NAAA Leadership Meets with Nutrien Ag Solutions to Discuss Aerial Application

NAAA President Matt Woolard and Vice President Joel Meyer traveled to Illinois to meet with representatives of Nutrien Ag Solutions at the end of October. The meeting took place at Nutrien’s Innovation Farm in Champaign County. Thaddeus Bates, Senior Manager of Applied Agronomy, met with NAAA in person on the farm. Joining the meeting virtually were Nutrien personnel from their proprietary products, brand and marketing strategy, product registration, and drone operations departments.

Nutrien and NAAA participants discussed the aerial application industry and important NAAA initiatives including modernizing EPA’s drift model, ensuring pesticide labels allow aerial application, EPA’s drift mitigations to protect endangered species, and the importance of ensuring drone applications be conducted legally and professionally. There are several exciting opportunities for collaboration, particularly NAAA members learning more about how Nutrien’s adjuvants can play a role in reducing the downwind buffer distance for aerial applications next to endangered species habitat. The meeting set the stage for future communications and joint efforts to benefit growers who utilize aerial application.