Turf News May/June 2021

May/June 2021

Turf News A publication of Turfgrass Producers International

The only magazine devoted exclusively to turfgrass production

Risk Management & USDA Crop Insurance IN THIS ISSUE 2021 Virtual Conference Recap Meet the TLI Scholarship Recipients Dealing With OSHA

... And Much More

May/June 2021

Turf News A publication of Turfgrass Producers International

The only magazine devoted exclusively to turfgrass production

Risk k Managem Management & USDA Crop Insurance IN THIS ISSUE

IN THIS ISSUE FEATURE ARTICLES

2021 Virtual Conference Recap Meet the TLI Scholarship Recipients Dealing With OSHA

... And Much More

Cover: Your Investment is so much more than the land Courtesy of Saratoga Sod Farm, Inc. TURF NEWS Vol. 45 No. 3 May/June 2021 Published by Turfgrass Producers International 444 E. Roosevelt Road #346 Lombard, IL 60148 U.S. & Canada Tel: 800-405-8873 International Tel: 1-847-649-5555 Fax: 1-847-649-5678 Email: info@TurfGrassSod.org Website: www.TurfGrassSod.org TPI Contact Information Executive Director Casey Reynolds, PhD creynolds@TurfGrassSod.org Membership & Marketing Manager Allie Shriver ashriver@TurfGrassSod.org Advertising Sales/Classified Ads Geri Hannah ghannah@TurfGrassSod.org Co-Editors Steve & Suz Trusty stevetrusty@TurfGrassSod.org suztrusty@TurfGrassSod.org Art Director Jane Tomlinson jane@inkumbrella.com Director of Meetings Liz Lonsbrough liz@lsquaredevents.com Policy Consultant Jonathan Moore jonathanm494@gmail.com Editorial Advisors John Sorochan, PhD University of Tennessee (warm-season grasses) sorochan@utk.edu Aaron J. Patton, PhD Purdue University (cool-season grasses) ajpatton@purdue.edu Turf News is published bi-monthly (January/ February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December) with a $25 subscription fee from Membership dues, by Turfgrass Producers International 444 E. Roosevelt Road #346, Lombard, IL 60148 Periodical postage paid at Jefferson City, MO POSTMASTER Please send address changes to Turf News 444 E. Roosevelt Road #346, Lombard, IL 60148 USPS no. 003 255; ISSN 0899-417K Canadian Post: Publications agreement No. 1479148

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

FOCUS: Protecting Your Investment

10 Protecting Your Investment—Risk Management Effectively managing risk is essential in protecting your business.

12 Covering Ground with Natural Grass Sod and Crop Insurance The FSA, RMA, TPI, and crop insurance for sod update.

14 TPI’s 2021 Virtual Series Recap While it wasn’t a typical TPI get-together the event was very informative.

22 Thomas Turfgrass: “Living the Dream” Another TPI producer member share’s their story.

26 Is Your Company Culture a Thermostat or Thermometer?

Read how to make sure your company culture is a thermostat instead of thermometer.

28 University Scientists Grow Water Savings with Drought-tolerant Turfgrass NC State leads team in continuing research on water-saving grasses.

32 The TurfMutt Foundation Predicts “Backyarding” to Become Permanent Trend Read how this group feels about the continuation of the interest in backyarding.

36 Lillie Gardner Awarded Dr. Henry W. Indyk Scholarship Meet one of the winners of this TLI funded four-year scholarship.

38 Carlie Gardner Awarded Dr. Henry W. Indyk Scholarship Meet Lillie’s twin sister who is a co-recipient of this TLI sponsored scholarship.

40 Aidan Cooper Awarded Dr. Henry W. Indyk Scholarship Meet the recipient of the one-year TLI sponsored scholarship.

42 Sod Checkoff Update See the latest on this important initiative and why you should support it.

44 Dealing with OSHA How to navigate the potential changes in OSHA under the Biden administration.

48 Rooted In Research—Zoysiagrass, How Did it Get to the U.S.?

Part one in this issue covers the history of this important grass and how it got to the U.S.

