The Women of the NAAA

Chuck Zimmerman

The current President of the Women of the National Agricultural Aviation Association is Katy Diehl. We visited here in Savannah at the NAAA convention. Kathy is from Garden City, KS and is married to an agricultural aviator and is personally a banker.

The Women of the National Agricultural Aviation Association (WNAAA) is a companion organization to the NAAA. Members are women involved in aerial application — spouses, partners and allied industry members. The main objective of the WNAAA is to promote the positive image of the aerial application industry.

Kathy says the WNAAA is mostly involved with education. That includes the general public and attending conventions like the FFA and Commodity Classic to encourage young people to consider a career in ag aviation.

You can listen to my interview with Kathy here: Interview with Kathy Diehl

2012 NAAA Convention Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, NAAA

NAAA Annual Membership Meeting

Chuck Zimmerman

The annual membership meeting was the start of today’s National Agricultural Aviation Association convention. The meeting started out with a comprehensive report from Andrew Moore, Executive Director. You can listen to some of the points he brought up here from the interview we did yesterday.

One of the things in his report that caught my ear was a member request from last year to engage the media more. You could tell that this is a very sensitive subject. I understand why NAAA would be hesitant to reach out to the media when you consider the antagonistic treatment the industry has received by the media in general. However, thinking you can just shut the door and hope nothing bad happens never works. I encourage NAAA to become active with social media. Encouraging your members to do this is fine but you need to set the example! How about joining in with efforts like USFRA or others in which you can contribute and extend the use of your funds?

I have really enjoyed my interaction with the staff of the NAAA. With this quality of professionals I think the organization is in good hands to trust them to invite more ag media to attend the convention and to reach out to non-farm media to help educate them and open the door to transparency. What do you think?

2012 NAAA Convention Photo Album

Ag Groups, NAAA

US and China Seed Groups Sign MOU

Cindy Zimmerman

Leaders from the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) and the China National Seed Association (CNSA) signed an historic Memo of Understanding today to promote cooperation relating to innovation in the seed industry, said ASTA president Andrew W. LaVigne.

“This agreement achieves two extremely important goals,” said LaVigne. “First, it is an important first step in providing new business opportunities for the world’s two largest seed industries; and second, it will ultimately work toward increased farmer productivity.”

The MOU reflects both parties’ desire to promote mutual interests through cooperation, information exchange and training in the areas of intellectual property rights, quality seed, science-based phytosanitary measures, seed movement and innovation in the seed industry on the basis of equality and mutual benefits.

Listen to remarks from ASTA Chairman Blake Curtis and several members at MOU signing: ASTA-China MOU Signing

Listen to Brownfield’s Meghan Grebner interview with Andy LaVigne on MOU:
Andy LaVigne Interview


ASTA-CSS Photo Album


ASTA, Audio, Corn, International, Seed, sorghum, Soybean, Trade, Video

NAAA Convention Overview

Chuck Zimmerman

Here’s Andrew Moore (left), Executive Director, National Agricultural Aviation Association and the opening breakfast keynote speaker Story Musgrave. Story’s story was filled with great anecdotes from his career as an astronaut with agricultural roots. He also had a slide show filled with unbelievable photos from space and different periods of his career.

I spoke with Andrew after watching today’s Fire Boss Water Drop demonstration to get an overview of the convention. Andrew says that the NAAA and the convention grow bigger each year. Attendance is up and so is membership. This year’s program features lots of educational opportunities as well as a big trade show which kicks off tomorrow. But it’s not all work. There continues to be plenty of time to network with others in the industry and just plain relax.

You can listen to my interview with Andrew here: Interview with Andrew Moore

You can find photos from the 2012 NAAA Convention here: 2012 NAAA Convention Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, NAAA

BASF/NAAA Scholarship Winner Kippy Foltyn

Chuck Zimmerman

One of the two 2012 BASF/NAAA Scholarships was awarded to Kippy Foltyn of Lansford, ND. Foltyn attended Ag Flight Pilot Training LLC in Bainbridge, Georgia, and plans to continue his education later this year with plans to become an aerial applicator.

While visiting with him after this morning’s presentation Kippy says he’s been involved with the ag industry for about four years. He wanted to get into agricultural aviation while watching planes as a kid. He says BASF is doing a great job of helping advance the industry.

