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- Ag Aviation Industry Needs Your Information – Please Participate in NAAA Industry Survey
- SCOTUS Takes Up Decision on the Legality of Glyphosate Lawsuits
- 2026 C-PAASS Application Open! Insurance Discounts Confirmed
- Air Tractor Announces 2026 Maintenance Familiarization Course Schedule
- Kickstart 2026 by Renewing Your NAAA Membership
- NAAA & NAAREF Board Meetings Feb. 12-14 in Alexandria, VA, All Members Invited; PAC Breakfast Details
Ag Aviation Industry Needs Your Information – Please Participate in NAAA Industry Survey
NAAA launched the aerial application industry survey last week. The survey covers the year 2025, and your participation is critical. The goal is to gather data that can be used to promote the importance of the ag aviation industry to the public, government agencies, grower groups, and pesticide manufacturers. The information gathered in the survey is used to protect our industry from proposed aerial application bans, additional burdensome regulations, and threats to your safety. In particular, the results help keep aerial application on pesticide labels for which EPA is considering a complete ban or severe restrictions.
Check your email inbox for an invitation to participate in the survey. The survey is intended for both ag aviation operators and pilots, and covers airplanes, helicopters, and drones. We urge everyone who gets the invitation to participate. The data collected from the survey will be kept completely confidential. Your progress in the survey is savable, so if you get interrupted or need to collect additional information to continue, you can save your place and come back to it later.
NAAA strongly urges you to take the time to complete the 2025 ag aviation industry survey. We want to ensure the vitality of the aerial application industry for decades to come, and the data collected as part of this survey is imperative to achieve that end. Without your information, we can’t prove how important you are for protecting the nation’s food supply and natural resources.
SCOTUS Takes Up Decision on the Legality of Glyphosate Lawsuits
Last week the U.S. Supreme Court justices decided to rule on a case of whether a state court wrongly awarded a sizeable compensatory verdict to a plaintiff alleging a non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis resulted from the use of the popular herbicide Roundup which includes the active ingredient glyphosate. At issue is billions of dollars in damages that Bayer, which bought Monsanto in 2018, could be forced to pay from thousands of subsequent lawsuits. Bayer contends that states can’t legally require a cancer warning on the product, since EPA has concluded that Roundup doesn’t pose a risk when used according to its label.
Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) advocates have campaigned for the Trump administration to take a tougher approach on pesticides, even going so far as leading a petition calling on Trump to fire EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. David Murphy, founder of United We Eat and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s finance director on his failed presidential campaign, stated, “This is a fundamental betrayal of Trump’s promises on the campaign to Make America Healthy Again.” The move comes after the White House urged the Supreme Court to weigh in on the case over the objections of MAHA advocates and green groups. In Congress, MAHA advocates have opposed bipartisan legislation that would have granted Bayer legal immunity from lawsuits, threatening to challenge GOP lawmakers who supported the measure. Republicans ultimately dropped the language from an appropriations bill, but House Agriculture Chair Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) has said he plans to include it in the farm bill.
Bayer CEO Bill Anderson, in a statement, called the court’s move “good news for U.S. farmers, who need regulatory clarity.” The company has said a ruling against it would jeopardize innovative tools for farmers and hurt the overall U.S. economy.
2026 C-PAASS Application Open! Insurance Discounts Confirmed
You can now apply to become a 2026 Certified-Professional Aerial Applicator Safety Steward (C-PAASS). This annual, individual certification for ag pilots, both operator and non-operator, serves to recognize a strong commitment to safety, professionalism and the pursuit of continuous improvement. Use it to positively distinguish yourself to insurers, customers, regulators and others outside the industry — and be a part of the force advancing safety, and changing the narrative, for agricultural aviation on a national level.
