One industry that could always take more help is ag aviation. There are currently 3,300 ag aviators across the United States that work to cover 128 million acres of agricultural land. This isn’t including forest land and other areas within their job description.
Jim Perrin leads the National Agricultural Aviation Association and is from Bancroft. He shares more about challenges that ag aviators have faced recently and what the work looks like.
Perrin says that jet fuel prices have tripled, but that isn’t the least of their problems. With truck driver shortages, it has made it even more difficult for aviators to get their hands on fuel. Now, instead of purchasing fuel a few days in advance, aviators need to order for an entire season to ensure they’ll have enough.
Aside from the challenges faced by aviators, they still focus their attention on safety. The NAAA makes safety a priority by circulating safety messages in their weekly newsletters and offering courses for different safety topics.
“Safety is obviously a top issue because we’re trying to avoid accidents at all costs,” says Perrin. “The safety of our members and our association, as well as environmental impact of an accident, are all things that we consider.”
Looking ahead, as drones become more prevalent in the ag industry, Perrin says that he does not see them as a competitor. Rather, it is up to the farmer to decide whether drones or ag aviators are right for the job.
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