Dream Maker Podcast
Dream Maker Podcast
National Ag Aviation Association-Andrew Moore
Chris is joined by DFB's Ag Aviation team, Caleb Woods and Haley Floyd, as they discuss with Andrew Moore, CEO of the National Agricultural Aviation Association, as they get ready for National Convention in Palm Springs, California in December
Welcome to dream maker. Join us for each episode as we cover a wide range of topics from financial wellness and marketing to mental health and ways to enjoy life overall, we may even teach you a thing or two about cultivating healthy soil. We are here to improve your life and so glad you've joined us today. Now, here are your hosts for today's episode of dream maker.
Chris Floyd:Well, good luck say hello, this is Chris Floyd. I'm president CEO dream Firstbank. And welcome to first episode of season four of our dream maker podcast. And today we are so excited because we have with us Andrew Moore, who is president CEO X, Executive Director of the National Ag aviation Association. Also with us, we have kind of really two key members of our ag aviation lending team at Caleb woods and Haley Floyd with us. And so they've been helping customers all over the country. But so we're excited to have you Andrew and glad to get started. So hey, first off once you give us a little Yeah, I want you to give us a little history and kind of what kind of your background and a little bit about the year Association.
Andrew Moore:Sure thing. Well, my background is I was actually born and raised in Bakersfield, California. My family is farm there and in the area in the San Joaquin Valley for four generations, so we just outside of Bakersfield in our urban our main crops are potatoes, pistachios, almonds, navel oranges, and carrots. So, grew up with an ag background, went to school in Los Angeles in the University of Southern California. That was part of a semester program in Washington DC in 1988, and had a great experience, interning, actually, at the White House for President Ronald Reagan. So came down with Potomac fever really like policy. So after I graduated, I moved back to DC and had a number of jobs there, mostly dealing with ag policy and worked for the California Governor's office and in DC. I worked for the United fresh fruit vegetable Association, I worked for a member of Congress who represented the central coast of California with a lot of agriculture in her district for several years did her ag and transportation portfolio. And in 1997, I got job as the director of legislative and regulatory affairs at the National Agricultural aviation Association, and became executive director in 2002. They renamed my retitled me as CEO in 2017. So a lot has happened in between those 26 years. But the association is now going on. It's that's the 57th year founded in 1966. The industry itself is 102 years old. The first aerial application was made in 1921. In Troy, Ohio, where Catawba trees that were used for utility poles had an infestation of a pernicious insect and they did an experiment the the Army Air Corps at the time did an experiment on those catalpa trees dusty and it was quite successful. And from then led to the commercialization of aerial application started with the first company was a company known as Delta Air Service, which became Delta Airlines. But they were big in Louisiana, Georgia, treating for boll weevil, and the industry just took off from their US surplus aircraft. And from World War Two, the Stearman has to really grow the industry and it's spread to all corners of the country. And in like I said, 1966 dealing with a number of regulatory issues, whether it was transportation issues, aviation issues or agricultural issues and environmental issues the industry for formed and has been rolling ever since. Today, the aerial application industry treats 127 million acres of cropland throughout the country, which is about 28% of all the cropland. But of course, there's also pasture land, there's forestry. And there's public health spraying to combat mosquitoes. There's firefighting done by air, and, and cover crops as well. So, in triple A just represents the interests of the aerial application industry, whether it's advocating for government policy, that, that is, supports and protects the industry, whether it's public relations and promoting the importance to the, to the public of our industry, and developing education and safety programs and networking programs to for, for our members tried to recruit new pilots, developing programs that focus on aviation safety and environmental professionalism. And having an annual convention every year that deals with has a lot of educational functions, but also allows for our allied industries that are, are vitally important, whether it's banking, whether it's aircraft manufacturing, whether it's pesticide manufacturing, whether it's insurance, to show those new products that have really helped our industry for as I mentioned, after two years, so kind of a long rambling about my background and in the industry and the history, but there you have it.
