Wildland fire rehabilitation involves spraying and re-seeding to aid in the protection and preservation of healthy landscapes. The Intermountain Great Basin is increasingly at risk of fire, erosion and loss of sustainable resources, thus affecting local economic stability. This is due primarily to invasive weeds. We feel that our services assist in accomplishing the objective of the 1999 Great Basin Restoration Initiative instituted by the Bureau of Land Management. The initiative's goals are to "restore plant community diversity and structure by improving resiliency to disturbance and resistance to invasive species over the long-term."

One aspect of our government services is aerial seeding for burned area rehabilitation. Rehabilitation essentially amounts to stabilizing the soils. A healthy cover crop of native grasses is one of the best ways to ensure minimal erosion. In steep and inaccessible terrain the aircraft is the most economical method of seed distribution.

• Post burn spray of products such as Round-Up, Plateau, 2-4,D and Milestone to control cheatgrass and noxious weed infestations to allow germination and growth of native grasses.
• Aerial seeding of burns to encourage growth of native grass blends and assist in preventing infestation of cheatgrass and noxious weeds.
• In certain geographic environments this will also aid in the reduction of soil erosion and potential watershed contamination.
  
  • Crop Jet has performed these services for the following agencies:
  • U.S. Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  • Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
  • Natural Resources Conservation Service

Crop Jet provides aerial application services of insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizer (both dry and liquid) and seed to Southern Idaho producers and land owners mainly on the Snake River plain.  Crop Jet has facilities and/or airstrips in the following locations: Gooding, Hazelton, Jerome, Buhl, Bell Rapids, Glenns Ferry and Fairfield.

Not only does Crop Jet provide spraying and fertilization services on Idaho's most prominent crop, potatoes, we also serve growers of sugar beets, alfalfa, corn, barley and wheat.  An expanding aspect of the business are applications on Round-Up ready corn and alfalfa for our southern Idaho dairy producers.  Constantly diversifying we have begun applications of organic certified crop protection products for our expanding base of organic growers.  Another role we play is to help local county weed superintendents keep land owners in compliance of noxious weed control laws by making herbicide applications to pasture ground or rangeland.  These services are performed on both dryland and irrigated fields with the majority of irrigation being circular pivots.

Southern Idaho's food commodities play an important role in producing products for human consumption.  Our most famous commodity is sold as fresh pack potatoes, processed french fries and dehydrated potato products.  Much of the corn and alfalfa grown in the Magic Valley is consumed by local dairy cows which produce class 1 milk for consumption, cheeses, yogurt and buttermilk.  Much of our barley is sold under contract to Coors and Budweiser for the production of beer and other alcoholic beverages.  Magic Valley sugar beets are processed by Amalgamated Sugar Company and marketed under the name White Satin Sugar on store shelves.  Most locally grown wheat is freighted to Mid-West bread and cereal processors.

Crop Jet is proud to play a vital role in assisting our growers in producing a safe, reliable and abundant food supply for our nation's consumption.

Crop Jet provides aerial application services of herbicides such as; 2,4-D, Tordon, Cimarron Max, Spike and others for the suppression of forage inhibiting brush, such as sage brush, rabbit brush, grease wood and plants such as knapweed, and white top.  This allows cattlemen to maximize their forage production per acre.

Consider this excerpt from The Cattlemen magazine:

The Cattlemen Magazine: "Weed and brush control increases ranch profit: Weed and brush control treatments are expensive and their costs and benefits must be evaluated ahead of time. Consider not only the cost of the initial treatment, but also the life of the treatment, the costs and frequency of maintenance treatments, the projected forage response, the effect on other ranch enterprises and the risk involved."

Crop Jet's perspective on the posed questions: 

Brush control treatments can be as little as $15/acre (Spike), $18/acre (2,4-D). If a cattle producer meets certain criteria many applications can be financially supplemented by the Natural Resources Conservation Services on private ground. An application of 2,4-D can provide brush control for as long as 4 years. Maintenance treatments are not necessary until lack of control is observed. Livestock carrying capacity can increase 20-50%. Application risks to the producer are minimal when a properly licensed and insured professional applicator is utilized. Here again the aircraft is the most economical, efficient method of spraying in rough and uneven terrain.