Although operators are not required to list their companies in NAAA’s public database, we encourage members to give it a chance. It’s important to understand that “Find an Aerial Applicator” is about as minimally public as a publicly searchable database can be. “Find an Aerial Applicator” is low frills for a reason. The goal is to steer legitimate business to NAAA members and avoid nuisance inquiries. So while NAAA’s new search tool will promote your business in the public sphere, it won’t put your “business” on the street. Here’s why: Search results from the public database will only return the name of the company, the business number on file, the operator’s city and state, and the aerial application operation’s website, if there is one. 

 

“Find an Aerial Applicator’s” public search results will not identify NAAA operator members by name or divulge their physical address, email address or cell phone number. The public database only provides enough information to give farmers, municipalities and others who may need the services of an aerial applicator a mechanism to locate and contact the NAAA operators nearest to them. Here is a sample search result: 

To ensure that enough operators are populated in the public database to deliver tangible search results, at the onset, NAAA has opted in all Operator, Lifetime Operator and Affiliated Operator into the “Find an Aerial Applicator” database. We realize, however, that not every operator will want to be listed in a publicly searchable database, which is why we are giving the membership plenty of advance notice before “Find an Aerial Applicator” goes live in early August. Operator members are free to opt-out or opt back in at any time. Here’s how:

How to Opt In or Out of NAAA’s
‘Find an Aerial Applicator’ Database

The following steps only apply to Operator, Affiliated Operator and Lifetime Operator members.

1. Log into AgAviation.org with your username and password.
2. Once you are logged in, click on “Your Account” in the upper right-hand corner.

3.  When your personal profile information pops up, scroll down to the Find an Aerial Applicator Public Search field, which is the fourth field from the bottom and right before the Home State Association field.
4. To opt out of the public database, change the setting in the dropdown menu from Opt-In to Opt-Out.

 

The opt-in/opt-out field for the “Find an Aerial Applicator” public search tool is only found on Operator, Affiliated Operator and Lifetime Operator Members’ accounts. 

5.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click SAVE CHANGES. Any changes made to your profile information or account settings will not be recorded unless you click SAVE.
6. Repeat these steps at any time to opt back in to the public database.

‘I’m Not an Operator, So What’s in It for Me?’

While Operator Members are the main beneficiaries, ultimately, the “Find an Aerial Applicator” database should be beneficial to all members, operator or not, because it will enhance NAAA’s ability to promote the advantages of aerial application and market member aerial applicators’ services via press releases and future image ads. It also provides NAAA with a sufficient call to action that was heretofore lacking for an agricultural aviation ad campaign: “Visit AgAviation.org to find a professional aerial applicator near you!” 

 

Furthermore, NAAA gets numerous requests from potential customers looking for aerial applicators in a particular state or area. Such requests have always been handled on a case-by-case basis. Now we will be able direct these seekers to the “Find an Aerial Applicator” search tool online. A public database of aerial applicators will also be a useful resource for extension agents and crop advisors to refer growers to when the need arises.

 

NAAA’s “Find an Aerial Applicator” public database is scheduled to be activated in early August. That gives Operator, Affiliated Operator and Lifetime Operator members a couple of more weeks prior to the launch to opt out if they do not want to be listed in the public database. If you need assistance with any of the steps outlined above, please contact the NAAA office at (202) 546-5722 or information@agaviation.org.

 

So what’s it going to be? Are you (opt-)in or (opt-)out? The choice is yours.