Daren Coppock: Insights on Strategy, Talent, and Legislation in Agriculture

The Intentional Agribusiness Leader Podcast

In this episode of the Intentional Agribusiness Leader podcast, host Mark Jewell welcomes Daren Coppock, CEO of the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA). Daren delves into his role at ARA, shedding light on the organization's advocacy and networking efforts that benefit agricultural retailers nationwide. With a keen focus on intentional leadership, Daren discusses the strategies ARA employs to support its members amidst a challenging regulatory environment.

Daren emphasizes the importance of being intentional in leadership, providing insights on how ARA assists its members with professional development, and the ongoing challenges in attracting and retaining talent in the ag retail industry. The conversation also navigates through the intricacies of the political landscape in Washington, DC, particularly during election years, and how it influences legislative priorities like the Farm Bill. Daren shares personal anecdotes and professional milestones that reflect his leadership style and strategic thinking, making this episode a treasure trove of insights for those in agribusiness.

Key Takeaways:

• Intentional Leadership: Daren highlights the necessity of making conscious efforts to achieve goals rather than being passively carried by circumstances.
• ARA's Role: The Agricultural Retailers Association represents various ag retailers, focusing on advocacy and networking to enhance their profitability and operations.
• Talent Attraction and Retention: A perennial challenge for ag retailers, Daren discusses strategies like partnering with educational institutions and utilizing professional development programs.
• Navigating Washington, DC Politics: Daren elaborates on the complexities of working within a polarized political environment and how it affects farm legislation.
• Personal Insights: Daren shares personal leadership challenges and triumphs, including valuable lessons from his career and the importance of trust and vulnerability in building a strong organizational culture.

Notable Quotes:

1. "Being intentional is sticking that rudder in, sticking that oar in and steering intentionally to an outcome that you want to have." - Daren Coppock
2. "To me, being intentional is sticking that rudder in, sticking that or in and steering intentionally to an outcome that you want to have." - Daren Coppock
3. "If they can get paid more, that's the key—being able to do the service and get paid for it." - Daren Coppock
4. "One of the things that I'm really trying to be intentional about is if there's something where I just need to say, this is the answer, so that we don't have to wrestle with all the other stuff, trying to be more intentional about doing that." - Daren Coppock
5. "Chances are that whoever it was that made the impact may not remember it. It may have been a long time ago, maybe it was just a one-off thing, but the fact that they took time to invest a little bit of time in you pays dividends down the road." - Daren Coppock

Resources:

• Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA): aradc.org

For more valuable insights from industry leaders like Daren Coppock, be sure to listen to the full episode and stay tuned for more enlightening content from the Intentional Agribusiness Leader podcast.