Hi Neil,
Interesting -
Share pictures of some of the Cats prepping the fields.  (Caterpillar was once "king" of the rice fields, now rubber tracks, rubber tires have put the steel tracks out to pasture in most cases, a few occasionally spotted.)   
There are the other "cats" mfg by Grumman that are so vital to the industry here in Northern California.  (can we affectionately call this "GEE" country?  LOL!)
This one is fitted with a spreader bar, applies dry materials or like materials.  Example would be soaked rice seed, dry fertilizer.  Passes over the fields are guided by GPS today.
Ag Cat is not the only agricultural plane used, several others along with helicopters.  
Much of the "pesticide-herbicide" is now applied by ground based machines as regulatory issues have changed many of the methods once in common use.

CTS

This is very interesting folks. My thought is, okay, if they can grow rice on the east coast, where are they going to be able to process it? Are there grain drying facilities there, and what about milling the rice for consumption? Then where is it going? Domestic, or export it? I bet the locals here as well as farmers from the southern states are grumbling; rice farming to many of them is not about farming for profit, but many operations base their ventures on what they can receive from the government! Some say that is wrong, others say it is smart farming, and dumb guys only grow to make work! I do not speak for the industry, as I am not a rice guy anymore, but I can see some devising a plan to "line up at the trough" for handouts and more PAC $, and hiring more lobbyists to benefit rice growing in the eastern states. I say grumbling, because that means the existing rice guys will have to share their piece of the pie with the newbies! Not trying to get political or negative, just an opinion. Hahaha.
Maybe they can bring in one of the old school John Deere 105RC half track machines. Myself, I spent a few hours in an IH 915 aka "a glorified 105" by the fans of green paint.
Neil, I think you really wish for a D8L SA out there! It is always neat, knowing what crops can flourish in different regions and how they might have to modify their ways to successfully raise a commodity.
The rice industry here went full blown acres this year, because of last years curtailment of irrigation water. Scary to see thousands of acres of land idle, because of no water. Add up all of the lost jobs and the support industries involved as well. Ugly. Prices are at an all time high from inventories; I wonder if that sparked the desire to experiment with rice as well.
Enough of my fragmented rambling. JM

i know they grow "wild rice" black long grain up in Manitoba. not sure how big or if it's more just a cottage industry field to table.

interesting as well Mog, locally grown wild rice is the best i have ingested...next India...prefer Basmati

dc3 for aerial top dressing if you had video footage i would like to see it. a family friend did aerial mapping for the Australian government with one they were flying so high they were on oxygen and so were the engines. get get clear pictures they would shut them down and glide.