On Wednesday, BASF and the NAAA unveiled a scholarship program designed to help those interested in pursuing a career in agricultural aviation. BASF partnered with the NAAA to develop and establish the scholarship program.
“BASF and the NAAA are each devoted to sustaining and improving the field of agricultural aviation,” said Jim Gaffney, BASF Technical Market Manager. “This scholarship presents an opportunity for us to work together to help foster scenarios in which new pilots are provided with a foundation for success in the field of aerial application.”
The company which makes a variety of fungicides for aerial application also provided platinum level support of the premiere annual event for aerial applicators, sponsoring both the kickoff breakfast and shuttle service for the convention. In addition, BASF presented best practices for optimizing aerial application of crop protection, which can be found on the company’s recently launched Aerial Applicators section of its Web site – www.plant-health-pilots.com.
After following along on AgWired last week you may have a better understanding of the National Agricultural Aviation Association but after listening to this week’s ZimmCast you’ll have an even better one. That’s because I interviewed NAAA Executive Director, Andrew Moore and he tells us all about it.
Andrew has a farm background which fits in very nicely with the job of representing aerial applicators across the country in Washington, DC. He says they lobby on behalf of their members and represent them in front of key regulatory agencies like the EPA. Another big element of their member services focuses on training and safety. Andrew says they’ve seen a big increase in the number of acres that members have flown over based on FAA data that shows number of hours in the air. He says that since 2006 there’s been an almost 50 percent increase in that number!
Thanks once again to BASF for sponsoring our coverage of the NAAA Convention.
The program this week ends with music from the Podsafe Music Network. This one is called “Flying Away” from Empyrion. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.
You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 199 (19 min MP3)
Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:
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The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also subscribe in iTunes
What better thing to give away in your booth than a balsa wood glider, especially if you’re exhibiting at the Ag Aviators convention? That’s one of the items BASF had in their booth and they were very popular.
This young guy was definitely in to it and I just had to share the photo with you.
It’s one of many you’ll find in the event photo album.
My work at my first ever National Agricultural Aviation Association convention is now completed although I’ll be featuring an interview with Andrew Moore, Executive Director, in next Monday’s ZimmCast. I really enjoyed the meeting and learned a lot about a segment of agribusiness that I wasn’t very familiar with. The dry Las Vegas air and smoky casino we’re located in played havoc with my vocal cords though.
So, I’ll leave you for now with this walk through of the trade show floor.
For some reason the Cropdusters.biz booth was one of the busier booths at the NAAA trade show. Chelsi Rae, Carrie and Dainela were working in the booth with founder David Duch, (not pictured). David is an ag pilot himself and he says that he started Cropdusters.biz to make many of the novelty items connected with the business available. Apparently the companies that originally sold these products are no longer doing so. I also asked him about the name since I mainly hear the term aerial applicator now. He says their farmers still call them crop dusters.
WE WANT TO KEEP THE HISTORY OF OUR BUSINESS ALIVE. WE WANT TO CELEBRATE THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE OUT THERE NOW AND THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THEM. WE WANT TO HELP PEOPLE SELL THEIR PLANES OR OTHER ITEMS AT AN AFFORDABLE ADVERTISING RATE AND OFFER MERCHANDISE THAT ALL PILOTS WANT.
Listen to my interview with David here:
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The soon to be outgoing President of the NAAA is Bob Bailey, Bailey Flying Services. In this picture he’s being investigated by some blue men at the Association’s live auction last night.
Bob is obviously a big supporter of the NAAA since he’s volunteering his time to serve as the President. I asked him what the organization means to his business. He says that like other members who responded to a survey, the representation they get in Washington, DC is very important. NAAA helps educate lawmakers and regulators and that has a direct impact on business. As the organization President this year he’s had to make several trips to DC to visit with leaders in EPA and on the Hill. Bob’s also very optimistic about the future for his business.
Listen to my interview with Bob here:
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I’ve been learning a lot here at the NAAA Convention. For example, I didn’t realize how big a role precision agriculture is playing in aerial application. I guess it makes sense though. If you can use gps and variable rate on the ground then why not from the air?
