ALEXANDRIA, VA—APRIL 30, 2024—The National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) is participating in Ag on the Mall on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., May 6 – 8, 2024, daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at booth 31. Themed the Future of Food and Farming, Ag on the Mall celebrates and showcases America’s equipment manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, and innovators, working together to drive the tradition of producing more with less environmental impact. NAAA and other exhibitors will showcase cutting-edge innovations, including alternatively powered equipment, autonomous systems with live demonstrations, and an array of other tools that are enabling the ag industry to sustainably feed the world.
NAAA’s booth 31 will display an aerial application Bell Jet Ranger helicopter from Allen Chorman & Sons, Inc. in Milton, DE. The helicopter will be equipped with a liquid spray system for applying crop protection materials. The helicopter, along with a spray boom simulation model and other informational displays, will give federal legislators, regulatory officials and National Mall visitors an up-close opportunity to learn about the essential role ag aviation plays in modern food production.
American farmers use aerial application to treat 127 million acres, approximately 28%, of cropland each year to control insects and plant diseases, as well as apply fertilizer and seeds. With aerial applicators’ efficiency and ability to attack pests or apply fertilizer and seeds over large stretches of acreage at just the right time, the yield benefits associated with aerial crop care are well documented. High yields are essential to sustainability—American farmers are using less land to feed more people than ever, which means more land available for sequestering carbon, preserving wetlands and maintaining wildlife habitat. Yields across all U.S. crops would be decreased by about 25% if aerial application were not available.
The event is open to the public, and everyone is encouraged to attend Ag on the Mall to interact with the equipment and exhibits and get an up-close look at the helicopter and other farm machines that are often only seen on America’s farm fields.
