Oregon Environmental Activists Push for Statewide Vote on Multiple, Unreasonable Pesticide Use Ballot Measures

Last week in Oregon, environmental activists took the first step to have three ballot measures focusing on pesticide use, including aerial application, put up for a statewide vote in November 2020. These ballot initiatives include arbitrary notification periods ranging from 14 to 21 days before an application can be made, and 500-foot buffer zones for aerial applications.

 

Details on the three public initiatives are as follows:

 

IP 35 – Oregon Forest Waters Protection Act

• Establishes 100 ft harvest buffers on fishbearing streams and 50 ft buffers most other waterways.
• Notification of pesticide applications 14-21 days prior to an application to the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF). ODF shall send notice to any person who has requested notification and has a physical address within one mile of the proposed application.
• 500 ft aerial application for forest operations of any water of the state on forestland, dwelling or school.
• Takes 2/3 of the Oregon Forest Resources Institute’s revenue and reallocates to enforcing the measure and fire suppression to protect forest waters.

IP 36 – Forest Waters

• Establishes 100 ft harvest buffers on fishbearing streams and 50 ft buffers most other waterways.

IP 37 – Forest Pesticide Restrictions

• Notification of pesticide applications 14-21 days prior to an application to ODF. ODF shall send notice to any person who has requested notification and has a physical address within one mile of the proposed application.
• 500 ft aerial application for forest operations of any water of the state on forestland, dwelling or school.

Additionally, all the measures would also require OSHA to update worker protection standards for forestry operations. Also, Board of Forestry members, who derive any significant portion of their income directly from person or organizations that are subject to the Forest Practices Act, must declare conflicts of interest and not be able to vote. Similar restrictions would also be placed on other public officials. Each of these measures exempt federal and tribal lands.

 

The activist groups must now turn in 1,000 signatures to the Secretary of State to have a ballot title drafted and begin the full signature collection process. Next, 112,020 signatures are required to qualify for the November 2020 ballot. Signatures must be turned into the Secretary of State by July 2, 2020.

Agricultural Aircraft have Arrived at AirVenture 2019

After three successful appearances at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (EAA) AirVenture in 2016, 2017 and 2018, NAAA will once again exhibit at AirVenture this year in Oshkosh, Wis., July 22–28. NAAA has partnered with Air Tractor, Thrush Aircraft, AG-NAV and AgAir Update for this year’s exhibit.

The aircraft have arrived for AirVenture 2019 and final setup will take place on Sunday. We hope to see you at booths 446, 457 and 458 if you have a break during your busy schedule this summer.

Both Air Tractor and Thrush have provided aircraft for the booth and AG-NAV will exhibit its navigation system and accessories. NAAA staff and volunteers will be on hand throughout the week to speak with attendees who want to learn more about ag aviation.  

Air Tractor has also coordinated to have a fire-equipped AT-802 in a few of the daily airshows. EAA announced that aerial firefighting will be a major theme at next week’s show with support from the U.S. Forest Service and other aircraft operators and manufacturers.

 

An Air Tractor 802 being moved into booths 446, 457, and 457 at Whittman Regional Airport

AirVenture Oshkosh, which is organized by EAA each summer at Wittman Regional Airport, is a weeklong celebration of aviation. Nearly 10,000 aircraft will be on display while more than 800 exhibitors, 1,000 forums and workshops, 4,800 volunteers and more than 600,000 visitors are expected this year.

 

NAAA exhibits at AirVenture to bring more awareness to careers in the aerial application industry because the weeklong show is flooded with aviation enthusiasts, military personnel and young aviators looking for new opportunities. AirVenture is one of the largest airshows in the United States, and NAAA’s presence will help our industry recruit potential ag pilots. NAAA is also adding awareness by hosting an AirVenture Forum July 22, from 10 to 11:15 a.m. in Workshop Classroom A, where we’ll be discussing the industry and how to become an ag pilot in further detail.