Chris Floyd:Now that's good. You know, sometimes here in like in western Kansas, you know, you kind of forget about, you know, talking about your background growing up with vegetable crops and stuff like that. And, you know, we've kind of, don't get used to that, because it's kind of to me kind of amazing how much Oh, I can remember being a kid out, you know, changing water, you know, Easter Well, back in the day we had, whether it be tubes and irrigation ditches or you know, aluminum plastic pipe, and then all sudden having this plane come buzzing Yeah. Just like, oh, no, you can kind of get your attention. And the blood going pretty fast when you know, and to me is like growing up as a kid and watching you know, planes fly solo and so fast and the way they turned and to me, it was always it was fun. And our local crop duster. Here is like this, you know, the stories and just like, you know, how, how that gets done to me is kind of amazing of the skill those pilots have. And, and to do that all, you know, so many hours a day during the summer is to me it's kind of a neat, the watch and kind of a neat industry. So that's one of the appeals for us is just kind of, you know, just I don't know, just watching the how that works and happens to me. It's kind of amazing. So, yeah, it kind of brings back lateral memories.
Andrew Moore:Yeah, well, a lot of people like to stop and just watch them because it's it's just like a ballet in the sky sometimes to watch what they do, you know? And, like you said to turn pullback in the racetrack pattern over field, you know, just like you I was, you know, we're in the Central Valley of California. We're heavily irrigated. And we used to grow cotton. Till we would I remember with my brother and I we'd be moving irrigation pipe into a field. And now a couple fields over you to hear the the buzzing of a piston engine, you'd see a guy just we just pause and stop and watch. Treat it nearby potato field or something. So it was always good for a visual break. Yeah.
Chris Floyd:And it to me, I guess and I don't know, maybe this is kind of off topic a little bit. But really, you know, people think, I guess overall, there's not that many accidents really, would there be? I mean, for what, you know how low and everything they do, or? I mean, there's a lot of skill the pilots have that, to me is really kind of amazing.
Andrew Moore:Yeah, and, you know, unfortunately we do have accidents. But when we do when you see what they do, and remember that the when you're an aerial applicator, you have to be certified by the FAA under Part 137 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. And that's what allows the aircraft to drop below 500 feet and fly over a crop at 10 feet if it's putting out a liquid 40 feed if it's that fertilizer or receding, but, you know, when you're dropped down to that level, you're, you're in the thick of things, you've got silos to look out for, you've got, you've got utility poles, you've got wires. Now you're seeing well, we also have towers to weather their meteorological evaluation towers. For turbans, you have turbine towers, wind turbine towers, broadband towers, and now you're seeing the integration of unmanned vehicles as well, that are doing either surveillance or have a crop or another function, maybe delivering a pizza shortly. But also some doing application to this. So they're, it's a, it's a, it can be a cluttered environment, and they're very skilled to do what they do to fly so low, and treat 127 million acres of cropland a year, it's, it's, it's pretty remarkable that the accident rate is at a par if not lower than the overall general aviation accident rate. So But still, we do have accidents and, and fatalities and our, our mission, one of our key missions, and AAA is to eliminate fatal accidents, if not all accidents, and, and we've seen progress in that with our educational programs. But we won't be satisfied till we we have zero accidents, especially fatal accidents for for years. On end.
Caleb Woods:Yeah, yeah. You know, Haley and I and the banks worked with, you know, people in the industry, that's always seen safety as huge. I know, one of the key initiatives for you guys, and then AAA as your C PASS program. Can seems pretty interesting. Could you talk to us a little bit about that, and how pilots and people can get into it?