52 Association Updates How UK’s sod market and the TGA is handling the fallout from Brexit.

DEPARTMENTS President's TURF.............................................2 Executive Director's TURF.................................4 TPI News.......................................................6 The Lawn Institute News.................................8 Happenings..........................................54 & 56 Turf Industry News.......................................58 Classified Ads.................................................62

Advertisers Index.....................................63 Welcome New & Returning Members.....63 Turf Industry Calendar..........................64

BONUS Weather Watch...........….....................60 TLI Helpful Hints......................................9

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2021

PRESIDENT’S TURF

TPI Board of Trustees Officers

What’s Your Risk Appetite?

Steve Griffen

As agriculturalists, I can assume we are not risk averse people. Most of us grew up in the family business and have witnessed some tough losses. We deal with weather, breakdowns, health, and family issues on a daily basis. We didn’t make the huge commitment of time and resources to be in agriculture because it is easy or safe. Most of us do it because we love it. That’s probably why we need to analyze our business risk and take emotion out of the equation.

Business risk is defined as a company’s exposure to factors that may lower its profits or cause it to fail. This includes anything that threatens a company’s ability to achieve its financial goals. As farmers and business owners, we face multiple risks and challenges every day. Since not all risks are created equal, we must first identify our business risks. Once identified, we must then determine what our risk appetite is, where our thresholds are, and how we will mitigate and best manage these risks. It is that risk/reward balance that we are constantly looking to achieve.

In thinking about and identifying what types of risks my team and I face, it became readily apparent that risk surrounds us, both internally within our businesses and organizations, as well as externally in the marketplace and economy. Nearly everything we do has some sort of risk associated with it.

Some are large and looming, while others may seem less significant, but left unchecked they could become a business threat. The key is to develop and maintain a strong, calculated risk management process that includes: Identifying risks, Analyzing risks, Responding to risk, and Monitoring risk and opportunities.

In this issue of Turf News, you will read and learn about a variety of risks that are confronting our industry, as well as different ways that people manage their risks. TPI is working with USDA to create a Larger version of the chart on page 11. sod specific crop insurance program that could help producers mitigate risk during natural disasters and weather-related crop losses. The Sod Checkoff program, if approved by producers, would be a great risk management tool.

Instead of being reactive, our industry would be able to lead the narrative on natural turfgrass. Together, we could be proactive in telling the great story and many benefits of our product, and back it up with peer reviewed research.

As we reflect on all the unexpected risks and unintended consequences that we all faced this past year, may we each look ahead with energy and optimism for a successful season.

President Steve Griffen Saratoga Sod Farm, Inc. – U.S.A. +1-518-664-5038 steve@saratogasod.com Vice President Jim Keeven SelecTurf, Inc – U.S.A. +1-573-634-3444 jim@selecturfsod.com Secretary-Treasurer Bob McCurdy McCurdy Farms - U.S.A. +1-731-692-3515 mccurdysodfarms@gmail.com Past President Hank Kerfoot Modern Turf – U.S.A. +1-803-713-8873 hank@modernturf.com Executive Director Casey Reynolds, PhD Turfgrass Producers International – U.S.A. +1-847-649-5555 creynolds@TurfGrassSod.org Trustees Dan Huggett Columbus Turf Nursery – U.S.A. +1-740-983-6580 danielh@columbus-turf.com John Keleher Australian Lawn Concepts - Australia +61 61755430145 john@alcturf.com.au Larry LeMay A-G Sod Farms, Inc. – U.S.A. +1-559-289-2302 llemay@agsod.com Aaron McWhorter NG Turf – U.S.A. +1-770-832-8608 amc@ngturf.com Diane Mischel DeBuck’s Sod Farm, Inc. +1-810-653-2201 office@debucksodfarm.com Ron Schiedel Greenhorizons Group – CANADA +1-519-778-7500 ron@greenhorizonssod.com Cliff Stewart STEC Equipment, Inc. +1-864-225-3666 cliff@stecequipment.com

Warm regards,

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TPI Turf News May/June 2021

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S TURF Growing Forward Casey Reynolds, PhD

The last 18 months or so have been like no other in recent history. The impacts and long-lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic will likely be with us for at least the foreseeable future.

As I think back to our 2021 Virtual Series theme “Growing Forward,” it really is more than just a saying.

Looking ahead onto the 2021 horizon, there are many ways that we at TPI really are growing forward. We are forging new relationships with industry partners, working diligently to add new member benefits, and of course continuing our work on the Sod Checkoff initiative.

In the last year, we have had two big successes in getting sod deemed to be agriculture for transportation exemptions and Covid-19 relief, and we don’t plan to stop there.

