EPA Extends Approval of 3 Dicamba Products Until 2025

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved new five-year registrations for two dicamba products and extended the registration of an additional dicamba product. All three registrations include new control measures to ensure these products can be used effectively while protecting the environment, including non-target plants, animals and other crops not tolerant to dicamba, the agency announced on Tuesday.

While these dicamba products cannot be applied by aerial application, this decision is important for agriculture overall, and a major win for science over unsubstantiated claims made by environmental groups. The tactics used by environmental groups to fight against dicamba are similar to the tactics they use to fight against many products that are applied by air, such as chlorpyrifos and paraquat.

“With today’s decision, farmers now have the certainty they need to make plans for their 2021 growing season,” EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a statement. “After reviewing substantial amounts of new information, conducting scientific assessments based on the best available science, and carefully considering input from stakeholders we have reached a resolution that is good for our farmers and our environment.”

The EPA approved new registrations for two “over-the-top” (OTT) dicamba products—Bayer CropScience’s XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology and BASF’s Engenia Herbicide—and extended the registration for an additional OTT dicamba product, Syngenta’s Tavium Plus VaporGrip Technology. These registrations are only for use on dicamba-tolerant (DT) cotton and soybeans and will expire in 2025.

To manage off-site movement of dicamba, EPA’s 2020 registration features important control measures, including:

• Requiring an approved pH-buffering agent (also called a Volatility Reduction Agent or VRA) be tank mixed with OTT dicamba products prior to all applications to control volatility.
• Requiring a downwind buffer of 240 feet and 310 feet in areas where listed species are located.
• Prohibiting OTT application of dicamba on soybeans after June 30 and cotton after July 30.
• Simplifying the label and use directions so that growers can more easily determine when and how to properly apply dicamba.
  

The 2020 registration labels also provide new flexibilities for growers and states. For example, there are opportunities for growers to reduce the downwind spray buffer for soybeans through use of certain approved hooded sprayers as an alternative control method. The EPA also declared that it recognizes and supports the important authority FIFRA section 24 gives the states for issuing locally appropriate regulations for pesticide use. If a state wishes to expand the federal OTT uses of dicamba to better meet special local needs, the agency will work with them to support their goals.

In reviewing the dicamba registrations from Bayer, BASF and Syngenta, the agency stated that it reviewed substantial amounts of new information and conducted assessments based on the best available science, including making Effect Determinations under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). With this information and input, the EPA concluded that its registration actions meet Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) registration standards. The EPA believes that these new analyses address the concerns expressed about the EPA’s 2018 dicamba registrations in the June 2020 U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Further, EPA concluded that with the control measures now required on labels, these actions either do not affect or are not likely to adversely affect endangered or threatened species.

In 2018, approximately 41% of U.S. soybean acreage was planted with dicamba-tolerant (DT) seed and almost 70% of U.S. cotton acreage was planted with DT seed in 2019.

Following reports of damage resulting from the off-site movement of dicamba, the EPA amended its dicamba registration labels in 2017 and in 2018. In June 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit vacated the registrations for three dicamba products: XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology, Engenia Herbicide and DuPont FeXapan Herbicide. As a result of the court’s decision, the EPA issued cancellation orders outlining limited circumstances under which existing stocks of the three affected products could be distributed and used until July 31, 2020.

Commodity groups, such as National Cotton Council, praised the announcement, while environmental activist groups criticized the EPA’s decision. The Center for Biological Diversity’s Nathan Donley declared to Politico Pro’s agriculture policy newsletter, Morning Agriculture, that “the EPA has shown such callous indifference to the damage dicamba has caused to farmers and wildlife alike, and has been so desperate to appease the pesticide industry, it has zero credibility when it comes to pesticide safety.”

NAAA Comments on UAS Exemption Amendment Request Urging Additional Manned Aircraft Safety Measures

NAAA recently submitted comments to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding Avitas Inc.’s request to amend its exemption for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. Avitas, a GE venture, was granted an exemption Oct. 16, 2018, for UAS BVLOS operations using ground-based radar as the enabling technology. Avitas’s current request for an amendment to the exemption includes operation over public roads and expanding its operation south of Midland, Texas.

