BASF and NAAA award scholarships to future agricultural aviators
RENO, NV, December 3, 2018 – Aerial applicators help farmers manage pests to keep crops healthy. BASF partners with the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) and presents “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” scholarships to support future aerial applicators. This year, Parker Gore of Cleveland, Mississippi, and Emory Lobley of Dalhart, Texas, receive scholarships of $5,000 each.
Gore holds a Bachelor of Science in commercial aviation from Delta State University and already completed approximately 115 hours of flight time. He has received a private pilot license, tailwheel endorsement, spin endorsement and ground training over the past two years and will continue his aviation training at the Ag Aviation School in Miller, Missouri.
Lobley received his degree in general business from Oklahoma Christian University. In addition to seven years of farming experience, he earned his private pilot certificate and completed 140 hours of flight time along with various endorsements. He plans to continue his aerial education with High Plains Aviation in Lubbock, Texas.
“We understand our support of aerial applicators as an investment in both the future of agriculture and the success of growers across the United States,” said John Sabatka, Strategic Account Manager at BASF. “By partnering with NAAA to provide these scholarships, we are helping to ensure agricultural aviators are getting the training they need to safely and effectively support growers through aerial applications.”
NAAA has spent the last 52 years advocating for and supporting small business owners and pilots licensed as professional commercial aerial applicators. The organization represents nearly 1,900 members across 46 states, all of whom either use aircraft to enhance food, fiber and biofuel production, protect forestry and control health-threatening pests or support the mission of aerial applicators.
“Our partnership with BASF is rooted in our shared commitment to advance agriculture through aviation and stewardship and recognize the critical role aerial applicators play in grower operations across the country,” said Andrew Moore, Executive Director of NAAA. “Together, since 2010, we’ve advanced education and opportunities for future aviators by awarding over $70,000 to 19 different recipients of our ‘Ag Wings of Tomorrow’ scholarships.”
This year’s NAAA Ag Aviation Expo will take place December 3-6 in Reno, Nevada. At the trade show, BASF will be located at booth number 423.
About BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division
With a rapidly growing population, the world is increasingly dependent on our ability to develop and maintain sustainable agriculture and healthy environments. Working with farmers, agricultural professionals, pest management experts and others, it is our role to help make this possible. That’s why we invest in a strong R&D pipeline and broad portfolio, including seeds and traits, chemical and biological crop protection, soil management, plant health, pest control and digital farming. With expert teams in the lab, field, office and in production, we connect innovative thinking and down-to-earth action to create real world ideas that work – for farmers, society and the planet. In 2017, our division generated sales of €5.7 billion. For more information, please visit www.agriculture.basf.com or any of our social media channels.
About BASF
BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 18,200 employees in North America and had sales of $17.9 billion in 2017. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com.
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The more than 115,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into four segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of more than €60 billion in 2017. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.
About NAAA
The National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA), founded in 1966, represents approximately 1,900 members in 46 states. NAAA supports the interests of small business owners and pilots licensed as professional commercial aerial applicators who use aircraft to enhance food, fiber and biofuel production, protect forestry and control health-threatening pests.
NAAA provides networking, educational, government relations, public relations, recruiting and informational services to its members and the aerial application industry as a whole.
NAAA works with its partner organization, the National Agricultural Aviation Research & Education Foundation (NAAREF), to provide research and educational programs focused on enhancing the efficacy, security and safety of aerial application.
Additionally, NAAA performs public outreach on the industry’s behalf, communicating the importance of aerial application to agriculture, forestry and the public welfare to the public