| PAASS Attendance Annually, 3 of the past 3 years | 2024* | 2025* | 2026* | |
| Operation SAFE Participation Biennially, 1 of the past 2 years AMOC: Completion of two online environmental professionalism courses | – | 2025 through 2026* | ||
| Wires Course This year* AMOC: Completion of an online equivalent course | – | – | 2026* | |
| Supplementary Course This year*, Completion of ONE required course | – | – | 2026* | |
| NAAA Membership This Year | – | – | 2026 | |
| State/Regional Association Membership This Year | – | – | 2026 | |
The certification criteria (requirements) have been updated this year to more broadly credit professional development, while maintaining the high bar for certification intended by NAAA and NAAREF. These updates include an alternate method of compliance for the biennial Operation SAFE requirement, acknowledging that there are regions of the country that lack regular access to this program. Another update is for those who missed one of the previous two PAASS Programs (2023-2024 and/or 2024-2025). For over a year, NAAREF has offered archive PAASS programs via online courses to NAAA members free of charge; completion of the applicable course will now satisfy the C-PAASS requirement if you missed a program in person. An insurance underwriter has provided an aerial application operation a 10% discount due to the operator/pilot and the other operation’s pilot having been C-PAASS certified for multiple years.
Another update is the availability of a new course in the NAAA Education Center, Operational Security in Agricultural Aviation, which may optionally satisfy one of the C-PAASS course requirements.
You can view the requirements in detail, and when you are ready, apply for 2026 C-PAASS through the NAAA website. Once an application is approved, there is a $100 certification fee to complete the process. Certified individuals are publicly listed and will receive a hard-copy certificate, pin and decal to signify their ongoing commitment to safety and professionalism.
To those who became certified in previous years, NAAA applauds you and hopes you will certify again in 2026. To those who have not, why not start 2026 off right and become certified today!
Air Tractor Releases 2026 Maintenance Familiarization Course Schedule
Air Tractor has announced its 2026 Maintenance Familiarization Course schedule, offering aircraft owners, operators, and maintenance technicians hands-on, factory-led training to strengthen technical skills.
The courses provide in-depth instruction on Air Tractor airframe and powerplant systems, with a focus on maintenance procedures, inspections, and repair techniques applicable across the entire Air Tractor fleet, including supplemental systems and emerging technologies. Customers who have recently purchased an Air Tractor aircraft are eligible for two training courses at no cost.
All courses are held at Air Tractor headquarters in Olney, Texas, and are led by experienced factory instructors. The curriculum meets or exceeds worldwide regulatory requirements and reflects current manufacturer-approved maintenance standards.
2026 Course Dates:
- February 16–19, 2026
- July 27–30, 2026
- November 2–5, 2026
- December 7–10, 2026
Class sizes are limited, and early registration is encouraged. Air Tractor also offers on-site maintenance training at customer facilities for organizations seeking customized training solutions. For more information or to register, visit airtractor.com/training.
Kickstart 2026 by Renewing Your NAAA Membership
Thank you for your 2025 NAAA membership. As we celebrate NAAA’s 60th anniversary this year, we request your continued support by renewing your NAAA membership because it is vital to keeping our industry strong, safe and well-represented. While you’ve been hard at work helping farmers produce a safe, affordable, and abundant supply of food, fiber, and bioenergy, NAAA has been working hard to ensure the low-altitude airspace is safe for your aerial application business, as well as ensuring that you have the pesticide products you need to do your job.
Your NAAA membership will continue to provide valuable benefits that support your business and that have protected the industry for 60 years. Receive discounts for attending or exhibiting at the Ag Aviation Expo, Nov. 16-18 in Savannah, GA; access to the 2026 NAAA Membership Directory in both print and online formats to connect with fellow members; and stay informed through the new NAAA 365 App, our publications, eNewsletters, social media updates, and in-depth online content at AgAviation.org. To renew, log in to your account at AgAviation.org and pay your 2026 membership invoice.