Andrew Moore:Yeah, good question. So seapass is stands for Certified Professional, aerial applicator safety stewards. So you know, different industries have different professional certifications, I would imagine if the banking industry has some sort of professional certification as well. I, myself as an association executive, have a we have an association as well for for that there's an association of associations that has a certified Association Executive, professional certification. So this is the first year we've had this sea PASS program, that professional certification and what it requires is, is one is participation in our past program, which stands for professional aerial applicators support system. The Pest program is a curriculum that's original every year that focuses on environmental professionalism. So that means making sure that your applications are targeted. They mitigate drift if not eliminate drift, and are efficacious, meaning they cover the plant, they're, they're very thorough and covering the plant for this purpose of eliminating an insect or treating a fungus or applying fertilizer, or seed. But the past program also includes the security module to make sure the aerial application operations are safe and secure. And also aviation safety, to make sure that our pilots are, are doing all they can to avoid wires and other obstacles, to make sure their turns are safe, make sure they're maintaining the aircraft and so forth. So see pass requires annual participation in that original PASS program, but also to calibrate their aircraft every year, every other year. So there's a another program we hope you have called Operation Safe, which is essentially a a analysis of the application equipment itself. You'll see aircraft fly over water sensitive cards and the strings to determine you know, what their droplet average droplet size is, and this and the width of their, of their swath or their you know, the entire length distance of their swath from one end to the other to ensure that one there controlling drift, but to making sure they're getting that perfect droplet size that's covering the plan, but also not producing a droplet with its too too small, that could drift. So it's fine tuning that application equipment. So Pat's see pass is, again, taking part in the past program every year, the Operation Safe program every year, every other year, and also membership in their state, and regional Association and membership in there, and the national program the AAA. And this year, this next year in 2024, there's going to be additional curriculum online on our website, which is ag aviation.org, a G Avi, EA, T IO n dot O R G. And we've developed learning management we purchase learning management software that will allow people to go online and take coursework could be a course on on wire avoidance could be a course on better securing your operations could be a course on how to best understand droplet size and the width of your of your boom in relation to your wingspan to ensure that you're not getting you're not you don't have the boom too wide to get into the outer edges of the wing vortices which can result in droplets kicking up into the air, when avoid drift. All these different subject, subjects will be on our learning management software for applicators to take. And if they do all those than they become certified professional aerial application safety stewards. And, you know, the the what we've found, and is that from participation, those that participate in our education programs are much more likely to be safe operators. And that is safer in the sense that fewer accidents will wish it shows that 85% of the industry that don't consistently attend the past programs are the ones that have the accidents, that's a proven statistic with our accident data. So those people that are certified, see pass designated are less of an insurance risk. They're a better investment for bankers, they're probably they might also be allowed by on pesticide labels to have more truncated buffer zone, we're still working on that with pesticide companies. But some labels in California for for herbicides require a participation in that calibration clinic in order to use that product. So the C PASS program we're very proud of and something we've worked on for years. Again, this is its initial year. But I think it's really going to help our industry and continuing to mitigate accidents and continue to be a better investment for insurance providers, bankers, like I said, and pesticide manufacturers
Chris Floyd:will seems like to you talking about, you know, there's probably I guess the scrutiny on how accurate we deliver chemicals and all that stuff's gonna get. It's not gonna get less, I guess, but that way too. So I guess no one anticipated getting less. So I think that's kind of neat how, how precise I guess you have to be. And to me, it's amazing that how precise moving at that speed. You know, I think it's not like I can I gotta ground rig I just stop. You know, I mean, the planes move. And so yeah, that's kind of how accurate can they be? I guess that's a question. Or I guess, or how do you see I guess, in the future, especially in your world at this busy, how much pressure thing you have to do to be prepared to handle that or help guys be trained on that?