We are working with the U.S. Farm Service Agency to create new crop insurance options specifically for sod producers that we hope will be beneficial for many years to come. We are working with private health insurance providers to explore health insurance for TPI member farms. We are working with our policy consultant to make sure sod farms are accurately represented in the next U.S. Farm Bill and future agricultural census surveys.

We are reaching out to sod industry associations in the United States and other countries to explore how we can promote our industry internationally through The Lawn Institute.

We also are building the case for why and how our industry could benefit dramatically through the Sod Checkoff initiative that will be coming up for a vote no earlier than spring of 2022. There is little doubt that the checkoff program, if passed, could move our industry forward like no other. There are many great success

stories of the impacts of checkoff programs on their value and ability to expand markets, create demand, change consumer attitudes, and more. Be sure to keep an eye out on SodCheckoff.org for more information as this initiative moves closer to a vote, and as always please reach out to us with any questions or support.

Last, but certainly not least, California’s governor recently announced that they will be fully re-opening for business on June 15, 2021. This is great news for our 2022 International Education Conference & Field Day scheduled for February 14-17 in San Diego, California.

We have already begun planning for this event with the Conference Education Committee and the host hotel staff to plan this great opportunity to again gather as a group to see old friends and families at TPI 2022.

Please stay tuned to our Industry Harvest newsletter, Turf News, and email blasts for more 2022 Conference information soon. We can’t wait to see you!

Cheers,

There are many great success stories of the impacts of checkoff programs on their value and ability to expand markets, create demand, change consumer attitudes, and more.

Please follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

@TPITurfTalk @TheLawnInstitute

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@TurfgrassProducersInternational @TheLawnInstitute

@TheLawnInstitute

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

TPI NEWS

MARK TO WHAT YOUR KNOW CALENDAR USDA ANNOUNCES NEW ROUND OF COVID-RELIEF The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a new round of funding for Covid-relief. The current application period opened on April 5, 2021 and is scheduled to be open for at least 60 days. Be sure to check out Industry Harvest on TPI’s website for more information and updates.

NEW PEST CONTROL PUBLICATION FOR TPI MEMBERS The NEW 2021 Weed, Insect, and Disease Control for Turfgrass Producers should be hitting mailboxes soon! Be on the lookout for this TPI Member-Only benefit containing 109 pages of information on pest control in sod production.

TPI WORKING WITH USDA ON CROP INSURANCE FOR SOD Interested in Crop Insurance? TPI is working with the U.S. Farm Service Agency to develop potential crop insurance plans specific to sod production. If you are interested in learning more or willing to serve on an exploratory committee, please contact Dr. Casey Reynolds at CReynolds@TurfGrassSod.org or 847-7371846 to learn more. Also read the article beginning on Page 12 of this issue.

NEW TLI WEBSITE LIVE! The ALL NEW TLI Website is now LIVE!! Head on over to TheLawnInstitute.org to learn more about lawn care basics, environmental benefits, and a way for TPI members to feature their grasses.

FEATURE YOUR INTERESTING WORK ON TLI WEBSITE Do you have high-resolution photos of your seed or sod in home lawns? We’d love to feature your farm and products on the NEW TLI website. Please submit any images to CReynolds@TurfGrassSod.org and include the species and variety name, your farm’s name, and the city or location of the lawn.

FOLLOW TPI AND TLI ON SOCIAL MEDIA Turfgrass Producers International Twitter: @TPITurfTalk Facebook: @TurfgrassProducersInternational

The Lawn Institute Twitter: @TheLawnInstitute Facebook: @TheLawnInstitute Instagram: @TheLawnInstitute

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TPI Turf News May/June 2021

TPI NEWS

WHAT TO KNOW

STAY UP TO DATE WITH SOD CHECKOFF WEBSITE The U.S. Sod Checkoff Program website is now live at SodCheckoff.org! Head on over to learn more about this initiative and upcoming referendum.

LAWN OXYGEN PRODUCTION GRAPHICS AVAILABLE Lawn oxygen production graphics now available for the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia.

These can be accessed at the new TLI website at TheLawnInstitute.org.