NAAA does not believe ground-based radar alone provides adequate protection from UAVs for low-altitude manned aircraft. NAAA stressed the importance of aerial application and the need for safety in the National Airspace System. NAAA cited a project by the Colorado Agricultural Aviation Association that showed it was almost impossible for low-altitude pilots of manned aircraft to visually see UAVs. Studies by the University of Dayton Research Institute and the FAA through the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE) showing the damage UAVs can do to manned aircraft were also cited.

The comment period for this amendment request ends Nov. 4. If you would like more information on the amendment request or would like to comment, go here.

NAAA has information on drone safety that can be found here and a video on drone safety can be found here.

NAAA is a member of the Unmanned Aviation Safety Team (UAST). We will have our drone safety materials available on the UAST website Nov. 16–22 for Drone Safety Awareness Week.

Update on USDA Aerial Spray Nozzle Model Mobile App

By Brad Fritz, USDA-ARS Aerial Application Technology Research Unit

Like most of you, I have come to rely on my mobile device for everything from keeping track of my daily, weekly and monthly activities to finding my way from point A to point B, snapping a picture of something of interest, and keeping in touch with friends and family. Also, like many of you, I have found apps that help me be more productive on the job. I am certain we have all had the experience of suddenly finding that your favorite, or much-depended-on app has suddenly stopped working or disappeared from your device entirely. This can be incredibly frustrating if you have come to rely on said app as part of your normal routine. Well, if you are a user of the “Aerial Sprays” app that was developed by the USDA-ARS Aerial Application Technology group, prepare to be frustrated for a bit.

Change is a constant with regard to technology. The constant drive for companies to create better, more powerful and feature-rich devices means that the release of new smart devices, including smartphones, tends to occur every year. Coinciding with that, but likely less obvious to the end user, are updates to the software that make the devices possible. These software updates tend to occur at a much higher frequency, and many times are substantial enough in nature that existing apps lose functionality. The companies behind these devices try to avoid these issues by requiring app developers to adhere to some minimum level of program structure and operating standards. When these are not met by a given app, the policy is typically to restrict the availability of that particular app from the end user. That, unfortunately, is where we find ourselves with the Aerial Sprays app.

Recent updates to Apple’s iOS software require the existing Aerial Spray app to be completely rewritten to be in compliance with current standards. As you can imagine, the time and cost associated with this is not insignificant. While we are committed to getting the spray nozzle model data back on your smartphone, it is going to take some time to get all the pieces into place. What this will mean for those of you who currently use the app is that it will either stop functioning entirely or maybe disappear from your device altogether on, or around, Nov. 10.

The good news is that these Nozzle Models are still readily available in Excel form from our website, tinyurl.com/AAT-Models. While not quite as convenient, these Excel versions offer additional functionality not included in the current mobile app, including nozzle flow rate data that allows you to determine the number needed to meet a required application rate for a given set of operational requirements. Those of you who have the mobile version of Excel on your phone or other tablet device will find these Excel versions work great. We are also planning to develop a “mobile” version of the Excel interface that will improve the user interface on smaller smartphone-sized screens.

Know that we are committed to getting the mobile version of the Aerial Spray app back into your hands as soon as possible. We will keep you updated on this as things continue to progress.

Damon Reabe Appointed to National Potato Council Grower Pesticide Advisory Panel

NAAA Wisconsin board member Damon Reabe has been appointed to the National Potato Council’s (NPC) Grower Pesticide Advisory Panel. The Grower Pesticide Advisory Panel consists of growers, agronomists and consultants who provide input on the suite of pesticides used in potato production. According to the 2019 NAAA Aerial Application Industry Survey, roots and tubers, which include potatoes, beets, onions and bulbs, are treated by 27% of the U.S. aerial application industry.