Andrew Moore:Yeah, well, you're absolutely right, in that the scrutiny is becomes more and more and more intense. As you know, pesticides have to be tested for dietary safety, they have to be tested for Occupational Safety, they have to be tested for water safety, they have to be tested for safety to threaten an endangered species. And each application method has to be scrutinized on how what types of risk are opposed to the atmosphere from applying them. So there's specific models that are used to by the EPA there registers pesticides in determines how they're used. They use Pacific models, atmospheric models, once called ag drift to see how a product that's applied Ariely moves through the environment. One of the things we do is we we look at these models too. And there's different tiers, and we're trying to make the models more and more sophisticated. To show when you add different drift production technologies, you're going to mitigate that risk of, of the product going off target. And there's been incredible technologies that have developed over the years to ensure the safe application of pesticides by air, GPS was a huge one. Now you're seeing different, you're able to add to GPS, meteorological measurement systems that can attach like an onboard anemometer that can be attached to a wing of an aircraft that can measure the speed of the air movement. barometric pressure, the humidity, that the direction in which a the wind is coming and feed that all into the GPS that can actually help a lot better align the aircraft to move away from perhaps a sensitive area based on wind speed and direction. So that in addition to data that we collect from the government, there is actually the USDA has a Agricultural Research Service Program, the aerial application Technology unit in where they are developing new models on based on the pressure, you're putting through an aerial nozzle and the speed in which you're going through that field and the the angle of that nozzle, the type of aircraft you're using, it can calculate your droplet size. And you always want to have a droplet size that's usually 200 microns or greater, because that's when you get into that's where gravity is going to take that droplet down to its target area, anything smaller, you run the risk of it gets getting caught up in and vortices or what have you and could potentially drift. You're also seeing the ARS develop better analysis of boom size, in proportion to the wingspan. So if you were seeing now truncated booth, like you shorten the boom, that's going to keep the the applied material outside of the outer wings, which develops which has a tendency to develop a vortices that can kick kicked up the applied product into the air. And ARs and a lot of other scientists and engineers, aerial engineers from well, land grant universities are coming up with data there to helping us better understand how we can set up our aircraft to mitigate that drift. So using technology, and using you know, these new techniques and data are helping us become more and more efficacious in our applications efficacious being just being effective, making sure that that drift, that droplet size is is the right size to cover a plan to treat it. And it's helping us with regulators too, because regulators see, okay, so your your, this this technique that's been used, this technology that's being used, it's it's helping to mitigate drift. So it's helping us in our efforts to register pesticides for aerial use on the label. And that's only going to get better and better that type of technology. You're seeing new new nozzles and application systems, for example, the cap standard system that's coming online that is able to shut off different nozzles at different points over the field. If it's close to a sensitive area that just helps us become more and more targeted, and more and more environmentally professional in our applications.
Chris Floyd:That's kind of amazing. I remember a story growing up of the guy that did our family's sprayed farm talking about You know, having to sit at the bar and discuss how accurate he was did not kill, you know, so many feet of the neighbor's crop just because you know how fast you're moving and stuff. So that's kind of a, that's a long way technology has come to think that you could, some yesno systems that you're talking about are adjusted on the fly. So a gust of wind comes, and it's going to kind of adjust as you're going versus, you know, it's just amazing that, yeah, amazing, we'll see what's coming in the future, too.
Andrew Moore:Exactly. It is and, and as such, we're able to, we're getting to the point with how quickly data can be calculated with, with computer speeds, and so forth, that instead of a one size fits all, label by EPA, before long, we believe and we're working on this right now, with research in, in developing new models and, and recoating models with compute new computer code, that you'll be able to program your setup at, at the field. You know, what your nozzle angle is, what the wind speed is, what the what sensitive areas there are maybe nearby for endangered species or what have you. And it will actually give you a real time risk assessment, a site specific risk assessment, rather than just a basic label template on a pesticide label of what you have to do to mitigate drift, this will tell you more specifically, based on exactly what your setup is, what you have to do could be more restrictions. But likely more times than not there'll be fewer restrictions. If you're especially if you're using the most sophisticated technologies to evaluate wind speed direction, shut off different booths, different nozzle shutting off over sensitive areas. And if you're not near a sensitive area, it's gonna allow you more flexibility. So that's where we're going with, with technology. In terms of, of having, like I said, site specific risk assessments at the at the field, and not a one size fits all, we're not there yet. And, you know, we're kind of proposing these new ideas to the EPA, but the technology is getting there where it'll be there before long.
