ber 12, 20

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NAAA Advocates Airspace Safety, Environmental Stewardship Education and Other Professionalism Topics at the 2025 Spray Drone User Conference in Mobile, Alabama

NAAA CEO Andrew Moore addresses the 2025 Spray Drone User Conference on topics such as practicing airspace safety and environmental professionalism training.

NAAA delivered important messages advocating airspace safety and business and environmental professionalism to a crowd of 440 in-person and 200 virtual participants at the 2025 Spray Drone Users Conference in Mobile, Alabama, this week. The over 600-person audience was 75% larger than last year’s conference, indicating a growing population of spray drone users across the country, and it also included a large number of familiar aerial application allied companies participating and exhibiting, such as Bayer CropScience and GarrCo Products, among many others. 

NAAA’s presentation to the conference, delivered by CEO Andrew Moore, emphasized the importance of spray drone users to safely operate in the presence of crewed ag aircraft by giving them the right-of-way at all times, equipping with ADS-B Out technology, and monitoring radio frequency 122.925 for the presence of crewed ag aircraft. 

Platinum sponsors of the 2025 Spray Drone Users Conference

Moore also emphasized the requirement to be licensed as a Part 137 operator and as a commercial pesticide applicator and to notify the authorities if they are aware of operations not following this and other such laws to protect the industry’s reputation from bad actors. He also emphasized that spray drone operators participate annually in the Professional Aerial Application Support System (PAASS) curriculum and spray system calibration and pattern-perfecting offered by NAAA/NAAREF, Operation S.A.F.E. Fly-In clinics. Moreover, he emphasized that spray drone operators belong to and participate as members of NAAA for the crucial services they provide in registering pesticides for aerial use, which includes crewed and uncrewed aircraft, and the critical airspace safety services they offer.

Many common national ag retailers, aviation insurance, and pesticide manufacturers attended, participated, and contributed at the conference. According to the American Spray Drone Coalition, which also presented at the conference, 10.3 million acres are treated by uncrewed aerial application systems annually.

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Ag Aviation Operator Annual Open House Commemorating National Ag Week Held at Fargo Air Museum

A variety of aerial application aircraft at the Fargo Air Museum.

For the third year since 2021, on March 21st, North Dakota NAAA operator member Toby McPherson organized a public open house commemorating National Ag Week at the Fargo Air Museum in Fargo, North Dakota. The highlight of the event was McPherson’s Ag Cat Serial Number One and a Piper Pawnee, both of which are housed at the Fargo Air Museum, as well as a display from NAAA operator member Rob Aslesen of Airborne Custom Spraying in Halstad, MN, who brought his Air Tractor AT-802 to showcase. Additional features included a TBM Avenger and a Stearman, which were both used for aerial applications, as well as the 100th agricultural aviation anniversary display panels, showcasing the history and development of aviation in agriculture. The Ag Cat pulling up out of the wall was a visual centerpiece, symbolizing the growth of the aerial application industry. The event provided an opportunity for attendees to learn more about crop protection, local commodities, new developments and the evolution of agricultural aviation.  The event brought together a diverse range of agriculture professionals and enthusiasts to celebrate the aerial application industry.

During the event, a local talk show host from KFGO Radio broadcast live from the museum, speaking with representatives from the North Dakota Corn, Soybean, Sugar Beet, Wheat, and Edible Bean Associations, along with North Dakota Ag Commissioner Doug Goehring. They discussed agricultural information and shared their outlook on the upcoming season, enriching the event with valuable insights into the future of farming in the state.

In addition to the exhibits, the event featured multiple vendor booths, including chemical representatives, seed salesmen and an e-tour led by Goehring, who discussed a variety of important agricultural topics. The event also celebrated North Dakota’s record number of acres sprayed aerially in the state for 2024, which was 5.5 million acres.

“We’ve had great support from the local agricultural community, and this event is an important part of National Ag Week,” McPherson said. “It’s a great way to highlight the work that aerial applicators do and the positive impact we have on farming and crop production.”

Overall, the event was a success that offered a valuable opportunity to highlight the aerial application industry and strengthen ties within the agricultural community. As the event continues to grow, McPherson is optimistic about the future of the open house and its role in educating the public about the critical work being done in agriculture and aerial application.

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NAAA Comments to Protect Aerial Applications of Chlorpyrifos and Retain More Crops on Label

Earlier this week NAAA submitted comments to EPA regarding their proposed tolerance revocation for chlorpyrifos. As reported in January, EPA proposed to revoke all tolerances of chlorpyrifos except for the following crops: alfalfa, apple, asparagus, cherry (tart), citrus, cotton, peach, soybean, strawberry, sugar beets and wheat. The revocation process is the latest in a long series of events dealing with the registration review of chlorpyrifos. It comes as a response to a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit that overturned EPA’s earlier ban on chlorpyrifos.

