lasting.” 2 The statement continued arguing Congress had to pass “a new Farm bill, “increasing domestic energy production,” more “regulatory reform,” and new policy towards “foreign shipbuilding subsidies.” 2

The ARA also has a political action committee (PAC) which, during the 2024 election cycle, gave $120,250 to Republican candidates and $13,500 to Democratic candidates. 4

In the 2022 election cycle, ARA’s PAC contributed $56,500 to Republican candidates, or 90.4 percent of its donations. It donated $6,000 to Democratic candidates. 14

The organization has supported the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which includes a 17 percent increase in agricultural productivity and reducing greenhouse gas by 21 percent. 6

In May 2025, ARA CEO Daren Coppock released a statement claiming that the Trump administration’s health-based initiatives would negatively impact the agricultural industry. He alleged, “[w]ithout pesticides, farmers will struggle to control invasive insects and plant diseases, particularly those affecting perishable crops like fruits and vegetables. This would result in reduced food availability, diminished quality, increased consumer costs, and heightened food safety risks.” 3

Leadership

Amy Asmus of Asmus Farm Supply is the chair for the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA). 15

Teresa McNeal of the Syngenta Corporation is the secretary-treasurer of the board of directors. 15

Daren Coppock is the president and CEO of ARA. 16

References

  1. “About Us.” Agricultural Retailers Association. Accessed May 26, 2025. https://www.aradc.org/about/about-ara
  2. Coppock, Daren. “Ag Retailers Association: American Industry Needs a Predictable Trade Policy.” April 10, 2025. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.thedailyscoop.com/news/retail-industry/ag-retailers-association-american-industry-needs-predictable-trade-policy
  3. Bolden, Bonnie. “MS senator, farm groups say new MAHA report relies on bad science to make food, health policies.” Clarion Ledger. May 23, 2025. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2025/05/23/mississippi-senator-hyde-smith-new-rfk-maha-report-could-use-fringe-theories-to-change-food-farming/83815783007/
  4. “Agricultural Retailers Association.” Open Secrets. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/agricultural-retailers-assn/C00264770/candidate-recipients/2024
  5. “Agricultural Retailers Association.” Cause IQ. Accessed May 26, 2025. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/agricultural-retailers-association,431448690/
  6. Savage, Steven. “Ag Retailers Meet During A Time Of Extraordinary Change.” Forbes. December 9, 2022. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensavage/2022/12/09/ag-retailers-meet-during-a-time-of-extraordinary-change/
  7. “2017 Annual Report.” Agricultural Retailers Association. Accessed May 31, 2025. https://www.aradc.org/sites/default/files/2020-05/ARA_2017%20ARA%20AnnualReport.pdf
  8. “Current Members.” Conservation Technology Information Center. Accessed May 26, 2025. https://www.ctic.org/membership/current_members
  9. “Agricultural Retailers Association.” LinkedIn. Accessed May 26, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/company/agretailers/
  10.  Agricultural Retailers Association. ”Agricultural Retailers Association Convenes Annual Conference.” Crop Life. November 28, 2023. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.croplife.com/management/agricultural-retailers-association-convenes-annual-conference/
  11. “Membership Overview.” Agricultural Retailers Association. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.aradc.org/about/membership-overview
  12. Agricultural Retailers Association. “Agricultural Industry Leaders Debut ESA Workplan Resource.” Crop Life. March 24, 2024. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.croplife.com/management/legislation/agricultural-industry-leaders-debut-esa-workplan-resource/
  13.  Agricultural Retailers Association. “ARA Debuts LaborLink: A Smarter Way for ARA Members to Find Workers.” The Daily Scoop. May 2, 2025. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.thedailyscoop.com/news/retail-training/ara-debuts-laborlink-smarter-way-ara-members-find-workers
  14. “Agricultural Retailers Association.” Open Secrets. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/agricultural-retailers-assn/C00264770/candidate-recipients/2022
  15. “Board of Directors.” Agricultural Retailers Association. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.aradc.org/board
  16. “Staff.” Agricultural Retailers Association. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.aradc.org/about-ara/staff
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: September - August
  • Tax Exemption Received: June 1, 1987

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2022 Sep Form 990 $3,721,691 $3,251,864 $7,161,238 $1,124,653 N $2,906,962 $564,374 $174,985 $1,043,199
    2021 Sep Form 990 $4,110,880 $2,936,079 $7,817,177 $992,711 N $2,481,322 $428,866 $120,093 $1,021,680
    2020 Sep Form 990 $3,776,194 $3,331,550 $6,574,432 $603,324 N $2,376,528 $968,889 $276,012 $1,003,120
    2019 Sep Form 990 $3,673,009 $3,345,496 $6,439,525 $2,046,290 N $2,436,325 $898,738 $291,206 $965,903 PDF
    2018 Sep Form 990 $3,535,005 $3,364,681 $6,138,956 $1,877,375 Y $2,317,823 $948,200 $243,675 $934,710 PDF
    2017 Sep Form 990 $3,559,467 $3,310,226 $5,745,117 $1,775,864 N $2,522,337 $879,924 $135,412 $902,388 PDF
    2016 Sep Form 990 $3,659,971 $3,445,117 $5,382,500 $2,109,819 N $2,550,695 $905,119 $188,060 $892,618 PDF
    2015 Sep Form 990 $3,422,275 $3,176,345 $4,914,313 $2,082,234 N $2,393,170 $792,515 $205,218 $839,611 PDF
    2014 Sep Form 990 $3,208,936 $3,011,180 $4,701,132 $1,816,975 N $2,357,130 $722,327 $112,624 $760,270 PDF
    2013 Sep Form 990 $2,363,847 $2,842,935 $4,115,539 $1,596,964 N $1,647,830 $634,335 $62,238 $486,928 PDF
    2012 Sep Form 990 $2,819,709 $2,616,741 $3,192,551 $474,987 N $2,176,101 $574,722 $52,751 $645,810 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA)

    4201 Wilson Blvd, Suite 700
    Arlington, VA 22203