ResponsibleAg
ResponsibleAg is a nonprofit certification program, jointly run by the Agricultural Retailers Association and The Fertilizer Institute, that audits and certifies U.S. agribusiness facilities for compliance with OSHA, DOT, EPA, and DHS regulations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersOwensboro, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ResponsibleAg does
ResponsibleAg, Inc. is a nonprofit industry-led certification program headquartered in Owensboro, Kentucky, jointly operated by the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) and The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) since its launch in 2014. The program helps agricultural retailers, manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, terminals, and farmers achieve and maintain compliance with federal environmental, health, safety, and security regulations enforced by OSHA, DOT, EPA, and DHS. Its core offering is a third-party facility certification, valid for three years, that demonstrates participants' commitment to safe storage and handling of fertilizer, anhydrous ammonia, pesticides, fuel, and other farm input products.
The program's product portfolio is anchored by a proprietary ResponsibleAg Assessment Checklist covering more than 500 questions across 17 facility operations areas, updated annually and comprehensively revised every few years (with the 2026 version approved in October 2025). Supporting products include the Compliance Assistance Library (a curated resource of regulatory citations and practical solutions), the Participant Center web portal for accessing tools and corrective action plans, and a four-day competency-based Auditor Training Course priced at $2,150 per participant and held at the Ford B. West Center for Responsible Agriculture in Owensboro — a unique three-acre retired agrichemical facility retrofitted for hands-on training. Facility assessments are delivered by a network of credentialed internal and contract auditors, with findings captured through a secure web platform that generates corrective action plans linked to relevant federal regulations.
The business model is fee-based rather than venture-funded. Annual certification fees are tiered: manufacturers, producers, importers, wholesalers, and distributors pay $5,000 per company; manned terminals, retailers, and farmers pay $150 per site; unmanned retail and farm satellite terminals pay $100 per site. Auditor training adds a $2,150-per-participant professional services revenue stream. As of recent reporting, the program reports more than 2,500 participating businesses and 1,346 certified facilities spread across 29+ U.S. states, with over 3,000 facility audits completed since inception and an estimated 100,000 potential hazards identified through the audit process.
ResponsibleAg firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ResponsibleAg
- Legal name
- ResponsibleAg, Inc.
- Website
- https://responsibleag.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- ResponsibleAg is a nonprofit certification program, jointly run by the Agricultural Retailers Association and The Fertilizer Institute, that audits and certifies U.S. agribusiness facilities for compliance with OSHA, DOT, EPA, and DHS regulations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ResponsibleAg industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Compliance Certification
- NAICS
- Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150)
- SIC
- Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fertilizer Compliance, Testing & Certification (Nutrient Analysis, Regulatory/Stewardship Programs) (AFABABAL), Regulatory Compliance, Permitting & Audit Readiness (Food Safety, Environmental, Labor) (AFACAJAE), Pre-Assessment, Gap Assessment & Certification Readiness Services (AFALACAE)
Keywords
Where ResponsibleAg is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Owensboro
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
ResponsibleAg business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Facility Certification Fees: Annual registration fees paid by agribusinesses for facility certification. Manufacturers, producers, importers, wholesalers, and distributors pay $5,000 per company. Manned terminals, retailers, and farmers pay $150 per site. Unmanned retail and farm satellite terminals pay $100 per site. Certification is valid for three years, after which facilities must undergo recertification.
- Auditor Training Courses: Four-day auditor training courses held at the Ford B. West Center for Responsible Agriculture in Owensboro, KY. Priced at $2,150 per participant, includes training materials, exercises, handouts, and lunch. Course is competency-based and recognized by the Board of Environmental, Health and Safety Auditor Certifications (BEAC).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Manufacturers, producers, importers, wholesalers, and distributors |
| Subscription | Annual | Manned terminals, retailers, and farmers |
| Subscription | Annual | Unmanned retail and farm satellite terminals |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Auditor Training Course (4-day) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
ResponsibleAg product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ResponsibleAg delivers a third-party industry certification program for agribusinesses that store and handle fertilizer, chemicals, fuels, and other farm input supplies. Certification is valid for three years and is granted after credentialed auditors assess each facility against the ResponsibleAg Assessment Checklist (500+ questions across 17 operational areas) and create Corrective Action Plans tied to federal OSHA, DOT, EPA, and DHS regulations. The program also offers a four-day Auditor Training Course that produces credentialed ResponsibleAg auditors.
