NAAA successfully met with policymakers and regulators at Ag on the Mall this week on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) organized the event, “The Future of Food & Farming,” which celebrated America’s equipment manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, and farm service providers like aerial applicators and how we all work together to produce more with less environmental impact.
NAAA representatives made the most of the three-day event, which began on Monday and continued through Wednesday. They spoke with federal policymakers, regulators, media members, and everyday citizens who stopped to check out a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter on display thanks to Allen Chorman & Sons, Inc. in Milton, Delaware.
Along with NAAA, AEM sent pre-event media advisories to local and national agricultural media outlets, many congressional offices, and regulatory agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
NAAA Secretary Joel Meyer, NAAA President Ray Newcomb, NAAA CEO Andrew Moore and Guardian’s Matt Beckwith pictured with (FAA) Deputy Administrator Kathryn Thomson.
Moore provided Deputy Admin. Thomson with a photo and article showing an ag pilot's difficulty seeing unmarked towers while flying.
Moore, with NAAA President Ray Newcomb and NAAA Secretary Joel Meyer, addressed several groups of EPA staffers and agency leaders, including Rod Snyder, EPA’s Senior Agriculture Advisor to the Administrator; Ed Messina, Director of EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs; Jake Li, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention; Venus Welch-White, EPA’s Senior Advisor for Agriculture and Bruno Pigott, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator’s Office of Water.
NAAA leadership spoke to EPA’s Office of Agriculture and Office of Pesticide Programs teams multiple times throughout the event.
NAAA’s Newcomb and Moore pictured with Ed Messina, Director of EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs.
Moore pictured with Jake Li, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.
“Attending Ag on the Mall was an important service on behalf of NAAA and our nation’s aerial applicators because many people are not always sufficiently or accurately informed about the industry and our crucial importance to food, fiber and bioenergy production. The event allowed us to discuss important agriculture and aviation policies affecting our industry with multiple congressional leaders and regulatory agency staff,” stated NAAA President Ray Newcomb.
NAAA also educated various congressional leaders about the importance of aerial application, including Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and Congressman John Rose (R-TN).
NAAA’s Moore, Newcomb and Meyer pictured with Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.
Moore, pictured with Rep. John Rose (R-TN), points out the benefits of aerial applications using a rotorcraft.
Ag on the Mall was also a favorable event for NAAA leadership to meet with other association leaders, including Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation, Alexandra Dunn, the new President and CEO of CropLife America and Daren Coppock, President & CEO of the Agricultural Retailers Association.
NAAA’s Meyer, Newcomb and Moore pictured with Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
NAAA’s Meyer, Newcomb and Moore pictured with Alexandra Dunn, President & CEO of CropLife America.
A mix of curiosity and bona fide interest attracted too many passersby to count, but having a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter from Allen Chorman & Sons in Milton, DE, on display with spray booms was enough to get scores of onlookers passing by to ask questions and take pictures by the helicopter. Again, thank you to Jeff Chorman, of Allen Chorman & Sons, Inc., his staff, and Glenn Martin of Helicopter Applicators Inc. in Gettysburg, PA, for supplying the truck and trailer for transporting and exhibiting the helicopter.
Future generations of ag pilots loved sitting in the cockpit and learning about aerial application.
NAAA enjoyed spending three very productive days taking advantage of the opportunity to educate policymakers and the public about the importance of agricultural aviation.
President Newcomb and Secretary Meyer were outstanding spokespersons in interactions with the media and policymakers. They were also extremely welcoming to anybody who stopped to check out the helicopter display, including more than one hundred interested children and school groups who toured the event.
Thank you to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers who organized this fantastic event.