One of the people who explained some of this to me was David Eby, AgSync, pictured on the left of Denise and Ryan Eby in their trade show booth. David says that they realized the need for aerial application companies to have a software solution for managing data, especially when they’ve got multiple planes in the air. So they developed AgSync, which is a web based solution for this problem. We’re sure seeing a growth in web based programming aren’t we? Even in ag!
David says they’ve been working closely with BASF on the development of this program. I’ve been hearing a lot of applicators here talking about BASF’s Headline fungicide and I asked him what that has meant for the business. He says “it has changed our world in aerial application.”
Listen to my interview with David here:
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Aerial applicators learned about some new BASF products here at the NAAA Convention. They’ve been very happy to hear about them because Headline fungicide has really meant a lot to their business in the last 2 years.
Dr. Amber Shirley, (pictured on right) made a technical presentation on TwinLine and Caramba before taking her turn in the booth today.
BASF presented technical information and aerial applicator experiences for TwinLine™ and Caramba™ fungicides at the National Agricultural Aviation Association’s (NAAA) annual conference today. Both fungicides received EPA registrations for cereals this year.
“TwinLine and Caramba strengthen the BASF wheat fungicide portfolio by providing broad-spectrum activity on rust, head scab and other major cereal diseases,” said Amber Shirley, Ph.D., senior technical service specialist
with BASF.
Listen to an interview with Amber here:
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The NAAA Convention Trade Show opened today and I spent some time taking pictures in the BASF booth. It’s just part of what you get when you sponsor AgWired coverage of an event like this – your very own photographer and multimedia content creator. This show was busy all day until the evening reception and auction started. You can get a sense of what the activity is like in this video interview I did with Dr. Gary Fellows, BASF. He speaks about the ways that BASF has been involved in supporting the NAAA over the years and the new products they’re introducing to aerial applicators.
You can also download the audio from the interview I did with Dr. Fellows here: Dr. Gary Fellows Interview (mp3)
AgWired coverage of the 2008 National Agricultural Aviators Association Convention
is sponsored by: .
The aviators attending the NAAA Convention got to hear some optimistic news today from Dr. Abner Womack, University of Missouri (pictured on right). He was here to talk about the results of the latest FAPRI outlook.
I asked him what the news was. For one thing he says that inputs are coming down. Then over on the price side he says they see more strength than they expected. He says this is mainly due to ethanol and the government mandate.
He says that we’d be in trouble without that mandate too. In fact, he says that without it, “you’d be switching off the light at ethanol plants.”
Prices may have dropped but he says that in the long term, ethanol will continue to hold prices higher than they’ve been in the past and higher than they expected. Right now he says we’re in a transition year coming off the highs.
Listen to an interview with Abner here:
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BASF Headline has been a boon for the agricultural aviation business and the fungicide was in the spotlight during technical sessions on the first day of the NAAA convention in Las Vegas on Monday.
Jim Gaffney is market manager for BASF aerial application strategy and he presented some results for low volume Headline application. “A couple years ago, BASF introduced two gallons per acre, down from five gallons, and we’re now looking at going less than two gallons,” said Gaffney. “What this does is allow aerial applicators to cover more acres with the same amount of fuel in the same amount of time.”
Listen to an interview with Jim here:
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The opening breakfast for the National Agricultural Aviation Association convention this morning featured a compelling story of survival, rescue and personal success by accomplished military Strike Eagle pilot Brian Udell. He is pictured here next to his wife, along with NAAA president Bob Bailey and executive director Andrew Moore.
With a story eerily similar to the F-18 crash today in San Diego, Udell told the audience how he survived the highest speed ejection from a U.S. fighter aircraft at nearly 800 MPH.
Here is just a small segment of his amazing story:
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The National Agricultural Aviators Association Convention is officially underway after Dr. Gary Fellows, BASF, welcomed everyone at the kickoff breakfast. BASF is not only sponsoring our coverage of the meeting but is also a major sponsor once again of the convention. He told them that BASF is all about “keeping them in the air.”