As a member of NPC’s Grower Pesticide Advisory Panel Reabe will participate in conference calls or virtual meetings to discuss registered products undergoing some aspect of review with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Pesticide Program (EPA-OPP), provide input on the importance of active ingredients to managing specific pests, and participate in meetings with EPA-OPP arranged by NPC, when possible, among other opportunities.

The Grower Pesticide Advisory Panel is one of four panels NPC created to provide real-world information to the EPA-OPP to ensure potato growers concerns are understood. Information provided by these panels will be used to develop comments on behalf of the industry by NPC, state organizations and growers.

Reabe is the president of Dairyland Aviation in Waupun, Wisconsin, and Reabe Spraying Service in Plainfield and Plover, Wisconsin. He chairs NAAA’s Government Relations Committee and also represents aerial applicators on the EPA’s Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee.

Reabe Spraying Service generates the majority of its revenue spraying potatoes. The Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA), a group with whom Reabe has worked closely since 2009, nominated him for NPC’s Grower Pesticide Advisory Panel. In ’09, Reabe and the WPVGA worked together to develop wind energy siting standards in Wisconsin. Since then they have collaborated on spray drift, pollinator protection and applicator certification and licensing issues.

“I’m glad to be on this panel to aid in their efforts and possibly develop relationships to forward the work of properly accounting for the environmental benefits that result from aerial pesticide applications,” Reabe said.

COVID-19 Cases Low in Savannah, Location of NAAA’s 2020 Ag Aviation Expo Dec. 7-10

NAAA is hosting its 2020 Ag Aviation Expo Dec. 7-10 in person in Savannah, Georgia. As can be seen from the chart below, COVID-19 cases have dropped markedly since July and stayed low in Chatham County and the city of Savannah.

 

NAAA is excited to host our annual convention in Savannah in December. Pre-registration is open until Nov. 7. There are health protections in place that should be followed to protect all attendees and, for us to hold the Ag Aviation Expo in person, we are required by law to have these health protections at our convention due to this being a large gathering of people.

NAAA is working diligently to ensure our Ag Aviation Expo occurs in person. Our convention offers connection and networking, CEUs and seeing friends; we want to see you too! Please also know that we have a responsibility to you, the facilities and the city of Savannah to show what policies we have in place to make sure risks are mitigated as much as possible from the spread of COVID-19. We also, personally and professionally, want to ensure that we are doing what we can for staff, attendees, exhibitors and the citizens of Savannah to have a healthy annual convention.

NAAA has worked diligently on plans to help with social distancing throughout our convention. We have also worked with the city and our contracted facilities to understand their steps for additional disinfecting/sanitizing during our show. View the protocols here.

Register for the 2020 Ag Aviation Expo to Network, Learn, Have Fun & See Your Friends!  

Pitch Your Best Shot at Pitching In for PAASS, a NAAREF Fundraiser Taking Place at the Ag Aviation Expo

Help us raise money for NAAREF and PAASS by showing up with your pitching arm for Pitching In For PAASS, a fundraiser for the ag aviation industry’s premier educational safety program. The event will take place 7–10 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 6, at the Savannah Convention Center. Pitching In For PAASS is a corn-seed bag toss game, also known as cornhole, where players take turns throwing bags of corn kernels at a raised board with a hole.

 

The event will be a March Madness style tournament that will follow the American Cornhole Association rules. A bag in the hole scores 3 points, while one on the board scores 1 point. The first team to 21 points wins. Games will be capped at 20 minutes each. The scoring judges will call “last round” on any game that has exceeded 20 minutes. 

 

Registration is now open and is required; the minimum donation is $110 per person. Each person must register separately, and teams are made up of two people (if you’d like to register multiple people, please call the office at 202-546-5722). There will be 64 total teams, allowing for 128 participants.

 

Both people on the winning team will receive $125 gift certificates to purchase merchandise at the 2020 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. Register today!

It’s that Time Again: Renew Your Membership Today!