Several of NAAA’s recent accomplishments to help ensure your success include:
- NAAA submitted comments and urged members, non-members and numerous other ag and aviation interests to comment to FAA’s beyond visual line of sight drone proposal, opposing drones the right-of-way over manned aircraft. This issue is of paramount concern to the lives of aerial applicators. NAAA provides evidence-based comments to the FAA defending crewed aircraft’s right-of-way over drones in all circumstances and ensures that the safety concerns of manned aerial application are heard.
- NAAA actively lobbies for critical funding for the USDA-ARS, supporting vital research that directly benefits aerial applicators. Without this ongoing research, including droplet size modeling for pesticide label compliance, our industry would face increased challenges in meeting regulatory requirements. NAAA’s efforts ensure that the science behind aerial application continues to evolve, and NAAA conducts industry surveys and updates EPA drift modeling to ensure label language allows for realistic, not restricted, aerial use of pesticides.
- Since 2017, NAAA has submitted over 300 comments to the EPA to keep aerial application uses on pesticide labels with great success, enabling you to keep a deep inventory of pesticide tools without unnecessary and burdensome restrictions.
- NAAA released an aerial applicator’s Flight Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT) to enhance agricultural aviation safety.
- NAAA and NAAREF continue to grow its education and safety offerings. The online education center, which includes educational videos and C-PAASS certification for aerial applicators who want to augment their safety and professionalism and for the purpose of being rewarded by their insurance providers, pesticide manufacturers, regulators, and customers. Learn more at education.agaviation.org.
- NAAA offers competitive health and life insurance options for members. Visit agaviation.org/membership for details.
We encourage you to renew your NAAA membership today – your investment returns far more in value through strong advocacy that helps reduce burdensome regulations and taxes impacting your aerial application business. Plus, your membership dues are tax-deductible as a business expense.
NAAA & NAAREF Board Meetings Feb. 12-14 in Alexandria, VA, All Members Invited; PAC Breakfast Details
The February 2026 NAAA & NAAREF Board and Committee meetings will take place at the Hilton Old Town in Alexandria, VA. Click here to view a schedule of meetings. All meetings are open to NAAA members. If you are not a board or committee member but you’re interested in attending, please contact Lindsay Barber for more details.
Meeting Location
Hilton Old Town Alexandria
1767 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Room Block: Closed January 20, 2026. For hotel questions, call 1-800-HILTONS and refer to NAAA & NAAREF Board Meetings or contact Lindsay Barber.
Board Books: All board books are provided electronically. Board and Committee members will receive a link and directions to download the electronic board book approximately one week before the meetings. The board book can be downloaded to your computer, tablet or you can print your committee items.
PAC Breakfast: Join us on Friday morning, Feb. 13th, at 7 a.m. at the Hilton Old Town for the AgAv PAC Breakfast. Congressman David Rouzer (R-NC) will speak. Register to attend here.
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In Case You Missed the Last NAAA eNewsletter
Click here for the January 15, 2026 eNewsletter to read:
- NAAA Advocacy Scores Another Victory in Allowing States Grant HazMat Endorsement Exemptions for Class A CDL Drivers Transporting up to 1000 gallons of Jet A
- Ag Aviation Industry Needs Your Information – Please Participate in NAAA Industry Survey
- Ag Aviation Showcased Whirlwind Aviation in Fisher, AR, with Digital Creator One-Legged Aviation
- David McCarty Lost in Helicopter Accident on January 2; Beware of Slacklines
- NAAA Comments on UAAS Petition to Operate From Moving Vehicle
- NAAA Comments on Petition for UAS Package Delivery Reporting Relief
- NAAA Comments on Petition for Uncrewed R22/R44 Part 137 Operations
- Extra, Extra!! Winter 2026 Issue of Agricultural Aviation Now Online!
- NAAA & NAAREF Board Meetings Feb. 12-14 in Alexandria, VA, All Members Invited
- Several AStar ADs Proposed For Revised Airworthiness Limitations