United States

It may seem like a profession from another era, but crop dusting remains an important job in 2020. “The newer pilots, well they call themselves agricultural aerial applicators and most people say, ‘Huh?’ So, crop dusters, they understand that,” said Floyd McElwain, founder of McElwain Sprayers where he works with...

On September 27, 2019, Warbird Digest was invited to fly with Allen Chorman & Son on a mosquito flight over the marshes of central Delaware. While en route to our target area, 41-year-old Jeff Chorman reminisced about how the 75-year-old JRB-4 that has been such an important part of not...

BATON ROUGE - Recent heavy rain from Hurricanes Laura and Delta have created large areas across the state for mosquitoes to lay their eggs. In response to the recent spike in mosquito presence, aerial spraying will begin around dusk on Tuesday, Oct. 20. The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and...

EASTON — With more rain this summer than in previous years, the current harvest season is proving a mixed blessing to local farmers. “Harvest is slightly behind our normal pace, but not by much,” said Jason Scott of Walnut Hill Farms in Hurlock. One trend that most Mid-Shore farmers can...

A Wisconsin farmer and Certified Crop Advisor speaks during the online National Cover Crop Summit: Fall 2020 Edition about why aerial seeding can work for growers. Harvest season is a busy time. There is so much for a grower to organize, manage and stay on top of that adding one...

Colby, a small nondescript town in Northwestern Kansas is nestled smack dab in the middle of the High Plains. Touted as an “oasis” by the local tourism board, the supplied moniker is accurate, as the region bears a variety of crops and has a strong agri-business presence. Top crops in...

Herbicides are the most extensively used pesticide applied to agronomic crops in the United States. Since 2013, more than 93% of the planted hectares for corn (Zea mays L.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.), and soybean have received a herbicide application (USDA-NASS 2020). In contrast, the next most...

Before becoming a powerhouse in commercial aviation, Delta Air Lines began operations as a crop-dusting business. The firm traces its roots back to Huff Daland Dusters, which was incorporated on March 2nd, 1925. To start its services as the first agricultural flying company in the United States, it acquired its first-ever aircraft...

The rules that companies must follow when spraying pesticides in Idaho underwent review this summer. Following a couple public comment periods, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture proposed changes to the rules last week, which will be presented to the legislature in January. The Idaho Agricultural Aviation Association, which represents crop...

Crop-dusting planes were in the skies over Allegan and Ottawa counties earlier this week, providing an exciting show of aerial acrobatics. However, they were not dropping chemicals on growing crops as one would assume. Instead, they were sowing seeds into fields of growing corn and soybeans for a cover crop,...