Aerial sprayer picks ground near Platteville for airstrip

PLATTEVILLE – As agricultural acreage declines in Northern Colorado, the industries that serve producers are also on the decline.

Northern Colorado is home to six aerial agriculture companies, which apply pesticides, fungicides and herbicides to fields. All of the sprayers are based in Weld County.

In the face of that tight competition, a Platteville-based sprayer is building an airstrip to remain in business.

Ray Edmiston, owner of Aerial Sprayers Inc., is hoping his $900,000 investment will allow him to remain in the aerial spraying business until he retires.

He has rented space at airstrips in the past, but after having…