Product overview
ResponsibleAg is an industry-led certification program (not a traditional SaaS product) operated jointly by the Agricultural Retailers Association and The Fertilizer Institute. The core offering is the ResponsibleAg Certification Program, which helps agribusinesses properly store and handle farm input supplies while ensuring compliance with federal regulations. The portfolio includes the Assessment Checklist (used by credentialed auditors to evaluate facilities across 17 operational areas), the Auditor Training Course (a four-day competency-based training program), the Participant Center (a portal for accessing resources and corrective action plans), and the Compliance Assistance Library. Certification is valid for three years, with facilities undergoing audits conducted by credentialed internal or contract auditors. More than 2,500 businesses and 1,346 certified facilities participate across the United States.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ResponsibleAg Certification Program An industry-led third-party certification program for agribusinesses that store and handle fertilizer, chemicals, fuels, and other farm input supplies. Certification is valid for three years and is granted after credentialed auditors assess facilities against the ResponsibleAg Assessment Checklist and create Corrective Action Plans tied to federal OSHA, DOT, EPA, and DHS regulations.
- ResponsibleAg Assessment Checklist A comprehensive audit checklist containing more than 500 questions that credentialed auditors use to assess compliance with federal regulations across 17 areas of facility operations, including EHS documentation, commercial motor vehicles, maintenance records, fertilizer warehouses, anhydrous ammonia facilities, chemical warehouses, fuel storage, and pesticide handling.
- ResponsibleAg Auditor Training Course A four-day competency-based training course that meets the requirements for those who want to perform ResponsibleAg facility audits, including classroom lectures, computer lab, role-play scenarios, and hands-on exercises at a retired agrichemical facility. Priced at $2,150 per participant and includes training materials, exercises, handouts, and lunch.
- Corrective Action Plan Service A secure and confidential web-based plan created by credentialed auditors during facility assessments that identifies areas of non-compliance with federal regulations, references pertinent regulations, and links to practical solutions in the Compliance Assistance Library.
- Compliance Assistance Library A resource library providing quick and easy information on common federal compliance citations, enabling participants to understand regulations and implement corrective actions, with unlimited access for registered participants.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 100,000 potential hazards identified that could have led to serious injuries or fatalities
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use ResponsibleAg
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ResponsibleAg technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
ResponsibleAg partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA)coreJoint operator of the ResponsibleAg certification program. Provides governance through board representation (Daren Coppock serves as member). ARA is a nonprofit trade association representing agricultural retailers and distributors across the United States.
- The Fertilizer Institute (TFI)coreJoint operator of the ResponsibleAg certification program. Provides governance through board representation (Corey Rosenbusch serves as member). TFI is the leading voice of the fertilizer industry in Washington, D.C.
- Asmark InstituteflagshipEx-officio board member (Brian Mason, President & CEO). Asmark Institute supports agricultural retailers with compliance tools and resources. Contributed to program development and continues to support ResponsibleAg operations.
- 50+ Industry OrganizationscoreMore than 50 organizations contributed to the development of the ResponsibleAg certification program, including state agricultural associations, plant food associations, and industry stakeholders.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
ResponsibleAg competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Agricultural Retailers Association: Joint operator/parent of ResponsibleAg. A nonprofit trade association representing agricultural retailers across the U.S. While ARA is the governance parent rather than a competitor, it shares the same member base and serves as the channel for ResponsibleAg certifications.
