At the Alliance for Chemical Distribution (ACD), our goal is to proactively lead on the issues that matter most to our members, their businesses, and the communities they serve. We take our role very seriously as advocates for the industry, ensuring that our members are heard, represented, understood, and well-positioned to succeed.
To better understand the regulatory and policy priorities most important to ACD members, we fielded a survey during the 2025 Annual Meeting to determine the current challenges our industry is facing, the issue areas members would like ACD to focus on, and how we can best support ACD member companies as they navigate an uncertain landscape.
ACD members identified the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger, tariffs, and ongoing fraud as policy priorities in the coming year. On the regulatory front, we asked members to select three issue areas that pose the greatest challenge to their operations. The results were clear: environmental regulation, transportation and logistics, and import/export trade compliance were the top three challenges our members are facing.
This insight from our members is helpful for several reasons. First, as we plan our agenda for the year, we can adjust our programming to focus on the concerns of our members, ensuring these subjects are core tenets of our advocacy activities and informational sessions. But, perhaps most importantly, we can provide our members with an opportunity and platform to make a tangible impact in the areas that matter most.
Our annual Washington Fly-in is the perfect example. Each year, we bring ACD members to our nation’s capital to highlight some of the policy and regulatory challenges the industry faces and to underscore how certain policy changes affect businesses in lawmakers’ home states and across the supply chain. This year’s Fly-In will take place from May 13-14. We encourage ACD members to join us and meet with legislators and regulators to encourage policies that ensure we remain competitive in the years to come.
Seventy percent of ACD members responded that reducing compliance burdens was top of mind, nearly 60% emphasized the importance of strengthening communication between regulators and the industry, and nearly half of respondents felt that increasing engagement with key federal agencies was an important effort. Face-to-face conversations with lawmakers and regulators during Fly-In are, without a doubt, the most effective way to get our industry’s messages through to Capitol Hill and the administration.
ACD members who haven’t yet participated in a Fly-In may find the idea daunting. The good news is you don’t need to be a policy expert to have an effective and meaningful conversation. That’s where members of our team can help. Before you go to these meetings, ACD will provide you with a legislative and regulatory prep session. While on the Hill, you’ll have meetings with lawmakers and attend a Fly-In reception with Members of Congress and staff. The next day, we’ll recap those meetings over breakfast and address any questions you might have for the next batch of meetings before the Fly-In adjourns Thursday afternoon.
ACD values its role as an advocate for the chemical distribution industry, and we’re committed to helping our members build partnerships within the industry and with policymakers. So, join us for this year’s Fly-In, and you will have a chance to be part of this important advocacy work. Registration is open now!
Learn more about ACD Fly-In here.
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