 

A Thrush 501G being moved into booths 446, 457, and 457 at Whittman Regional Airport

Moreover, it’s a wonderful way to educate adults and children about the importance of our industry in producing a safe, affordable and abundant supply of food, fiber and biofuel, in addition to protecting forestry and controlling health-threatening pests. The representation by our industry at AirVenture is a move in the right direction to bring positive awareness about aerial application to the general public.

 

July is a very busy time of year for ag pilots; however, we know some operators and pilots visit AirVenture and some even exhibit their own aircraft. There are also many NAAA Allied members who exhibit each year, and we encourage you to visit with them if you are onsite. If you’ll be at AirVenture, visit us in Booths 446, 457 and 458 in the main aircraft display area near the traffic control tower. If you’ll be exhibiting your aircraft, let us know where you’ll be!

Are you looking for a way to spread the good word of aerial application and share our industry with your community? Check out NAAA’s brochure that talks about the positives of aerial application, “Flying for Your Food.” And don’t forget to use NAAA’s Media Relations Kit when speaking on behalf of the industry.

Stay tuned to the AirVenture excitement on NAAA’s Facebook and Twitter pages for updates and to view photos while NAAA staff are onsite at AirVenture.

NAAA Comments to EPA to Support Aerial Application for Three More Pesticides

Last Friday NAAA submitted three comments to the EPA for the agency’s re-registation review of pesticide active ingredients. The EPA is required by FIFRA to review the registrations for all crop protection products every 15 years to ensure dietary, water, environmental, occupational and endangered/threatened species safety. The active ingredients that NAAA commented on were for the following products: 2,4-DP-p, Clopyralid and Flumioxazin. The documents that EPA had submitted for comment were all risk assessments, conducted for each active ingredient to assess the risk to the environment and human health of the products being evaluated.

 

In all of the comments NAAA stated that the usage of the Tier 1 model in AgDRIFT for conducting the risk assessments is not an accurate representation of how modern aerial applications are conducted.  The faulty assumptions used in the model include a small droplet size, a non-dropped boom, a short swath offset, near-inversion conditions, and spraying over a bare surface. All of these assumptions result in a higher than realistic risk of drift assessment for aerial applications. NAAA provided more realistic assumptions and sources of data to back up those assumptions.

 

Additionally, for 2,4-DP-p the manufacturer had proposed banning aerial application. NAAA objected, pointing out that several of the use sites, including forests and rights-of-ways, are often applied to with aerial application. The 2019 NAAA Operators Survey Report was used to provide acreages for these sites. For Flumioxazin, the EPA found a risk of concern for mixing and loading dry flowable formulations for broadcast aerial applications for forestry, but the concern was alleviated with the use of a respirator in addition to baseline PPE. However, another risk of concern with the same formulation for ULV aerial applications for forestry, but using engineering controls for mixing and loading, was not alleviated with the use of a respirator. NAAA pointed out that this does not make sense – the use of engineering controls over baseline PPE should offer greater protection, and if the use of a respirator worked to reduce the risk when used in addition to the baseline PPE, it should certainly do so as well when engineering controls are used for mixing and loading.

 

NAAA will continue to monitor the pesticide registration review process and comment accordingly to the EPA. We will fight to make sure aerial applicators have access to the pesticides their customers need in order to control insects, diseases, weeds, and other pests.

EPA Moves Closer to Rescinding 2015 “Waters of U.S.” Rule

On July 12, the U.S. Environmental (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) sent the final version of their “Step One” rescission rule that is part of their two-part rulemaking to rescind-and-replace the Obama era 2015 “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) Rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for interagency review. The WOTUS definition describes the jurisdictional reach of the Clean Water Act (CWA), and in turn where CWA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NDPES) permitting applies, including NPDES Pesticide General Permits. Reaching OMB review is an important milestone in the EPA/Corp rulemaking initiated in 2017. 