Caleb Woods:Yeah, you know, technology is huge, even in our industry and banking, you know, trying to stay on top of everything. can be tough sometimes. But I think you always have to do it to keep improving yourself and helping our customers or or, you know, people in the industry. You know, I know, one big piece of technology is the unmanned aircrafts you've talked about are the drones. You know, I read through the, the in AAA magazine, the summer version, and seemed like there was a lot of articles about drones. There's one I remember, I think it was in Arkansas, there was a near miss with a pilot. You know, and I know as Haley and I have talked to different operators and pilots, it seems it's been kind of a big topic over the last year or two. Can you just kind of tell us a little bit of how you guys are looking to work with the drones? Or how does the future of the Ag aviation world look with drones in it? I
Andrew Moore:guess? Yeah, sure. And bear in mind that in AAA, and the industry, the real application in the industry has both manned and unmanned aircraft. The manned aircraft, in terms of the work conducted is probably 99% of the work. But you know, UAVs, drones, whatever you want to call them, unmanned aerial vehicles, or unmanned aerial systems, or uncrewed aerial systems have a place and that article that you mentioned in our magazine, in the summer, touched on that you're seeing some areas where we typically wouldn't treat such as maybe vineyards, where you have a crop growing on the side of the field, smaller tracks, tracks that tracks when I say tracks and parts of field that are difficult to reach, maybe are dangerous in the sense that they have too many wires or are kind of jailed in by trees or towers, your or just a part of the field might be that way and you're seeing some operators purchasing UAVs that can Spray and treat those difficult to reach areas, and then maybe use the larger manned aircraft to treat the the other part of a field which is more open. And that's remember, man, I should have started with this. But aerial application is so important to agriculture. And remember, it treats close to a third of cropland. Because of its speed, you know, you're able to get to a pest, a fungus of rodents. Weed before it can really spread and really take away that yield or take away the entire crop. No, there is no faster way to treat a field than by aerial application. And also its benefit, its began, it's probably four to five times faster than any other method of application. Drones are small, you know, I mean, your today yours, drones can have a very small payload, you're probably lucky to see a 20 gallon drone. And but an ag aircraft, the average Hopper size is about 500 gallons, and the largest been 800 gallons, the air tractor 802. And they're working on an air tractor 1002, which will be over 1000 gallons. So that ability to stay in the air with a large payload, go over the field, and 140 miles per hour allows you to treat the past very quickly. Or see to feel very quickly taking advantage of weather windows and treating above it and not in it. So you're not a terrestrial vehicle. With wheels going through the field compacting soil or, or perhaps damaging a plant, aerial application is a yield enhancer, because it's treating above the crop and not in the crop. And it can treat wet fields where a terrestrial vehicle can't. So again, its size. And its speed is what makes manned aerial aerial application. tops in terms of yield generation, but drones do have a place just as Chemigation has a place just as just as ground rigs have a place. So I think you're probably going to see a lot more drones coming into our industry by unmanned aerial applicators, to treat those areas that are difficult to reach. And to treat those areas that are difficult to reach or just can't be reached by by manned aircraft and to do aerial imaging. For you need to take an image of an aircraft of a crop before you can do a variable rate application or an application with specific doses if you're trying to save fertilizer or trying to save chemical. And be as efficient as possible. You need an image to do that and image of the field where the where the disease might be or where the nutrient deficit might be. So using UAVs do that imaging is is important. And then that data that they collect that digital image can be fed into, into an ag aircraft and it can treat and field very precisely, maybe using less fertilizer in certain areas of the field and more and others where there was that where there is that nutrient deficit. So drones do have a place both in application and in imaging. And we're seeing where we will see it grow.
Haley Floyd:You know, a lot of the pilots I know they go through training sort of caged stuff like that. Is there anything like that for guys trying to get into the drones? Or is it kind of just you go by a drone and you're ready to go or what kind of certifications and trainings do they have to go through?
Andrew Moore:A good question. It's it's basically the exact training in the sense that you have to have in two areas it's the exact same types of training. You have to be certified as a commercial pesticide applicator in the states in which you are applying. So if you're drowning in Kansas, you have to go to the Kansas Department of Agriculture and be a certified commercial pesticide applicator. In addition, if you're abusing a drone, you have to depends on the size of the drone. But if you're a drone that's under 55 pounds, you have to have a part 107 license, which is a drone operation license, you have to be tested in your ability to, you have to take a written test. And you also have to have a part 137. I mentioned part 137 Earlier, that's the part that you that allows you to go below 500 feet and make applications of a product by air. So you have to have all those applications. Basically a drone pilot's license, a part 137 is an aerial application, like an aerial application license, and a commercial pesticide license through the states in which you're making that application.