2012 NAAA Convention Photo Album

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Audio, BASF, Education, NAAA, Video

BASF/NAAA Scholarship Winner Justin Mook

Chuck Zimmerman

This morning BASF and the National Agricultural Aviation Association announced their 2012 scholarship awards. One of those receiving an award is Justin Mook of Wiggins, CO. Mook is currently enrolled in Enrich’s Helicopters Flight School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he is pursuing his commercial pilot’s license. He already has his private license and hopes to begin his agricultural pilot training after completing his current program this winter.

I visited with Justin right after this morning’s breakfast session. He’s been in production agriculture for all of his career so far. He says he’s had a passion for agricultural aviation since he was a kid. The scholarship was a long shot he thought but as he says, “You never know.” Well now we know!

2012 NAAA Convention Photo Album

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, BASF, Education, NAAA, Video

Fire Boss Water Drop at NAAA

Chuck Zimmerman

When the NAAA convention was held in Savannah, GA two years ago this was a big attraction. It’s a Fire Boss water drop.

In between ocean going tankers coming in the Savannah River to dock and unload we got treated again today to a Fire Boss AT-802F Air Tanker demonstration. The pilot performed multiple passes that included filling pontoons with water and then dropping the water back into the river. It makes for quite a show as you’ll see from the video.

2012 NAAA Convention Photo Album

Ag Groups, NAAA, Video

Feb. 1 Deadline for National Ag Day Essay Contest

Melissa Sandfort

The Agriculture Council of America (ACA) calls on 9th to 12th-grade students to submit an original, 450-word essay or a two-minute video essay about the importance of agriculture. This year’s theme is “American Agriculture: Nourishing Opportunities” and the deadline is Feb. 1, 2013. The ACA asks teachers and parents to encourage student participation.

The theme, “American Agriculture: Nourishing Opportunities,” presents an opportunity for students to address how the agriculture industry is an endless source of opportunity for growth and development. Entrants may choose to either write an essay and/or create a video focusing on how today’s growers are overcoming challenges to provide a safe, stable food supply and sustain the significant role agriculture plays in everyday life.

The national written essay winner receives a $1,000 prize and round-trip ticket to Washington, D.C., for recognition during the Celebration of Ag Dinner held March 19 at Whitten Patio at the USDA. During dinner, the winner will have the opportunity to read the winning essay as well as join with industry representatives, members of Congress, federal agency representatives, media and other friends in a festive ag celebration. The video essay winner wins a $1,000 prize, and the winning video will play during the Celebration of Ag Dinner.

Ag Day, Agribusiness

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

    BASF/NAAA Announce 2012 Scholarships

    Chuck Zimmerman

    During the opening breakfast of the 2012 National Agricultural Aviation Association two budding pilots got a step closer to soaring over the fields of America thanks to a pair of scholarships from BASF and NAAA. Here’s Justin Mook of Wiggins, CO and Kippy Foltyn of Lansford, ND, with their awards presented by BASF’s Dr. Gary Fellows and NAAA’s President, Mark Hartz. Justin was awarded a $5,000 scholarship and Kippy, $2,500.

    “America needs more qualified aerial applicators,” said Gary Fellows, Ph.D., BASF Plant Health Technical Services Manager and member of the National Agricultural Aviation Research & Education Foundation (NAAREF) Professional Aerial Applicators’ Support System, (PAASS) Program Development Committee. “With these scholarships, we’re able to provide people like Justin and Kippy with the opportunity to receive the education they need to enter the field.”

    Mook is currently enrolled in Enrich’s Helicopters Flight School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he is pursuing his commercial pilot’s license. He already has his private license and hopes to begin his agricultural pilot training after completing his current program this winter.

    Foltyn attended Ag Flight Pilot Training LLC in Bainbridge, Georgia, and plans to continue his education later this year with plans to become an aerial applicator.

    “BASF has been a major supporter of NAAA over the years, and we appreciate their continued generosity,” NAAA Executive Director Andrew Moore said. “The grant that allowed us to establish the Agricultural Aviation Scholarship has helped ensure that the pipeline remains well stocked with competent and capable professional ag pilots.”

    You can listen to remarks from Dr. Gary Fellows here: Remarks from Dr. Gary Fellows

    You can find photos from the 2012 NAAA Convention here: 2012 NAAA Convention Photo Album

    Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Audio, BASF, Education, NAAA