 

Back in 2017, the proposed “Step One” rescission rule garnered broad stakeholder attention and the agencies received around 700,000 comments, including comments from NAAA in support of the rescission. The rescission would remove the language of the 2015 WOTUS Rule from the Code of Federal Regulations and replace it temporarily with the pre-2015 definition until the EPA/Corps issue the final “Step Two” replacement WOTUS definition. NAAA commented on the proposed version of the Step Two replacement definition in April 2019.

 

The EPA’s most recent regulatory agenda indicated it planned to publish the final “Step Two” rule in Fall 2019. The timing of OMB review indicates EPA is on track for its anticipated schedule.  However, whether the “Step One” rescission rule will actually take effect in 2019 remains to be seen. Legal challenges are likely to follow soon after the rescission is published in final that could delay or stay its implementation.  If stayed, the 2015 rule could then remain in effect in the patchwork of 22 states where it is currently in play following various court decisions challenging the rule.  NAAA continues to remain actively engaged on tracking and reporting WOTUS developments.

NAAA Submits Comments in Support of Expanding Commercial Driver Pilot Program

Last week NAAA submitted comments to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in support of expanding a pilot program that allows commercial drivers between the ages of 18 and 20 to participate in interstate commerce. The current pilot program only allows drivers between the ages of 18 and 20 to participate in the pilot program if they have a military background.

 

NAAA and several other trucking and agriculture groups submitted comments supporting the expansion of the program to allow drivers under 21 without military training to participate as well in order to get a more statistically significant sample of drivers. If the pilot program shows allowing commercial drivers under 21 to participate in interstate commerce has no negative impact on public safety, the driver age could be lowered to 18 nationwide, expanding the pool of workers for and industry experiencing a severe worker shortage.

 

NAAA’s comments explained pests do not take a break from devastating a farmer’s crops simply because a commercial driver isn’t available to supply an aerial applicator with the tools they need to quickly and efficiently eradicate pests.

 

The comments also explained the variety of ways commercial motor vehicles support agricultural aviation operations, including the transport of pesticides, fertilizers, spray adjuvants, seed, fuel, water, finished spray solution, aircraft engines and other large aircraft parts, and helicopters for those operations that utilize them. Since many agricultural aviation operations operate across state lines, these drivers operate both intrastate and interstate. 

 

You can read NAAA’s full comments here.

 

NAAA also previously submitted comments to make commercial drivers Hours of Service (HOS) rules more flexible. The FMCSA has yet to issue a final rule on HOS flexibility.

World Agriculture Leaders Blast European Union Over Unreasonable Pesticide Tolerances

At a meeting of the World Trade Organization’s Goods Council in Geneva last week, more than 100 countries publicly criticized the European Union for imposing unreasonable pesticide regulations on imported goods.

 

A joint statement released by several countries including the United States, Canada, Brazil and Australia said the EU “ignored requests to complete science-based risk assessments,” before reducing pesticide tolerances. The document also read:

“In order to face the challenge of producing more food in a safer and sustainable way, farmers must be able to access the full range of safe tools and technologies that are available for agricultural production. Yet, our farmers' choice of safe tools is increasingly undermined by regulatory barriers that are not founded on internationally agreed risk analysis. This is already having a substantial negative impact on the production, and trade of, safe food and agricultural products, an impact that is likely to increase in the future.”

Dennis Shea, United States Ambassador to World Trade Organization, released an additional statement saying  “Continued implementation of the EU’s hazard based approach will result in a continued ban of safe tools and technologies essential to feed a growing world population; and thus, carries the potential to undermine food security and sustainable development.”

 

Ambassador Shea’s statement went on to cite an October 2017 study that estimated the lowering of pesticide residue tolerances due to the EU’s hazard-based criteria could impact world trade to the tune of $86 billion each year. These regulations are expected to disproportionately impact growers in Central and South America, as well as Sub-Saharan Africa.