Caleb Woods:Well, Darren, I was hoping my 30 years of video gaming experience was give me a license, I
Andrew Moore:think my son could be a really good my 16 year old son probably be a good drone pilot. He's got good hand eye coordination, to be honest, like he picked up driving really quick. He just got his driver's license. So the video gets. I know we're going off topic here. But I think he does have good hand coordination. He picked up driving really quick. There's
Caleb Woods:a lot of kids in at least in my town here in Kansas that have a little drones, and they pick it right up and on their cell phone and they're flying it all over. It's yeah.
Andrew Moore:Yeah, so yeah, again, I only see more and more people. And you'll you'll be at our convention in Palm Springs, December 4 through the seventh. But you'll see some drone operations there and more and more. And we'll have a precision application session. And you'll hear from people that have used drones. It's just it's it's growing and growing. And it and it's, you know, one other thing I want to say is, a lot of people find it, they see it as competitive. But I think in large part, it's going to be complimentary. And if anything, it could be competitive for ground applications, more so than aerial applications people using using it instead of a ground rig perhaps. But yeah, I don't see any particular method having been eliminated at all. Yeah.
Caleb Woods:Well, you talked about the expo this year, Haley and I got to attend. We went to last year and Knoxville was our first one. And I don't want to speak for Haley. But it was a lot of fun for me. I enjoyed it a lot. All the people, all the different booths, all the different types of industries there. One thing that I thought was really cool was in the lobby, there was a board with companies looking for pilots. And then on the other side, were pilots looking for companies, you know, and as Haley and I have, you know, gotten into the industry, talk to pilots talk to owner operators, it seems like it's an older generation. And giving the younger generation into it has been kind of tough for at least for some of the guys out here. What are some things that you guys are trying to do to kind of help with the people coming into the industry that can kind of take over some of these guys?
Andrew Moore:Yeah, well, I mean, in large part, that's what the convention is all about. Right? I mean, it's, I mean, it's about a lot of things, but it's about exhibiting and, and allowing our aerial application businesses to see the cutting edge services, whether it's banking or insurance, and products, whether it's new aircraft and, and parts. It's education, on educating on new chemicals coming down the line, new types of insurance, new safety measures, environmental professionalism, but it's really a huge factor of our convention is networking. And it brings those new pilots or those prospective pilots to older, more established operators that are looking for new pilots are looking to train new pilots. We we have a lot of sessions at our convention. One is our compass rose session, and one is our speed mentoring session that allows younger pilots to the speed mentoring session allows pilot pilots, young pilots or prospective pilots to go to different tables like an insurance table. To find out what insurance or is needed, or a training table, the last five minutes and insurance table and they can speed, speed mentor, you know, find out what's going on in the insurance in the industry, go to another training table, what flight schools are out there and what operators do training themselves. What, and then talk to operators in another table to find out, you know, what it what it's like, you know, sometimes it can be a an industry that that it has a high bar to reach in terms of several years of apprenticeship, several licenses to obtain from private license to a commercial license doing getting tailwheel time to doing low level work or low altitude work. But that those are two sessions that we have for, for new pilots. And we also have lower rates for new pilots to attend the convention, because they're just getting started. And we're also going to different air shows throughout the country that for years, we would. From several years, we've gone to EAA, the experimental aircraft Association. They're there Airventure in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and exhibited to try to recruit new pilots into the industry. And another thing that we're working on is an ag airman certification guidelines. And what these are our comprehensive guidelines, and we're still testing this in our within our own Association, but we are it allows, it's basically a comprehensive study guide on what a ag pilot should be tested upon. And know, in terms of security, in terms of application efficacy, and especially in towards in terms of aviation safety, and how to turn how to land, how to understand, you know, the, the details of being a good low altitude aviator, we're developing that certificated, those certification guidelines now that we will provide two different operations. And those operators can use it as a study guide to train new pilots. So those are some of the things we're doing to bring on new pilots, especially. Some of the things we're doing, we will have at the convention, and of course, you mentioned as well, that we have the job board at the convention, and it is kind of cool, because it's this big, you know, I don't know, what is it, it's like, a big nine by nine foot by 12 foot poster board. And you, you know, it's a blank canvas right at the beginning of the convention. And then you look at it afterwards. And you see, like, you mentioned, pilots, looking for operators, operators looking for pilots. And by the end of the convention, that thing is just filled in with, you know, 10 point, fun, and right. Blank, Hey, meet me here, I'm interested in, if you're interested in hiring a pilot, I'd love to talk to you, I'll be here at 12 o'clock tomorrow, or 10 o'clock tomorrow, or My name is such and such, Here's my address, and operator do the same and that that big canvas is pretty much filled in by the end of the by the end of the show. So that works, too. It's kind of simple, but it's it's effective. It's old school, but it's effective. So that's another thing we have at our convention to to recruit new pilots.
