Aerial Applicators Expect High Demand For Services in 2022
According to the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA), there will be greater demand for aerial application services in 2022 than 2021. The organization cites 127 million acres of cropland in the U.S. are treated by ag aviators, and an additional 7.9 million acres of pasture and rangeland are treated.
“With everything going on in the world, including food supply issues, aerial application is going to be vital this year,” NAAA CEO Andrew Moore said. “Because aerial applicators will be in such high demand, NAAA strongly advises farmers to schedule work with them in advance whenever possible.”
There are several reasons for the increase in demand.
At the end of the 2021 spraying season, NAAA members were surveyed, and said 4 out of 5 aerial applicators flew the same or more hours and treated the same or more acres than they did in 2020.
NAAA says leading pesticide manufacturers are forecasting a 20% bump in fungicide applications. In 2021, 55 million acres were applied with fungicide.
As farmers are looking to maximize crop revenue with higher commodity prices, NAAA has updated its “Find an Aerial Applicator” tool. You can search its database here. The tool allows users to search within a mile radius to locate an NAAA member.
NAAA cites data from Texas A&M University which showed a $37 billion annual value of the aerial application industry yto farmers, input suppliers, processors and agricultural transportation and storage industries for corn, wheat, cotton, soybeans and rice production in the U.S.
