NAAA again teamed with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and several other agribusiness organizations to cohost a June 7 field day to educate staff from the USDA and EPA on modern agriculture and sustainability.

The event took place at Bunker Hill Farm in Newburg, Md., about an hour away from Washington, D.C. Speaking during welcoming remarks at the beginning of the day, NAAA Executive Director Andrew Moore emphasized the fact that aerial application has been an important part of agriculture for almost a century. Moore went on to provide commentary on a live aerial liquid application demonstration by pilot Ben Miller of Helicopter Applicators Inc. (HAI) from Gettysburg, Pa. Moore explained Miller was spraying water from a military surplus Bell OH-58 at a rate of 10 to 15 gallons an acre. For many of those in attendance, this was the first time they had ever seen an aerial spray demonstration. After the aerial demonstration, attendees rotated between seven stations to learn about various aspects of precision agriculture and sustainability.

NAAA Executive Director Andrew Moore explains the aerial spray demo being conducted by HAI pilot Ben Miller as government officials look on.

At the NAAA station, Moore and HAI Director of Safety Joe Stambaugh Jr. educated attendees on the technologies used by aerial applicators to ensure precision applications and the conservation benefits of cover crops. Attendees were also able to view and ask questions about the helicopter.

Demo Day attendees ask questions of Moore and Stambaugh regarding the Bell OH-58.

Stambaugh explains the helicopter’s spray system to an attendee.

Additionally, Dr. Changhai Yang and Fred Gomez from the USDA’s Aerial Application Technology Research Unit (AATRU) were on hand to give attendees an aerial imagining demonstration using a UAV. Dr. Yang explained how the images, produced by either satellite, manned aircraft or drone, can help growers make more judicious pesticide and fertilizer applications, saving growers money and reducing fertilizer and pesticide runoff. 

Dr. Yang and Fred Gomez of the Aerial Application Technology Research Unit with the USDA’s AG-V6A Hexacopter, outfitted with two Nikon D7100 cameras.

Attendees observe a demonstration of the Ag-V6A Hexacopter, operated by Dr. Yang.

The Demo Day was attended by almost 100 attendees from various government agencies. Approximately 50 staff from USDA attended from various departments including the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Foreign Ag Service and Department of Pest Management. Another 30 EPA officials attended, most from the Office of Pesticide Policy. Additional attendees included congressional staff and officials from the Maryland State Government.

Besides NAAA’s station, other stations featured a John Deere 1795 split row planter and an AGCO RoGator ground sprayer. Other industry participants included the National Corn Growers Association and the American Seed Trade Association.