WHAT TO MARK YOUR KNOW CALENDAR 2022 FEB 14-17, 2022 TPI 2022 International Education Conference & Field Day San Diego, CA

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

Shortly after the California Governor’s announcement on April 5 that he planned to have the state fully reopened by June 15, TPI signed the contract with Loews Coronado Bay Resort as the headquarters for the 2022 International Education Conference. The Field Day will be hosted by American Sod Farms in nearby Escondido. Make sure you start making your plans now to be in the San Diego area February 14-17. This is an excellent opportunity to learn, connect with your peers, see new equipment, and catch up with what is going on in your industry.

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THANK YOU TO ALL 2021 DONORS The Lawn Institute sincerely thanks ALL members that have already donated to The Foundation in 2021. In recognition of the Forever Green, Platinum Patron, Gold Benefactor, Green Partner, and 500 Club members, the lists below recognize those who donated as of 4/1/2021.

FOREVER GREEN/LEGACY GIVING Hank & Mary Kerfoot (Modern Turf, Inc.) For more information contact the TPI office at 800-405-8873 or 847-649-5555.

PLATINUM PATRON/over $10,000 Heritage Turf, Inc—Ron Nixon

GREEN PARTNER/$1,000–$4,999 Cameron Financial—Darryl Yochem Coombs Sod Farms, LLC—John Coombs DeBuck's Sod Farm of NY, Inc.—Greg DeBuck Emerald View Turf Farm—Eddie Keeven Jasperson Sod Farm—Randy Jasperson Jasperson Sod Farm—Ryan Menken JB Instant Lawn, Inc —Mark Tribbett Jonathan Green & Sons, Inc.—Barry Green Laytonsville Landscaping, Inc.—Doug Lechlider Locus Agricultural Solutions—Walter Hechenbliekner McCurdy Sod Farms, LLC—Bob McCurdy Newsom Seed, Inc.—Allen Bohrer Saratoga Sod Farm, Inc.—Steve Griffen SelecTurf Inc.—Jim Keevan Trebro Manufacturing, Inc.—Gregg Tvetene Turf Merchants, Inc —Nancy Aerni Turf Mountain Sod, Inc.—Linda Bradley Turf Producers Association—Jenny Carritt

500 CLUB/$500—$999 A & W Southern Sod Farm—William Head Aqua Yield—Clark Bell Barenbrug USA—Micah Gould Bethel Farms—Will Nugent Central Turf Farms, Inc.—Herman Wittig DeBuck’s Sod Farm )NC —Diane Mischel DG Turf Farm—James Gibson DMG Turf, Inc.—Clay Gardner Eagle Lake Professional Landscape Supply—Eric Heuver Emerald View Turf Farm—Matt Keeven Evergreen Turf—Jimmy Fox H & E Sod—Darin Habenicht Harmony Outdoor Brands—Mike Pope Heartland Turf Farms—Tom Keeven, Jr. Kogelmann’s Creek-Side Sod Farm, Inc.—Charlene Kogelmann Modern Turf, Inc.—Hank Kerfoot Oakwood Sod Farm, Inc.—Gary Wilber Oregon Turf & Tree Farms—Tom DeArmond Pine Island Turf Nursery, Inc.—Chip Lain Prime Sod—Ryan Thomas R & R Products—Tom Rogers R.B. Farms, LLC—Robbie Brady Reid Sod Farm—Randall Reid Rolawn Limited—Paul Dawson Royal Sod Farms, LLC—Brian Shufelt Sod Solutions—Tobey Wagner Sporting Valley Turf Farms—Matt Wimer Summit Seed – Profile Products—Ron Edwards Sumter Sod—Chip Block Thomas Turfgrass—Emory Thomas Todd Valley Farms, Inc.—Wayne Thorson Tri-Turf Sod Farms, Inc.—Jason Pooler Tulsa Grass & Sod Farms, Inc.—Richard Stunkard Valley Irrigation—Will Sheets Vandemark Sod Farms—Trevor Vandemark Virginia Beef Corp—William Brockett West Coast Turf—John Foster Winstead Turf Farms, Inc.—Bobby Winstead Woerner Farms—Graham Simmons

For more information on how you can support TLI and make a donation in 2021 contact the TPI office at 800-405-8873 or 847-649-5555.