You can hear Gary’s remarks here:
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Of course I’ve already started a photo album for you too: NAAA Convention Photo Album
BASF continued its support of aerial applicators as a diamond-level sponsor of the National Agricultural Aviation Association’s (NAAA) annual conference, which kicked off today in Las Vegas, Nev.
BASF technical marketing manager Gary Fellows, Ph.D., led the conference’s kick-off breakfast by welcoming attendees and calling attention to the vital role the agricultural aviation industry plays in helping growers succeed.
“The aerial application business contributes significantly to growers’ ability to enhance Plant Health for their crops and maximize yield,” Fellows said. “The critical role it plays in the growing process impacts us all, not simply as business partners, but as people. They help growers produce the food and fibers we all need.” (more…)
Commodity Classic took place in Anaheim, CA. You'll find all of Chuck, Cindy and Joanna's photos here.
Happy Ag Week
It's time to thank our farmers and ranchers for all their hard work to feed us.
In this week's program I interview Linda Tank, CHS, Inc., who is Chair of the Agriculture Council of America, the group coordinating National Ag Day. Learn more about their activities, especially this week in Washington, DC.
BASF Crop Protection was flying high in Reno this week at the National Agricultural Aviation Association 43rd annual convention and trade show.
“BASF and the NAAA are each devoted to sustaining and improving the field of agricultural aviation,” said Jim Gaffney, BASF Technical Market Manager. “This scholarship presents an opportunity for us to work together to help foster scenarios in which new pilots are provided with a foundation for success in the field of aerial application.”
After following along on AgWired last week you may have a better understanding of the 
Andrew has a farm background which fits in very nicely with the job of representing aerial applicators across the country in Washington, DC. He says they lobby on behalf of their members and represent them in front of key regulatory agencies like the EPA. Another big element of their member services focuses on training and safety. Andrew says they’ve seen a big increase in the number of acres that members have flown over based on FAA data that shows number of hours in the air. He says that since 2006 there’s been an almost 50 percent increase in that number!
What better thing to give away in your booth than a balsa wood glider, especially if you’re exhibiting at the Ag Aviators convention? That’s one of the items BASF had in their booth and they were very popular.
.
For some reason the 
The soon to be outgoing President of the NAAA is Bob Bailey, Bailey Flying Services. In this picture he’s being investigated by some blue men at the Association’s live auction last night.
I’ve been learning a lot here at the NAAA Convention. For example, I didn’t realize how big a role precision agriculture is playing in aerial application. I guess it makes sense though. If you can use gps and variable rate on the ground then why not from the air?
Aerial applicators learned about some new BASF products here at the NAAA Convention. They’ve been very happy to hear about them because Headline fungicide has really meant a lot to their business in the last 2 years.
The aviators attending the NAAA Convention got to hear some optimistic news today from Dr. Abner Womack, University of Missouri (pictured on right). He was here to talk about the results of the latest FAPRI outlook. 
He says that we’d be in trouble without that mandate too. In fact, he says that without it, “you’d be switching off the light at ethanol plants.” 
BASF Headline has been a boon for the agricultural aviation business and the fungicide was in the spotlight during technical sessions on the first day of the NAAA convention in Las Vegas on Monday.
Jim Gaffney is market manager for BASF aerial application strategy and he presented some results for low volume Headline application. “A couple years ago, BASF introduced two gallons per acre, down from five gallons, and we’re now looking at going less than two gallons,” said Gaffney. “What this does is allow aerial applicators to cover more acres with the same amount of fuel in the same amount of time.”
The opening breakfast for the National Agricultural Aviation Association convention this morning featured a compelling story of survival, rescue and personal success by accomplished military Strike Eagle pilot Brian Udell. He is pictured here next to his wife, along with NAAA president Bob Bailey and executive director Andrew Moore.
The National Agricultural Aviators Association Convention is officially underway after Dr. Gary Fellows, 
Of course I’ve already started a photo album for you too: 
It's time to thank our farmers and ranchers for all their hard work to feed us.