NAAA Ag Aviation Expo Booth Sales Opened Last Week with Success

Booth sales opened Thursday, July 11 for the 2019 NAAA Ag Aviation Expo in Orlando with many companies purchasing booth space (and pre-purchasing large booth space). One hundred and fourteen (114) companies purchased exhibit space on day one of booth sales; this is compared to 121 companies in 2018 in Reno and 108 companies in 2017 in Savannah on opening day of booth sales.

View the floor plan to review the companies that will be visiting with attendees on the NAAA Trade Show floor. Potential exhibitors—there is still plenty of space for you! Visit our exhibitor webpage for more details.

 

Attendee registration is now open! Register today for the Ag Aviation Expo!

Additional details for the 2019 NAAA Ag Aviation Expo

• Dates: Nov. 18–21, 2019 (NOTE THE NOVEMBER DATES)
• Location: Rosen Shingle Creek, Orlando, FL
• Schedule of Events: Current schedule here. Subject to change.
• Attendee Registration: Now open 
• Exhibitor Booth Sales: Now Open
• Auction Donations: Thank you to Pratt & Whitney Canada for donating a PT6-34AG engine to this year’s NAAA Live Auction. While we’re still several months away from the Ag Aviation Expo, but it’s never too early to donate an item for the Live and Silent Auction. The earlier you inform us of your auction donation, the more advertising you’ll receive on the NAAA website and in NAAA publications. Click here for donation details. 
  
• Sponsorship Opportunities: View sponsorship opportunities here.

Hotel Details

• Rate: $139/night + taxes (no resort fee and includes basic internet access in your room and complimentary fitness center access)
• Reservations: Book online here or call (866) 996-6338 and refer to NAAA convention. All reservations are two double beds. If you'd like a king room, please state that when calling or in the comments section when making the reservation online. 
• Hotel Block Cut-off Date: Thursday, Oct. 24 at 5 p.m. ET
• Hotel Address:  9939 Universal Blvd., Orlando, FL 32819 | Hotel Phone: (866) 996-9939 | Reservations: (866) 996-6338
• Cancellation & One Night's Charge Policy: Cancellation required by 4 p.m. at least five (5) days prior to arrival to avoid a charge of one night’s room + tax. All reservations are required to be guaranteed with a valid credit card. Please be advised that five days prior to your arrival, an authorization equivalent to one night's room + tax charge will be processed on your card. Authorizations on a debit card will place a hold on funds within your bank account at the time of authorization. 
• Check In & Out: Check in is 3 p.m. and check out is 11 a.m.
• Parking: Daily self-parking is $18; valet is $26.
• Universal Orlando Hotel Partner, where guests enjoy complimentary scheduled daily transportation from the hotel to and from Universal Orlando Resort exciting theme parks and to SeaWorld® Orlando and Aquatica. Contact the hotel directly for further details at (866) 996-9939

We Love Our Members! Check Out All Your Support Has Helped Us Accomplish

Renewals are now open! You will soon receive your renewal form in the mail, but there is no need to wait! You can renew online today. As a member of NAAA, you associate with the best and brightest in the agricultural aviation industry and your support is imperative in helping us accomplish our initiatives. We’d like to remind you of just a few new offerings NAAA has recently released such as:

• NAAA is now offering legal services on Federal Transpiration Laws to Operator and Pilot Members
• Receive the 2019 NAAA Operator and Pilot Survey Report which is chockful of key statistics providing a healthy status of the U.S. aerial application industry. 
• The legendary Sean D. Tucker will be speaking at the Ag Aviation Expo in Orlando, Nov. 18-21, 2019. It's 4 days packed full of educational sessions where you can earn CEU's. Registration opens July1!
• Our 2019 NAAA Membership Directory has been mailed out. It’s your one-stop shop where you can find members and allied services in the industry.
• Stay up-to-date on the latest issues affecting your profession through the NAAA eNewsletter, Agricultural Aviation magazine and exclusive member resources online such as our Media Relations Kit.
• Don’t forget to take advantage of financial incentives such as our Operation S.A.F.E. Rebate Program and our Recruitment Rewards Program.
  

