Thank you for your CAAR membership in 2014-15. Your support has enabled CAAR to represent agri-retailers on an individual, regional and federal level, reinforcing the value of the agri-retail industry as a crucial link in the ag value chain and the leading trusted advisor for 75% of farmers, while delivering and developing services that reinforce and build your business. CAAR is here to ensure that the interests of agri-retailers are being represented and protected so you can focus on your clients.

Simply put, your business is our mission. CAAR is here to help you achieve your goals, answer your concerns, and represent your perspective on issues that impact your business and the industry as a whole.

CAAR’s vision for the 2015-16 year has been shaped by the feedback and concerns that our members face. We are focused on three main issues that have been clearly identified as issues of growing concern for agri-retailers in Canada:

1. Staffing
It is well known that there is a shortage of people to meet the growing employment needs in ag. CAAR, together with the Canadian Armed Forces and Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council, is well into development of a solution to fill this gap. Operation Ag Careers will match retiring military veterans looking for civilian employment with agricultural job postings based on a skills assessment, resulting in highly qualified individuals finding a meaningful second career in agriculture. A pilot project is planned for the fall of 2015.

2. Training
CAAR is focused on exploring, upgrading and developing its training library, as the need for affordable, convenient and reliable training is growing. CAAR is currently upgrading its existing training courses as well as planning new courses to expand offerings in our online training library. We are also exploring partnerships with other organizations offering relevant training, to help you connect with all the training options available to you.

3. Advocacy
CAAR is proud to continue to represent you and your business on individual, local and national issues. We have been and will continue to be here for you on an ongoing basis. In the past year we have assisted multiple members on individual threats to their business, including issues such as: unfair assessment of backtaxes; emergency response support; training assistance; safety procedures; and regulatory compliance assistance. In the past 18 months we have helped several retailers save tens of thousands of dollars in unexpected situations, and we will continue to help you and your business succeed when you need us. You never know if or when an issue will arise, but CAAR is always in your corner and committed to your continued success.

Your membership support is critical to our ability to continue to provide critical service to the agri-retail industry, and your renewal for the 2015-16 year will arrive this week. Thank you in advance for your continued support in the coming year. We look forward to working with you to build a brighter future for the agri-retail industry.


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