Caleb Woods:I think as we've learned getting into the industry, it's a very tight knit industry. Seems like everyone knows everyone. So I think that's something that convention does is you can see people from all over the US but they've known each other for years. And that that was pretty cool for me to see as well.
Andrew Moore:Yeah. You know, I've I've been at an AAA it'll be 27 years and April of 2020 April 2020 For only 27 years. And you know, there's a reason it's not an industry it's a family. It really is and the convention is like our our family reunion every year. And it's just great to see everybody there. They're good people they're salt of the earth they're hard working. You know that, you know I grew up in ag is to to agriculture. It's just It's tight knit friendly people. They look after one another and That's the thing about the convention as well. It's, it's, you know, there are people, it connects people to people and you talk about what is it the seven degrees of separation, you can, you know, seven people will ultimately when you go down the line that's going to connect you to anybody in the world. Well, in the app, aerial application industry, there's one degree of separation. I mean, we all we all know somebody like I asked my mind, I know somebody will ask you, anybody, you'll know that person and it stops there, right? You don't have to ask someone else. Hey, do you know this guy and, and that person ask some other person Hey, do you know this guy? No, it's there's hardly any degree of separation. And they look after each other. And you know, they're this is an itinerant industry it's a migratory industry. You know, you have people that are my be a slow season and they might start off eating almonds treated in California and March. So you'll have a, you know, a Midwestern operator go out and maybe help a California operators really busy. And then when it comes to corn fungicide season, as you guys know, in Kansas, in July, it might be slower in California so they'll send out a plane to or couple planes to help out operator in Kansas or Iowa or Illinois or what have you. And I just did just that way can be se coming in to someone from the southeast coming into Iowa or Indiana and during corn fungicide work or soybean fungicide work but then going down to Texas to help out in the early part of the season, so so we're very we're very connected as an industry and it's nice to see I mean, it's it's good to see everyone every year it's a nice little family
Caleb Woods:well, probably as we're getting close as we're getting closer to wrap up what what can people expect to see in Palm Springs this year? I know. Knoxville last year was a blast is a great time to be in what what can they look forward to in Palm Springs the shear?
Andrew Moore:Yeah, Palm Springs will be great. Burt Rutan, who's arguably one of the most famous aircraft engineers of all time. He's designed the Voyager that traveled the world on a single tank of gas, which is now hanging in the air and space museum. He did spaceship one also hanging in the air and space museum with the first private suborbital aircraft. He's working on an amphibious aircraft right now that can that will work on unleaded car fuel. He's, his career is amazing. And he's going to be our kickoff breakfast speaker. And then we have a lot of great educational sessions, whether it's on precision ag that I mentioned before, FAA regs talk about UAVs to talk about different insurance that's out there for aerial applicators and chemicals and aerial application technology session that includes academia that study the best way to set up your aircraft to mitigate drift and get the best application. efficacy. That'll be on Monday to that aerial application session, or general sessions going to include at Messina, who's the Director of the Office of pesticide programs that is in charge of the Office of regulates all pesticides. He'll be there to talk about, you know, some of these models that we've been working on and ways to make them more sophisticated to help on aerial registrations. Terry Kipling's Who's he, he's the president of basically the adjuvant manufacturers, those additional adjuvants and surfactants. You add to, to the mixing and loading of a pesticide to help mitigate drift and you get better efficacy. That'll be our general session. The trade shows going to have at least 11 aircraft right now. I know Eric, air tractor is bringing to thrushes bringing one will have UAVs will have multiple helicopters. And then the trade show floor. We're going to have a dream first a great banking operation that's going to be there. We'll have multiple chemical companies showing off their new their new molecules to be effective in, in, in protecting crops, all these different parts and and services. Pratt and Whitney Canada will be there with exhibiting their their engines we have an unlimited number of social events or our opening reception or closing banquet where we acknowledge and have an awards banquet for those that have gone above and beyond and in serving the industry either by designing new equipment or serving their local community or serving the safety of our industry. All these are networking opportunities for for ag pilots and operators to get together and we're going to be in Palm Springs. I mean, Palm Springs is you know, it'll be cold and shivery in Kansas at that time. And have you know, 80 degree weather and, and pools and palm trees. And it's just a beautiful setting with the Santa Rosa mountains, but in the beautiful desert. And they have a wonderful aviation museum there to be like golf, great golf courses. You know, they keep me too busy to have any fun there. But I'll be but it's going to be fun for a lot of people. And the hotels are great that we're staying at Renaissance, the Hilton, the Hyatt all real close to the convention center. So it's going to be a great way to end another successful year for our industry for our industry and, and a family reunion and a way to strengthen your profession, your professionalism and your business. So if I marketed it adequately at this point, do you think?
