1. United States
2. S.C.
3. Letter

Subject: Federal and State Program for Safe Crop Protection Using Drones I am writing as a concerned citizen from Prosperity, South Carolina about the health of our soil, our food, our farmers, and our wildlife. Right now our farmers are struggling. They are forced to use pesticides and insecticides that harm the soil, kill earthworms and beneficial insects, and hurt the birds and bees. The chemicals also put farmers’ health at risk when they have to spray them themselves. Meanwhile the middlemen and big buyers take advantage of farmers on price, and subsidies do not fix the root problem. There is a better way that already exists in part. Agricultural drones can spray crops from above using safe, soil-renewing inputs like compost teas, foliar nutrients, and microbial treatments. They can also use sound and ultrasonic waves to keep deer, birds, and rodents out of fields without killing them. This protects crops, protects farmers’ lungs, and rebuilds the soil. I am asking you to create a federal and state program that does three things: 1. Provide the drone spraying service to farmers at no cost or deduct the cost when the government buys the crops, so farmers do not have to buy expensive equipment or chemicals. 2. Certify and restrict inputs to only those that renew soil and do not harm insects, birds, or people. Ban the harsh pesticides that are damaging our ecosystem. 3. Reallocate current farm subsidies toward this program so we pay for healthy land and healthy food instead of paying for damage later. This approach helps farmers, protects our food supply, restores wildlife, and cuts long-term health and environmental costs. It is practical, it uses technology we have now, and it aligns with the idea that we should leave the land better than we found it. Thank you for your time and for considering this. Our farms, our food, and our future depend on it. Sincerely,