- The Fertilizer Institute: Joint operator/parent of ResponsibleAg. The leading U.S. fertilizer industry trade association. Functions as governance parent and fertilizer-industry policy voice that drives demand for ResponsibleAg's certification.
Broad incumbents
- Intelex Technologies: Provider of EHS and quality management software used by enterprises across manufacturing, chemicals, and agriculture. Its audit, incident, and compliance-management capabilities overlap with ResponsibleAg's checklist and CAP functionality from a software-platform perspective.
- VelocityEHS: Major provider of EHS and sustainability software (formerly known as IndustrySafe). Offers audit management, corrective action, and compliance content modules across industries, including ag input handling, making it a broader-software competitor to ResponsibleAg's audit platform.
- DNV: Independent assurance and certification body providing ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and other management-system certifications. Overlaps with ResponsibleAg from a third-party certification perspective but operates broadly across industries rather than specializing in ag retail.
- SAI Global: Certification and standards-body operator offering ISO 9001/14001/45001 management-system certification across industries. Comparable in scheme administration and audit delivery model, but covers broad markets rather than the U.S. ag-input niche.
- Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) firm offering ISO, environmental, and EHS certifications across industries. A broader incumbent whose agribusiness certification offerings sit in the same conceptual space as ResponsibleAg's industry-owned scheme.
- NSF International: Global certification body offering food safety, environmental, and occupational health certifications. While its ISO 22000 / FSSC programs target food processors rather than ag retailers, the NSF scheme-administration model is structurally analogous to ResponsibleAg's.
- CropLife America: National trade association representing pesticide manufacturers and distributors. Operates stewardship and certification-adjacent programs for the crop-protection industry, overlapping with ResponsibleAg's audit of pesticide storage/handling but covering the broader pesticide supply chain rather than the ag-retailer certification niche.
Direct peers
- Asmark Institute: Provides compliance tools, resources, and services to agricultural retailers, including EHS audits and DOT/OSHA program support. It is the closest direct comparable to ResponsibleAg and serves as an ex-officio board member, but covers adjacent compliance domains (DOT, security) while ResponsibleAg owns the certification scheme.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ResponsibleAg social profiles
Digital presenceResponsibleAg financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ResponsibleAg leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
ResponsibleAg funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ResponsibleAg M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ResponsibleAg
What does ResponsibleAg do?
ResponsibleAg delivers a third-party industry certification program for agribusinesses that store and handle fertilizer, chemicals, fuels, and other farm input supplies. Certification is valid for three years and is granted after credentialed auditors assess each facility against the ResponsibleAg Assessment Checklist (500+ questions across 17 operational areas) and create Corrective Action Plans tied to federal OSHA, DOT, EPA, and DHS regulations. The program also offers a four-day Auditor Training Course that produces credentialed ResponsibleAg auditors.
Is ResponsibleAg a public or private company?
ResponsibleAg is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ResponsibleAg founded?
ResponsibleAg was founded in 2014.
Where is ResponsibleAg based?
ResponsibleAg is headquartered in Owensboro, United States, in the North America region.
How does ResponsibleAg make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Facility Certification Fees are the primary driver. The others are auditor Training Courses.
Who are ResponsibleAg's main competitors?
Others on record are Agricultural Retailers Association and The Fertilizer Institute. Broad incumbents are Intelex Technologies, VelocityEHS, DNV, SAI Global, Bureau Veritas, NSF International and CropLife America. Asmark Institute is listed as a direct peer.
Does ResponsibleAg have an API?
No public API is recorded for ResponsibleAg.
What industry is ResponsibleAg in?
ResponsibleAg's product category is Agricultural Compliance Certification. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFALACAC, Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners), with a secondary code of AFABABAL, Fertilizer Compliance, Testing & Certification (Nutrient Analysis, Regulatory/Stewardship Programs). Its NAICS code is 926150 and its SIC code is 700.