Portraits: cropduster_MG_8751

Farm Air Flying Services co-owner Bill Porter with two of the aerial application, or crop duster planes in the fleet. Farm Air’s origins lie in the days after World War II but its future is uncertain: Sacramento’s sprawl is slowly filling up traditional rice acreage, drying up demand for crop dusting services. Meanwhile, Porter has no apprentice to carry on the business when he retires—a common problem across the aerial-application industry.

Farm Air Flying Services co-owner Bill Porter with two of the aerial application, or crop duster planes in the fleet. Farm Air’s origins lie in the days after World War II but its future is uncertain: Sacramento’s sprawl is slowly filling up traditional rice acreage, drying up demand for crop dusting services. Meanwhile, Porter has no apprentice to carry on the business when he retires—a common problem across the aerial-application industry.