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
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Dr. Peter Davies is from Australia and he participated in a BI Foundations Seminar presentation on software utilities for assessing, monitoring and managing PRRS within a region. He focused on geographic systems and mapping. He sees real application for mapping the virus with some current software options that are web based. This makes it a lot easier to use than having to install complex software on a computer.
Taking part in a joint presentation at the BI Foundations Seminar this week was Dr. Enrique Mondaca, a veterinarian from Mexico. His presentation focused on software utilities that are used to map where you’ll find the PRRS virus. He says this is important because often producers don’t know that there is a PRRS outbreak in their area.
Dr. Scott Dee was one of the presenters at the BI Foundations Seminar this week. He provided an update on research assessing aerosol transmission of PRRSV and the results of air filtration technology for preventing the introduction of PRRSV into facilities. And of course, from the viewpoint of applying this to area and regional control projects.
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.” 
The United Soybean Board has a newly designed website which features the ability to do some customization of the content you see. It’s an example of what I call the “try to be everything to everybody” strategy since it’s got weather, news, markets, etc. I suppose that’s fine for some people but . . . maybe it’s just me but I like to visit specific sites/services that specialize in certain things like, well, weather, news and markets. I think organizations do this thinking it will keep visitors on their website longer or something. Does anybody have any data on whether or not the be-all portal concept works? How about just giving me simple access to the information I need about the programs the organization is doing and maybe letting me subscribe to it via RSS? Perhaps let me hear directly from the leadership about what’s going on? (blog, podcast, etc.?) The new site does look very nice and seems pretty easy to navigate but I didn’t take time to register and customize the content modules. Don’t have time.
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: