POMEROY–The McGregor Company here, among five of its retail branches in Clarkston, Wash., Colfax, Wash., Lewiston, and Twin Falls, Idaho, received a certification from ResponsibleAg. on July 28.

The ResponsibleAg Certification Program is the only program in the nation that provides a voluntary comprehensive assessment of agricultural facilities that store and handle farm input supplies such as fertilizer, crop protection products, seed and fuel. Certification requires that a facility meet stringent regulatory-based criteria, implement industry-leading safety and security measures, and uphold facility safety as one of its highest priorities.

Over the course of the next year, The McGregor Company will strive to add this certification at all retail branches.

Dale Deerkop with The McGregor Company stated, “ResponsibleAg certification demonstrates to our community and our customers that we are a safe and responsible partner within the community.” The ResponsibleAg assessment was very thorough and according to Deerkop, an excellent mechanism for ensuring that we are complying with the federal requirements. They take great pride in this third-party certification. It reinforces the commitment to their employees and the community.

“Participation in ResponsibleAg is voluntary,” said Tim McArdle, Chairman of ResponsibleAg, Inc. “It is incumbent on all to ensure we are a safe, responsible and proactive industry.” McArdle expressed his hope to engage the entire industry in this beneficial program over the next few years.

“There are hundreds of regulations from different regulatory agencies that an agribusiness such as ours must follow,” adds Mark Johnson of The McGregor Company. Voluntarily participating in the program and attaining certification helps ensure we are making our facility and our daily practices safer for our communities, our customers and employees.” To keep the ResponsibleAg certification, they must repeat and pass the assessment every three years.

Daren Coppock, President and CEO of the Agricultural Retailers Association, which helped develop and launch the program expressed that the commitment of retailers to responsibility and safety is evident in this success, and in the thousands of facilities that have already signed up to participate and are working toward certifications of their own.

Corey Rosenbusch, President of The Fertilizer Institute, and always has been, dedicated to operating safely within our communities. “This certification is a rigorous assessment that assures each community just how committed we are to their safety and security.”

-www.responsibleag.org.