$20K in Scholarship Aid Available for Aspiring Ag Pilots

How does $5,000 sound to help someone pursue their dream of becoming a professional ag pilot? Thanks to the generous support of BASF and Thrush Aircraft, $20,000 in aid is available under the 2019 NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship Program to assist four aspiring ag pilots in their journey.

 

NAAA awarded $5,000 scholarships to four aspiring ag pilots at the 2018 Ag Aviation Expo. From L–R, NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship recipients Parker Gore, Walter Meise, Will Souther and Emory Lobley, with Thrush Aircraft VP of Sales Eric Rojek and BASF’s John Sabatka, respectively. BASF and Thrush co-sponsor NAAA’s pilot training scholarship.

The goal of NAAA’s “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship Program is to strengthen the aerial application industry by helping operator members bring new pilots into the profession and help fund their training. Applicants must be sponsored by an NAAA Operator member, and scholarship recipients may use the proceeds for flight training or aviation or ag-related coursework at a university, college, community college or other institution of higher learning. A stipend for a trainee in an NAAA Operator-sponsored apprentice program is also permissible. The scholarship program is administered by NAAA and funded by educational grants provided by BASF and Thrush.

 

This year, NAAA will award up to four scholarships valued at $5,000 each. This is a win-win for NAAA Operator members and individuals seeking training funds to support their pursuit of becoming a professional ag pilot.

How to Apply

To be considered for the 2019 scholarship, along with completing the two-part application, every applicant must submit:

• A letter of recommendation from the NAAA Operator member sponsoring the applicant.
• An essay of 250 words or less explaining why you want to pursue a career in agricultural aviation and how you would use NAAA’s “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship to further your education and training.
• A one-page résumé or list of activities detailing all agricultural and aviation experiences, education and training.

NAAA will award the recipients of the 2019 “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarships in November at the Ag Aviation Expo in Orlando. Last year NAAA awarded $5,000 scholarships to four young individuals who represent the future of ag aviation: Parker Gore of Cleveland, Miss.; Emory Lobley of Dalhart, Texas; Walter Meise of Moses Lake, Wash.; and Will Souther of Douglas, Ga.

 

To learn more about the 2019 NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship, please review the instructions included with the 2019 application. Please contact NAAA at (202) 546-5722 or information@agaviation.org for clarification about any of the application requirements.

 

While the applicant must be sponsored by an NAAA Operator member, NAAA membership is not a prerequisite for the person applying for the scholarship. Becoming an NAAA Associate member, however, is a great way for candidates to learn more about the industry and augment their training.

 

The deadline to apply for a 2019 “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship is Aug. 31.

NAAA Pilot Survey Report Released to Members

NAAA is excited to announce that its 2019 NAAA Pilots Survey Report is finished and now available for members to download. The survey revealed that the average age for a pilot is 47 years old. In the 2012 survey, the average age of a hired agricultural pilot was 50 years old. The reduction in age for pilots from the 2012 to the 2019 survey was also reflected in the percentage of pilots in the 20-29 year old age group. In the 2012 survey, 7 percent of pilots were 20-29 years old. In the 2019 survey, that had doubled to 14 percent of pilots. Pilots 30-39 years old increased from 19 percent of all pilots in the 2012 survey to 25 percent in the 2019 survey. The percentage of pilots in both the 50-59 and 60-69 year old age classes decreased between the 2012 and the 2019 surveys.

 

The 2019 NAAA Pilots Survey Report is a companion to the 2019 NAAA Operators Survey Report, which was released in May 2019. This second report is based on the responses collected from hired pilots, while the earlier Operators report is based on responses from operators.