Renewals are now open for the NAAA 2021 membership year! Renew online or by mail 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 would like to remind you of just a few new offerings NAAA has recently released such as:

• Ensuring your aerial application business and job is ESSENTIAL during COVID-19 and extending license expirations due to quarantine shutdowns. Check out our COVID-19 Resources webpage. 
• Offering legal services on Federal Transpiration Laws to Operator and Pilot Members.
• Receive the 2019 NAAA Operator and Pilot Survey Report which is chock-full of key statistics providing a healthy status of the U.S. aerial application industry. 
• We have an awesome 2020 Ag Aviation Expo planned for you this year! Hear from James Bradley, author of Flags of our Fathers and Flyboys. It is four days packed full of educational sessions where you can earn CEUs. Registration is now open!
• Don’t forget to take advantage of financial incentives such as NAAA’s Recruitment Rewards Program.
• Our 2020 NAAA Membership Directory has been mailed out. It is your one-stop shop where you can find professional members that might be looking for help or offering help and a plethora of qualified 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.

NAAA is dedicated to protecting and advancing the needs of the industry by improving the public's perception of the aerial application industry and spearheading the industry's environmental stewardship and safety initiatives. If you haven’t gotten a chance to review all our accomplishments this past year in the 2020 NAAA Membership Directory, you can download our Annual Report.

 

We appreciate your membership as it will help us continue to fight and win to keep aerial application as an essential service during the current global pandemic and on important issues like unfair user fees and taxes; requiring tower marking requirements; and ensure the safe integration of drones into the national airspace; and advocating that EPA keeps a healthy inventory of crop protection products for aerial use without unnecessary restrictions. Your membership helps us better represent your interests.

NAAA Submits Comments to Protect Aerial Application of Chlorpyrifos

On Oct. 21 NAAA submitted comments to the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) to object to proposed new rules on the use of chlorpyrifos in Oregon. The restrictions included a new restricted entry interval (REI) for all agricultural crops, a very broad definition of sensitive sites, and a 300-foot buffer zone for aerial applications next to sensitive sites or permanent waterbodies. The proposed rules banned the use, distribution or sale of chlorpyrifos after Dec. 31, 2023. The only exceptions from this ban include commercial pre-plant seed treatments, granular applications and a pest emergency declared by ODA authorizing the use of chlorpyrifos.

NAAA pointed out that the 300-foot buffer zone for sensitive areas and water bodies should be based on wind direction, as spray drift cannot move upwind. Mandating a buffer zone next to these areas even if the wind is blowing away needlessly reduces growers’ pest control options and can force cropland to be taken out of agricultural production. NAAA also suggested that 300 feet is an unnecessary distance not based on any sound science. The multiple techniques and technologies aerial applicators use to mitigate drift were pointed out in the comments.

The proposed rules for chlorpyrifos in Oregon follow a trend of states trying to ban the insecticide. California and New York have both banned chlorpyrifos even before it moves into the final stages of registration review with the EPA. NAAA is closely monitoring all state and federal activity on chlorpyrifos.

Richard Packer Receives Master Pilot and Mechanic Awards from FAA

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) honored Richard Packer Sr. for more than a half-century of service to aviation by presenting him with two prestigious awards. Known by many simply as “Packer,” the owner of Packer & Associates Inc. received the FAA’s Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award and the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award at a surprise ceremony at Packer Airport in Radnor, Ohio, on Oct. 17.

The FAA does not hand out these awards often, so those who receive it stand out in the aviation world for their sustained excellence. The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award is the most prestigious award the FAA issues to pilots certified under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations part 61. It is named after the Wright Brothers, the first U.S. pilots, to recognize individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise for at least 50 years while piloting aircraft as “master pilots.”

The Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award recognizes the lifetime accomplishments of senior mechanics and is named in honor of the first aviation mechanic in powered flight. Charles Taylor served as the Wright brothers’ mechanic and is credited with designing and building the engine for their first successful aircraft. Master Mechanic Award candidates must have 50 or more years of civil and military maintenance experience.

