Lincoln · Sheridan · Roseville · Loomis
Crop dusting in Placer County.
Sutter Butte Dusters flies aerial application jobs in west Placer County, around Lincoln, Sheridan, Roseville and Loomis. Southeast of Live Oak, with rice, almonds and walnuts in the west of the county.
- Towns
- Lincoln, Sheridan, Roseville, Loomis
- Base
- Live Oak, about 40 mi from Auburn, about 26 min by air
- Crops
- Rice, Orchards, Row crops
- Call
- (530) 695-2294
Farming in Placer County
Placer County's 2025 crop report sets a record gross value of $122.0 million. Cattle are first, at $34.5 million. Rice is second, at $17.5 million on 10,484 acres. In 2024, the county had 7,064 acres of rice. Almonds are third, at $15.8 million on 4,569 bearing acres. Walnuts are fifth, at $9.7 million on 4,270 bearing acres.
As the county's almond orchards reach full production, bee pollination value is rising. The county's apiary products passed $1 million in value in 2025. Auburn, the county seat, is about 40 miles from our strip in a straight line. Each load must fly out and back, so list all your Placer County fields in one request.
Rules for aerial work in Placer County
Aerial application of a restricted material needs a permit and a notice of intent through the Placer County Agricultural Commissioner. These are the main permit conditions and state rules that affect aerial spraying here.
Propanil: 4-mile prune buffer and a daily acre cap
State rule 3 CCR 6462 covers propanil in all of Placer County. Emulsifiable concentrates are not allowed. No aerial application within 4 miles of commercial prunes. Aircraft may treat no more than 720 acres in the county each day. Each nozzle must make droplets of at least 600 microns.
Phenoxy herbicides on rice: no aerial work April 1 to October 15
DPR's suggested permit conditions for phenoxy herbicides on rice, such as 2,4-D and MCPA, cover all of Placer County. They prohibit fixed-wing and helicopter applications from April 1 through October 15. At other times, aerial work needs wind of 2 to 7 mph. The release must be no higher than 10 feet above the crop. Each application needs a 24-hour notice of intent. Unless the permit allows it, no application on rice within 2 miles of commercial cotton, grapes or pistachios.
Thiobencarb: no Bolero 10G, and river limits
DPR's recommended rice permit conditions name Placer County. The Bolero 10G granule may not be used. Within half a mile of the Sacramento or Feather River, aerial thiobencarb needs air moving steadily away from the river. Aerial thiobencarb also stops there when the wind is over 7 mph.
Schools and bees
State rule 3 CCR 6691 sets a quarter-mile school buffer for aircraft. It applies Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., on days with classes. Before a bee-toxic product goes on a blooming crop, 3 CCR 6983 requires a hive check. The check finds beekeepers within 1 mile who asked for notice. Those beekeepers get at least 48 hours' notice. The hive check runs through BeeWhere, California's hive registry.
Rules change each year. Your PCA and the county Ag Commissioner have the current conditions.
Sources: 3 CCR 6462, propanil (state regulation); DPR recommended permit conditions for rice pesticides (Compendium Vol. 3, Appendix D); 3 CCR 6691, pesticide applications near schoolsites (state regulation); 3 CCR 6983, notice to beekeepers (state regulation); BeeWhere, California hive registration and bee checks; Placer County Agricultural Commissioner, pesticide permits.
Services in Placer County
Questions
Yes. We fly aerial seeding, spraying and fertilizer across Placer County, including near Lincoln, Sheridan, Roseville and Loomis, from our base in Live Oak.
Yes, under state rule 3 CCR 6462, which covers all of Placer County. No aerial propanil within 4 miles of commercial prunes. Aircraft may treat no more than 720 acres in the county each day. Ask the Placer County Ag Commissioner for this year's permit conditions on your fields.
About 40 miles in a straight line from our strip on Clark Road in Live Oak.
About 26 minutes one way to Auburn. Auburn is about 40 miles from our strip in a straight line, and our airplanes fly at up to about 95 mph.
The field location (address, APN or FSA farm and tract number), crop, approximate acres, product and rate, and timing.
Also serving Sutter County, Yuba County, Butte County, Glenn County, Colusa County, Yolo County.
Field notes
Read before you fly in Placer
- Cost and planningCrop dusting cost per acre: 2026 rates and what drives themCrop dusting cost per acre from university surveys: aerial spray, seed and fertilizer rates, season totals for rice, what moves the price, how to get a quote.8 min read
- Cost and planningHow do crop dusters know where to go? Field IDs, maps and GPSHow do crop dusters know where to go? A Sacramento Valley operator explains field IDs, the work order, GPS swath guidance and what growers send first.8 min read
- Cost and planningHow to Hire a Crop Duster: 10 Questions to AskHow to hire a crop duster in California: 10 questions about FAA and DPR licenses, pilots, insurance, calibration, drift and records to ask first.8 min read
Flying in Placer?
Tell us the field and the job. In a hurry? Call (530) 695-2294, Mon–Fri, 8am–3pm.