 

To download a copy, login as a member on NAAA’s webpage (agaviation.org) and go to the Resource Center on the top menu bar. Just over half way down the page is the listing for “NAAA Industry Surveys”. Select the link just to the right that says “Publications (5).” The 2019 NAAA Aerial Application Industry Survey: Pilots is the second link on the next page. The 2019 NAAA Operators Survey Report as well as older industry surveys are also available on this page.

Putter Over to NAAA Expo NAAREF Fundraiser, It’s a Hole Lot of Fun

Help us raise money for NAAREF and PAASS by wearing your loudest golf pants and participating in Putting for PAASS, a fundraiser for the ag aviation industry’s premier educational safety program. This fundraising bowling event will take place on Sunday, Nov. 17 from 6 - 9:30 p.m. at Rosen Shingle Creek.

 

Registration is now open and is required; the minimum donation is $110 per person. Each person must register separately and your team can have four people! Have fun with your friends during our nine-hole scramble. This event is fun no matter your skill set, whether you’re an avid golfer, a miniature-golfer or you’ve never held a putter! When registering, you’ll choose the tee time block of 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00 or 8:30. We will open a 9 p.m. slot if the other time slots are full of golfers. During each tee time block, nine teams (four people each) will compete and you’ll have 30 minutes to finish the nine holes. If there are ties, there will be a sudden death hole(s) at the end of the tournament.

 

Each of the four people on the winning team will receive $100 gift certificates to purchase merchandise at the 2019 NAAA Support Fundraising booth on the NAAA Trade Show floor on Tuesday and Wednesday.

 

Help us raise funds to continue the highly regarded PAASS Program, working to reduce the number of aviation accidents and drift incidents each year.

Summer Sale: Get Free Shipping on NAAA’s Online Store with Promo Code FREESHIP

Stay cool this summer with some NAAA gear. We’re sliding into summer with a bang and offering members FREE SHIPPING on every item online. Use promo code FREESHIP at checkout for summer savings. Sizes and quantities are limited so hurry and take advantage of this offer. Show your pride and support NAAA by going online today at Shop.AgAviation.org and purchase your NAAA merchandise.

 

 

2019 Ag Aviation Golf Tournament Oct. 19–20

NAAA members are invited to join your Arkansas brethren for a fun weekend of golf and fellowship Oct. 19–20. The Red Apple Inn and Country Club in Heber Springs, Ark., is hosting the 2019 Ag Aviation Golf Tournament. This year’s proceeds will benefit the Miracle League of Arkansas, a baseball league for children with intellectual and/or physical disabilities.

 

The $150 entry fee covers two rounds of golf, happy hour and dinner at the Red Apple Inn on Saturday evening and a complimentary T-shirt. The tournament starts at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, with a two-man scramble format. The final round tees off Sunday, Oct. 20, starting at 8:30 a.m. (A dinner-only fee of $35 is available for non-golfers.)

Inn rooms, two-bedroom condos and three-bedroom condos are available at the Red Apple Inn for $135, $215 and $260, respectively. Call the Red Apple Inn at 1-800-733-2775 and use the reservation code “AG AVIATION” to reserve your room.

To register for the Ag Aviation Golf Tournament, complete the registration form and mail a check to:

Brenda Watts

102 Norris Lane

Watson, AR 71674
(please include T-shirt size on the check)

The tournament organizers, a small group of Arkansas aerial applicators, decided to donate proceeds from this year’s golf tournament to the Miracle League of Arkansas to help the organization repair its flood-damaged ballfield. On June 7, the Miracle League’s specially equipped ballfield was flooded with water from the overflowing Arkansas River. More than 24,000 tiles were damaged in the flood that must be removed, cleaned, sanitized, repaired, reinstalled and repainted. The nonprofit organization launched the Flood the Field with Love campaign to raise funds to repair the field.

 

For more information, please contact the 2019 Ag Aviation Golf Tournament organizers. Contact information for members of the tournament committee is available here.