The National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) is the public relations advocate for the aerial application industry, promoting the important work of ag pilots throughout the year. NAAA’s efforts include providing external communications via press releases to agriculture and aviation media outlets, in addition to the larger news media; participating in media interviews; and contributing content to other agriculture publications, such as Farm Journal’s The Scoop.
This includes educating the agriculture community on one of the most promising conservation practices aerial applicators can assist farmers with, which is seeding cover crops. Later this summer, for the second year in a row, NAAA will send a press release to media outlets highlighting the unique benefits of aerially seeding cover crops. Aerial application allows the cover crop seed to be spread over the existing cash crop without any disruption to the standing crop. This means the cover crop can already be established when the cash crop is harvested, allowing it more time to hydrate, nourish and aerate the soil.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2022 agriculture census, 18 million cover crop acres were planted, which is 2.6 million (or 17%) more than the 2017 census. Cover crops were planted on 4.7 percent of total cropland in 2022. Cover crops are a huge opportunity for growth within the aerial application industry, as agricultural aircraft are by far the fastest method of application, allowing for the most acres to be seeded within the allowable planting window.
Growing cover crops increases soil carbon sequestration, which involves removing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Aerial applicators seed 3.8 million acres of cover crops annually, which means they are responsible for helping to sequester 1.9 million metric tons of CO2 annually. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this would be the equivalent of removing approximately 412,000 cars with carbon-combustion engines from the roads each year.
In addition to NAAA sending a press release to national media, NAAA has prepared a press release that members can personalize for their operation to send to local media outlets to impress their local community on this important conservation method. Find the press release at www.AgAviation.org/communications/media-relations-kit/.
In addition to this communications work, NAAA continues its external communications focus by providing an article in Farm Journal’s The Scoop, which is a widely circulated agricultural publication. NAAA is touting the benefits of aerial application and hiring ag pilots to handle the seeding of cover crops and other aerial application services. The article has the potential circulation to reach 150,000 ag retailers, crop consultants and farmers nationwide. In addition to the article, in August and September, two ads will appear in The Daily Scoop eNewsletter promoting aerial application services and referring readers to search the location of NAAA operator member aerial applicator businesses in the “Find an Aerial Applicator” database.
Join NAAA
If you’re an aerial application operator who would like to be listed on the “Find an Aerial Applicator” database, join NAAA by calling (202) 546-5722 or visiting AgAviation.org/membership. The most effective way to address the range of critical issues facing your business is by joining NAAA. The payoff far exceeds what you will spend in dues in the form of positive industry marketing, effective advocacy, national representation, education and safety programs and the personal connections you will make as you participate in association activities. NAAA membership can also be deducted as a business expense.