Packer has accumulated over 10,000 hours logged in single and multiengine aircraft, agricultural, turbine and aerobatic aircraft. He received his airframe and powerplant mechanics certificate with inspection authorization in 1975 and is still an active flight instructor and aircraft inspector. He received his property and casualty insurance license in 1981 and formed Packer & Associates as an independent insurance agency that year.

Packer is a longtime NAAA Allied Industry member who for years has and continues to serve as the Ohio state representative on NAAA’s board. NAAA congratulates Packer on his well-deserved awards from the FAA and is appreciative of his many years of service to the agricultural aviation industry.

NAAA Ag Aviation Expo Pre-Registration Ends Nov. 7; Many States Offering CEUs

Are you joining us for the 2020 NAAA Ag Aviation Expo in Savannah, Dec. 7-10? We urge you to pre-register for the 2020 Ag Aviation Expo, which saves you $75 per person and pre-registered attendees can cancel for a full refund. Pre-registration helps us to have accurate food, beverages, and seating counts at our events. Make sure you are counted!

We are 100% going forward with our Ag Aviation Expo in person! We want you to know unequivocally that your health and wellness are of the utmost importance to our team.

States are beginning to respond to our CEU request; review the list of CEUs and check back often as we will continue receiving CEU approvals between now and the convention.

Must-Attend Events!

We are continually updating the schedule of events for this year’s convention. Below are some must-attend events at the 2020 Ag Aviation Expo:

• Kickoff Breakfast Speaker changes: Kickoff Breakfast Speaker Damian Mason, Author of new book Food Fear: How Fear Is Ruining Your Dinner and Why You Should Celebrate Eating, Host of “The Business of Agriculture” and “Do Business Better” podcasts and Agricultural Comedian.
• General Session: Medical, Legal and Food Trends Affecting Ag Aviation – This session will feature substantive presentations about legal, medical and food trends occurring in the ag aviation nationally and how that might affect you and your business.
  
• NAAA Trade Show – featuring seven aircraft and an expected 120+ exhibitors. View the NAAA Trade Show Floor Plan to review the companies that will be visiting with attendees on the NAAA Trade Show floor.
  
• Aerial Application Technology Research Session and more than a dozen educational sessions where you can earn potential CEUs. (Review the list of CEUs; additional details will be posted as they become available this fall.)
• Excellence in Ag Aviation Banquet honoring individuals and companies in the aerial application industry.
  

Many Auction Items up for Bid at Live Auction; Letter of Credit Required for PT6A-34AG Engine

Thank you to the many companies that support ag pilots and their operations, as well as the industry, through donating items for the Live and Silent Auctions at the NAAA Ag Aviation Expo. The money raised from these items supports NAAA programs.

 

Join us for the Live Auction & Reception on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 5:30 p.m. at the Savannah Convention Center. All are welcome to enjoy the auction and food and beverages sponsored by Syngenta. The Silent Auction eBidding will be open Sunday, Dec. 6, through Wednesday, Dec. 9. More details will follow in November.

Pratt & Whitney Canada Engine Details

Thank you to Pratt & Whitney Canada for its generous donation of a brand-new PT6A-34AG turboprop engine. The engine is valued at $535,661. The engine build specification (BS) is 1334, used on the Air Tractor, Thrush and Turbine Conversions STC. The winning bidder is required to pay $20,000 down on-site and remainder of payment is due within 30 days. Please provide a letter of credit from a financial institution to Lindsay Barber.

 

Air Tractor is donating a custom stretched six-passenger cart with PolyBox pickup bed, which includes a 48-volt electric club car with charger, custom painted wide stance body and canopy. Additional details on the cart include: electrocoated frame from Air Tractor E-Coat Facility, custom X stitch seats with Air Tractor logo, Kicker Bluetooth sound system with USB chargers, custom powder coated brush guard, custom powder coated Nerf Bars, 6” custom powder coated Lift Kit, 14” custom wheels with painted inserts to match body, rear receiver hitch, RGB Underglow LED lighting, LED lights, custom floor mats with Air Tractor logo, custom “AT Rudder Pedal” gas and brake pedals. A photo will be available soon! Don’t miss this opportunity for a one-of-a-kind Air Tractor collectible.