NAAA’s comments focused on making sure EPA understands the important role aerial application plays in making timely applications of chlorpyrifos, and how this can be critical during a rapidly expanding pest outbreak. NAAA also asked EPA to reconsider the ban on tolerances. When the tolerance is banned for a pesticide, that means it can never be applied to any crop for which there is no tolerance. NAAA suggested that instead, EPA keep the tolerances for more crops, including corn and sunflowers, but use the labels to restrict usage. This would allow for the use of emergency labels should the need arise, such as controlling pests resistant to other types of insecticides. To read NAAA’s full comments, click here.

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Did You Miss PAASS This Year? AMOC Released! 

If you missed this year’s PAASS Program, NAAREF has you covered. The 2024-2025 PAASS Program is now available as a self-paced online course in the NAAA Education Center. There are two options: For Credit and Not for Credit. Both options provide access to a full PAASS program and will take roughly 4-hours to complete. Because it is self-paced, this can be done all at once or over several days as your time permits. 

2024-2025 PAASS – For Credit 

For anyone who needs credit and a letter of attendance for insurance, licensing, C-PAASS, etc., the For Credit course is the sole alternative method of compliance (AMOC) to attending an in-person PAASS Program. You will progress linearly through the program and be required to pass a final assessment to earn credit and a letter of attendance. This course is offered at a higher cost, as NAAREF strongly encourages support of the State/Regional agricultural aviation associations by in-person attendance at the PAASS Programs they host as part of their annual conventions. 

  • NAAA Members: $900 through 30-June-2025, $1,800 thereafter 
  • Non-Members: $900 through 30-April-2025, Unavailable thereafter 

2024-2025 PAASS – Not for Credit 

For anyone wanting to simply view (or review) this year’s PAASS Program, the Not for Credit course allows free navigation through all topics in the program, but provides no credit or letter of attendance. This is a great opportunity for support folks and others who do not necessarily need credit to experience the program. 

  • NAAA Members: Free Access 
  • Non-Members: Unavailable 

You can view these and other archive PAASS programs here. If you have any technical issues registering for or accessing the above courses, contact Matt Gill. 

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Nominations Open for the 2025 NAAA Awards

Do you have a rising pilot within your ranks? Do you admire certain NAAA members’ outstanding service to the industry or their community? The aerial application industry is filled with exceptional people who go above and beyond the call of duty, often with little fanfare. Make someone’s day or year by nominating them for a 2025 NAAA Award.

NAAA’s online submission form is easy and quick to use; nominate someone in just a few clicks here.

There are eight NAAA Award categories and one NAAREF Award. While the nomination deadline is August 5, early submissions are recommended to avoid missing the deadline as the summer season kicks in.

NAAA Award Categories

  • Agrinaut Award: Honors an agricultural aircraft operator, operating organization, or allied member company that has made an outstanding contribution in the field of ag aircraft operations. The achievement cited shall have contributed to the “state-of-the-art” for the benefit of the agricultural aircraft industry as a whole.
  • Delta Air Lines “Puffer” Award: Recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the design of agricultural aircraft and/or related equipment.
  • Evans-Christopher Operation S.A.F.E. Award: Recognizes individuals or entities that have made outstanding contributions to the Operation S.A.F.E. program. (Presented by NAAREF.)
  • John Robert Horne Memorial Award: Honors a pilot with five or fewer years of experience in the agricultural aviation industry who has an exemplary safety record and has contributed to safety in ag aviation. This award no longer has carryover nominations from year to year; a new nomination must be submitted every year.
  • Larsen-Miller Community Service Award: Recognizes outstanding contributions by a member to his or her community.
  • Opal and Bill Binnion Memorial Award: Acknowledges those who contribute to NAAA in its efforts to educate the public about aerial application.
  • Richard “Dick” Reade Allied Memorial Award: Presented to an NAAA members or staff and/or an allied industry individual who has significantly contributed their efforts for the benefit of the allied industry and the aerial application industry.
  • William O. Marsh Safety Award: Recognizes significant achievements in safety, safety education or an outstanding operational safety program.
  • Zoren and Joan O’Brien Memorial Outstanding Service Award: Awards outstanding service to the commercial agricultural aviation industry or to its association.

The 2025 NAAA Award recipients will be honored at the Excellence in Ag Aviation Banquet on Nov. 19 in Reno, NV.

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In Case You Missed Last Week’s NAAA eNewsletter

Click here for the March 21, 2025 eNewsletter to read:

  • NAAA Celebrates Aerial Applicators on National Ag Day in Press Release to Agriculture and Aviation Media
  • A Change in FAA Interpretation of FARs Results in New Inspection and Maintenance Requirements for Large Ag Aircraft; NAAA Offering Webinar March 26th to Clarify New Requirements
  • NAAA Participating in EPA & Congressional Staff Education Event in June
  • NAAA’s Lindsay Barber Quoted in National Convention Publication
  • NAAA Seeks Stories to Highlight the Impact of Ag Aviation Industry

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