Contributions help support tufgrass research, education, scholarships, and the campaign to promote natural grass. Donations made in the calendar year will receive personal recognition in our publications and in The Lawn Institute booth at the following levels:

FOREVER GREEN/LEGACY GIVING

PLATINUM PATRON/OVER $10,000 GOLD BENEFACTOR/$5,000–$9,999

GREEN PARTNER/$1,000–$4,999 500 CLUB/$500–$999

Helpful Hints from The Lawn Institute can be copied to hand out to your customers. To obtain a pdf version to copy for handouts just contact Turf News co-editor Steve Trusty at stevetrusty@TurfGrassSod.org. Then print and share with your customers—it’s free!

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TPI Turf News May/June 2021

HELPFUL HINTS HINTS HELPFUL HELPFUL HINTS FROM THE THE LAWN LAWN INSTITUTE INSTITUTE FROM FROM THE LAWN INSTITUTE WHITE GRUBS hatch or in the first few weeks of development. Later stages can be more difficult to control, and significant damage may have already occurred. If left uncontrolled, white grubs will continue to feed throughout the summer months and cause further damage.

To confirm that white grubs are the reason for yellowing or dying patches of grass, dig up some small sections on the edge of dying grass. If the grass readily pulls up, with few roots, and grubs are apparent in the soil (5 to 10 grubs or more per square foot), then treatment may be justified.

White grubs are the larval stage of scarab beetles. There are hundreds of species of scarab beetles but only a few species cause damage to lawn grasses. They vary by region but most often include May/June beetles, Masked chafers, and Japanese beetles.

White grubs feed on the roots and other below ground portions of all grasses. Visible damage includes irregularly shaped patches of dead grass that may resemble symptoms of drought-stress. In severe cases, damaged grass can often be rolled up like a carpet.

As with the successful management of many species of insect pests, a critical component of effective white grub management is prevention.

White grubs go through complete metamorphosis, which is a four-part life cycle including egg, larval (grub stage), pupal, and adult phases.

The mating flights of these beetles take place at night, and male beetles especially are attracted in large numbers to outdoor lights and lighted windows. After mating, the females burrow into the soil to lay a clutch of eggs which hatch and become grubs. The grub stage molts (sheds its old exoskeleton), and as the larva progresses through the three instars, its size and appetite grow exponentially.

Effective preventative treatments include products containing the insecticide active ingredients chlorantraniliprole, clothianidin, cyantraniliprole, imidacloprid, or thiamethoxam. There are also combination products available that contain bifenthrin mixed with either clothianidin or imidacloprid that are labeled for preventative treatment. Although these treatments can also provide some control after damage appears, they are most effective if applied early. There are also organic options often comprised of insect-killing nematodes, but they tend to be more difficult and expensive to use. The ground should be kept moist prior to application of nematodes, and at least one-half inch of water applied immediately after nematodes are sprayed.

For any type of treatment, irrigation is essential. Pretreatment irrigation encourages white grubs to come closer to the surface, and helps prepare the soil for better insecticide (or nematode) penetration while post-treatment irrigation moves it through the thatch into the root zone where grubs feed. Grubs are seasonal and often sporadic which makes scouting an essential tool for control of this bothersome pest.

White grubs generally cease feeding in the fall and remain mostly dormant throughout the winter and into the spring months. In the spring they move closer to the soil surface and begin feeding for a brief period of time. The ideal treatment time for white grubs is around the time grubs

For more For more information information on lawn on care lawnand carehelpful and helpful “How “How to” tips, to”visit tips,The visitLawn The Lawn Institute Institute at: at: www.TheLawnInstitute.org. www.TheLawnInstitute.org.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

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PROTECTING YOUR INVESTMENTS— RISK MANAGEMENT

By Suz Trusty The events of 2020 brought a new urgency to the need to protect your investments, as unforeseen events suddenly erupted. The Covid-19 pandemic, along with the erratic strategies governmental agencies adopted in their attempts to control its spread, impacted natural grass sod producers around the world.

Weather events increased the pressure. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported a record-breaking twelve named storms in 2020, including six hurricanes in the U.S., with Hurricane Laura alone causing $14 billion in damage across the Gulf Coast.

Drought-related wildfires raged across urban, suburban, and rural areas in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. The derecho storm of August 10, 2020, smashed through the Midwest affecting parts of Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota, Iowa, and Indiana. According to (NOAA), the derecho caused damage estimated at more than $7.5 billion and impacted 37.7 million acres of farmland.