Caleb Woods:I think so? Especially the weather? Yeah, whatever I can do to not have to shovel the snow off my driveway.
Andrew Moore:So, yeah. So yeah, it'll be it'll be a good time. It's our first time in Palm Springs. So we've never been there before. I know allpa has had many different convention in Palm Springs. And they, it's kind of fun, because when we move the aircraft down, down the street, from the airport directly to the convention center. On that'll be on Sunday morning. And then vice versa, on Wednesday night, Thursday morning, send it back to the airport. So that's always fun to watch and, and we'll have the expo right outside in front of the opening doors of the convention center. Sandwiched between the convention center and the beautiful Santa Rosa mountains, it's going to be it's going to be pretty gonna make for pretty photography for those aircraft manufacturers to be those aircraft right next to the Santa Rosa mountains.
Caleb Woods:Yeah, that should be a lot of fun. I know. I'm looking forward to. Yeah.
Andrew Moore:Well, we appreciate you being there. So then, like I said, I appreciate this opportunity to visit with you all to preach the gospel of aerial application.
Chris Floyd:Yeah, that's yeah, it's just a neat event. And like you said, it's one thing it's been kind of fun for us is just getting to know all the different operators and pilots and, and it just like says gets a neat family. So as we wrap up, is there anything else we missed, or you'd like to throw in there or anything else, Andrew?
Andrew Moore:Now, I appreciate the opportunity. You know, reciate you all just been a loyal allied member. And, you know, this will be your dream versus second convention, I guess. And I know, every other year, every year is subsequent to this, you're just gonna feel more and more and more at home. And, and, you know, and people appreciate and appreciate and appreciate you and, and we have a lot of loyalty. It's funny, we do a convention survey every year after the convention. And it shows that, you know, 75, close to 80% of our of our operators, you know, they go out of their way to first and foremost support those allied industries, companies that that support the AAA, because, you know, the interplay is working on these important education and safety programs. Making sure there's a fair and not burdensome regulatory Are environment for this industry and promoting it to the public. So public, the public controls policy, right? They're the ones that, that bring in the policymakers and the lawmakers. So we're always trying to promote the industry as well and to the public and media, so we appreciate you, appreciate you on this public service you're providing for the industry and getting the word out. So thanks, can I
Chris Floyd:first ask Caleb or Haley, do you have another? Anything else? Randor before we get going?
Caleb Woods:No, no, I don't I'm I'm just looking forward to seeing you in Palm Springs and having a good time out there.
Andrew Moore:Get yourself a colorful pair of swim trunks. There you go. Well, Andrew, we
Chris Floyd:appreciate you taking the time to talk to us about the industry ya know, you know, we kind of uh, you know, our bank has been involved in agriculture since the very beginning out here. And it's just another facet I think is a very important part and you know, as we like, say the advocacy we all need to take a part of and communicating things to the public and you know, primarily evergrowing you know, safe food for everybody to feed the world essentially. So, we appreciate your role in that and all the you know, again, meters we have out there working and everything they do every day to help us get there so we appreciate you taking the time to join us.
Andrew Moore:My pleasure. Thank you so much
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