 

Praxidyn is donating a Mixmate Fusion crop protection blending system, which consists of a Mixmate Fusion Inductor with connections for three bulk products. Mixmate is a fully automated crop protection blending and recordkeeping system with modular options for portable or stationary installations and measures by weight and flow. The patent-pending jug process drains, weighs, rinses, records and reconciles the data from a 2.5-gallon jug in about 12 seconds. The Fusion Inductor weighs the products as they are added to the mix. No premeasuring is required. Bulk products are mixed automatically through a factory-calibrated flowmeter that does not need additional calibrations for different products. Simultaneously measure multiple products for fast mixing speeds. The Android app controls the system and captures the records automatically. The app synchronizes with our Intersect cloud service to back up data and provides access from the office. Intersect and Mixmate can automate data processing to save time and reduce errors in the office and the field. Mixmate has been selected as a 2018 and 2019 AE50 Award Winner. The award-winning products are those ranked highest in innovation, significant engineering advancement and impact on the market served. Mixmate is flexible and the system can easily be expanded to match your needs. Load a plane every five minutes! Save time, stay safe and be more productive! This donation is to be used in the United States only.

 

Additional great items up for bid include:

• AG-NAV: $2,500 in Gift Certificates
  
• AIG & Mary Beth Schwaegel: A Vera Bradley Day at the Beach
  
• Air Tractor: 1) New Air Tractor Custom Stretched 6-Passenger Cart with PolyBox Pickup Bed (48 Volt Electric Club Car with Charger, Custom Painted Wide Stance Body and Canopy) and 2) uAvionix Tailbeacon TSO NAV Light ADS-B Out for certified aircraft.
  
• Covington Aircraft Engines: $15,000 off any PT6-A, R-985 or R-1340 engine overhaul, maintenance or repair performed by Covington Aircraft Engines.
  
• Gibson & Barnes: Thinsulate Flite Satin Clack Jacket, sized to fit for winner
  
• JBI Helicopter Service: Cigar box with NAAA Logo
  
• Lane Aviation: Lane Brake and Fan
  
• Old Republic Aerospace: Remove Before Flight Package: His and hers boxers, tank top, night shirt and Remove Before Flight Keytags
  
• Luanne Oleas: Autographed copy of Luanne's novel, “Flying Blind: A Cropduster’s Story.”
  
• Lilly Paxton: Coach travel size jewelry case
  
• Jane Pitlick: Girl and Boy (1 each) Aviator Warm Ear-flapped Children’s Cap
  
• Praxidyn: Mixmate Fusion crop protection blending system, which consists of a Mixmate Fusion Inductor with connections for three bulk products.
  
• Reabe Aircraft Improvement: Loader Power Kit: Operators working on government contracts need to energize the Reabe Hopper Gauge when the pilot is not present, yet do not want the ground crew to enter the cockpit. In response to those requests, Reabe developed the “Loader Power Button.” The “Loader Power Button” will energize and de-energize the Reabe Hopper Gauge from outside the aircraft. The “Loader Power Button” will also timeout if left unattended. This item is STC approved and is now also standard equipment on all 2020 Ag Air Tractors.
  
• Smoker Oil/Mosquito Products, LLC: 55-gallon drum of Smoker Oil delivered to any commercial location with a dock or forklift in the United States.
  
• START PAC: $750 START PAC credit toward the purchase of any START PAC products of $3,000 value or more.
  
• Storm Aeronautics: Storm Shield for Air Tractor or Thrush (winners’ choice).
  
• Support Committee: Rifle: Bergara B14 Terrain Wilderness .300WM 26" TB Gray/Camo.
  
• Turbine Conversions: Single Point Fueling System: Single point bottom loading fueling system complete with Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for all models of Air Tractor, Thrush, Ag-Cat and M18 Dromader. Approved in US, Australia, Canada & Brazil.
  
• UPL North America: Custom-built 6 mm ARC, AR15 rifle.

Save the Date for the 2020 Ag Aviation Expo