(NAFB.com) – As the nation celebrates National Ag Day on Tuesday, March 18, the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) is proud to honor the men and women of agriculture and the vital service that aerial application plays in aiding global food production. National Ag Day is a time to recognize the significant contributions that farmers, ranchers, aerial applicators and the entire agriculture industry make to our daily lives. For 104 years, aerial applicators have aided farmers in producing a safe, affordable and abundant supply of food, fiber and bioenergy, in addition to protecting forestry and controlling health-threatening pests. American farmers use aerial application to treat 127 million acres, approximately 28%, of cropland each year to control insects and plant diseases, as well as apply fertilizer and seeds. With aerial applicators’ efficiency and ability to attack pests or apply fertilizer and seeds over large stretches of acreage at just the right time, the yield benefits associated with aerial crop care are well documented.