By Clint and Jenny Osner
Being a member of NGA helps give independent grocers a voice in discussions about national policy. That’s a big help for stores like ours, in rural Kansas, where folks sometimes feel their voices aren’t being heard on issues important to them, like small Main Street businesses getting a fair shake alongside huge national retailers and big-box stores.
We’ve had the opportunity to help bring our message to Washington during NGA’s fly-ins, where independent grocers can meet with lawmakers face to face.
But you can make even more of an impact by hosting your representative in Washington at your store, so they can see firsthand how their policies are impacting communities back home.
That’s why Hired Man’s was honored to welcome Sen. Roger Marshall to visit us last year in Conway Springs, meet our employees and see how important a successful, vibrant grocery store is to the survival of our small town. As the lead co-sponsor of the Credit Card Competition Act, which aims to rein in swipe fees, one of the biggest expenses for our industry, Sen. Marshall can speak with passion in support of independent grocers after seeing how we impact the community.
Now’s the time to get involved and help secure the future of your business. Reach out to NGA and ask them to help you set up a store visit for one of your members of Congress.
Just fill out this form and NGA will do the rest. As independent grocers, we’re at the heart of the community, so do all you can to keep that heart beating.
Clint and Jenny Osner are the owners of Hired Man’s Grocery & Grill in Conway Springs, Kan.