Agricultural aviation began in 1921 when C. R. Neillie got a military plane to dust catalpa trees near Troy, OH. In 1922 B. R. Coad and C. E. Wollman began research at Tallulah, LA to control boll weevils in cotton. They developed equipment using venturi induction, ram air pressure and hopper agitation.

G. B. Post and Wollman made the first commercial dust applications in Macon, GA in 1924. In 1925, 18 aircraft treated 60,000 acres of cotton across the South. In 1928, Delta Air Service was organized. This company made aerial application of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides practical and later became Delta Airlines.

Many engineers have contributed to agricultural aviation thru scientific studies and field demonstrations.

In 1995, about 6,000 aircraft treated 300 million acres in the U. S., improving the quality and safety of foods and fiber and the health of people.