NAAA Ag Aviation Expo Resulted in Strong Connections & Record-Breaking Auction

As we reflect on this year’s annual convention in Reno, we are grateful for the incredible energy and engagement from all who attended. While our crowd was smaller than in previous years, the atmosphere was full of energy, and there were meaningful connections between attendees, exhibitors and presenters. Participants were deeply engaged, education sessions were full, and networking was happening around every corner, offering valuable opportunities for connection. A highlight of the event was our record-breaking live auction, made possible by the generosity of our auction donors and the enthusiastic support of our winning bidders. Thank you to all who contributed to making this convention a success, even in the face of unexpected challenges, including government shutdown-related travel restrictions leading up to the event.

Held at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center and Atlantis, the event drew around 1,000 attendees and 139 exhibitors. This year’s exhibit hall featured two Air Tractors, an Ag Cat exhibited by Turbine Conversions, a gyroplane exhibited by AG-NAV, and a Gamebird from Game Aerospace. Thrush also had an aircraft in Reno and transported attendees to the airport throughout the event to view their Thrush 510. The exhibit hall aisles included high-tech displays, product demonstrations and opportunities for exhibitors to connect with prospective customers.

Beyond the exhibit hall, the convention featured a packed schedule of sessions and networking events to foster learning, knowledge exchange and CEUs. The convention kicked off with a full day of safety sessions, and 115 operators and pilots heard from Utilities/Aviation Specialists Inc. on flying in the wire-and-obstruction environment, followed by a four-hour flying an ag plane safely course taught by Fran de Kock of Battleford’s Airspray.

Attendees were treated to a stellar lineup of keynote speakers, including Kickoff Breakfast speaker Ray Starling, economist Allan Gray, and a panel of leading industry experts discussing the consumers attitude toward agriculture, the economic state of agriculture and its effects on the aerial application industry. There were also numerous concurrent sessions covering a wide range of topics, including airframe, helicopter, engine, and pesticide updates, as well as news and training from Allied members. New and low-time pilot sessions were packed full of aerial application newbies who made connections and learned from veteran operators, pilots and industry insurance representatives.

The 2025 Live and Silent Auctions raised a record-breaking amount of vital funds to support NAAA programs and services. The association is thankful to all companies and individuals who support NAAA programs by donating auction items and winning bidders. A special thank you to Pratt & Whitney Canada for donating a brand-new PT6A-34AG engine and to Air Tractor for their custom golf cart, along with many other generous donations. Congratulations to Logan Lane of Lane Aviation in Rosenberg, Texas, for being the highest bidder on the Pratt & Whitney Canada engine.

NAAA was honored to have 45 companies sponsor different events, and we are very appreciative of their support. Thank you to all sponsors, including the Diamond sponsors: BASF, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Syngenta, the Tylor Johnson Legacy Foundation and UPL.

The upcoming Winter 2026 Agricultural Aviation magazine will feature a detailed review of the Ag Aviation Expo; watch your mailboxes in January for that issue, including profiles on the recipients of the Excellence in Ag Aviation Banquet awards for their remarkable service to the industry. Save the date for the 2026 Ag Aviation Expo, taking place November 16-18, 2026, in Savannah, Georgia.

Kickoff Breakfast speaker Ray Starling, author of Farmers Versus Foodies, spoke about America’s food supply and how social media influencers share misinformation about agriculture, leading to policy changes and erosion of trust in institutions. He also shared what the industry can do to promote itself, such as being honest and remembering to speak about why what you do matters.
Economist Allan Gray provided an overview of pressures in agriculture and shared that operators should align with large-scale growers and retailers, prepare for new inputs, and shift their identity from applicator to strategic partner with growers and farmers.
Cedric Gauthier of Pratt & Whitney Canada and NAAA’s Andrew Moore react to the dollar amount raised during the Live Auction of the PT6A-34AG engine.
Congratulations to the 2025 NAAA Award Winners. Read their profiles in the Winter 2026 Agricultural Aviation magazine.
NAAA CEO Andrew Moore moderated the General Session panel, which featured panelists who discussed the economic landscape and the future of the aerial application industry. Thank you to Allan Gray, Executive Director, Purdue Center for Food and Agricultural Business; Jim Hirsch, President, Air Tractor; Allison Friesen, Senior Marketing Manager, BASF; Cedric Gauthier, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Pratt & Whitney Canada; Mark McDonald, President & CEO, Thrush Aircraft, James Frank, Owner & CEO, Transland.
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