As the Farm Journal’s AgWeb Daily reported in December of 2020, “… devastating weather events caused headaches for farmers in many ways, including loss of crops and lower yields due to crop quality issues, extended harvest time, potentially the need for specialized equipment to pick up downed corn and other crops, increased fuel and labor costs, and other unanticipated expenditures that could turn a banner year into a financial disaster in the course of a few weeks.”

This long list of extreme weather events, combined with ongoing weather challenges nearly everywhere—and the roller coaster of Covid-19 impacts, make 2020 a year many people would like to forget. Instead, it is even more important from a business standpoint, that you analyze the previous year—the good and the bad. Go even deeper than simply reviewing the successful and less successful results of the year’s production and sales by evaluating what impacted those outcomes. The lessons learned from the 2020 impacts can help you implement positive changes to improve your operation’s efficiency and help you more effectively protect your investments.

Review Your Emergency Plan While owners and managers can plan ahead somewhat when tracking active hurricane patterns and the predicted paths of wildfires, other weather events, such as a derecho or tornado offer little advance notice.

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Are you prepared if an emergency weather event strikes your company? If you have an Emergency Plan in place, have you reviewed it to include any changes made to adapt to the Covid-19 situation?

While every business is different, in most natural grass production operations, staff members will be spread across large sections of the farm working on mowing and other maintenance procedures, harvesting, loading, and managing customer pick-up areas. Depending on Covid-related procedures, some operational procedures and customer service personnel may be operating in the company office while others may be working remotely from home. If the company makes deliveries and/or offers installation services, other staff members will be offsite, driving trucks and working on customers’ properties.

Does your Emergency Plan account for all these personnel? And, if it does, do all staff members know the proper procedures to follow and what their responsibilities are in executing those procedures?

Do you have a designated structure where all onsite workers can shelter in place? Do equipment operators know what to do with their machines in these situations?

Do you have a plan in place to provide offsite workers with sufficient warning time to get out of a storm’s path or find adequate shelter nearby? Have you assigned responsibilities to crew leaders to make sure each crew member responds appropriately—and quickly?

Does your Emergency Plan include what to do following a storm that causes significant damage? Are procedures established to contact all employees to see if they are okay or in need of assistance? Who is assigned to make those contacts and to whom and how do they report the information they gather? Who shuts down the electrical power, heating or air conditioning systems, and water supply? Who secures sensitive documents? Who connects with customers about the status of ongoing or upcoming projects and potential delays or other scheduling adjustments?

Who contacts insurance providers to report the damage and file damage reports? Are you prepared to submit the relevant information for those damage reports?

Have you documented your physical assets, including all equipment and vehicles? Have you documented all improvements made to your property and structures? Have TPI Turf News May/June 2021

machines and power surge protectors. Unplug Ethernet cables from computers or docking stations. Power off printers or any other accessories. Use dry bags or wrap electronics in plastic to ensure some short-term protection.

Invest in an off-site data backup system. Some backup and recovery companies offer backup storage in data centers located in mainland areas, where hurricanes or tornadoes rarely occur, and that are not set in known fault line areas, to safeguard from earthquakes. Cloud technology has made online backup possible, which allows remote access to As TPI President Steve Griffen noted in his President’s Turf message, “What’s Your Risk Appetite?” on your data and files. It can protect page 2 of this issue, natural grass sod producers operate in a “Risk Universe.” Each operation needs to against a whole range of weatheridentify and manage that Risk Universe effectively to protect their investments. related disasters, and even systems being taken over by ransomware attacks. you photographed or videotaped this information, created written documentation, and insured both are stored both physically and in a digital format?

If the answer to any of the questions above is no, now is the time to act. A well-developed Emergency Plan is a risk management resource that can enable your company to keep functioning during and after a crisis occurs.

Strategies to Protect Your Business Systems and Data Many natural grass sod producers have been using information technology (IT) systems in their business operations for years. Other companies have adopted IT systems in response to the restrictions of Covid-19.

In either situation, most businesses now rely on IT to function efficiently.

StorageCraft, a data protection and storage company, has developed a checklist to help protect business systems and data from hurricanes. That checklist is applicable to most weather emergencies. The complete article is available on their blog at the link that follows. https://blog.storagecraft. com/hurricane-checklist-data-protection/ They recommend the following steps. Inventory and evaluate IT hardware and software assets and data. The inventory should include make, model, operating systems, network devices, serial numbers, and licenses owned. Store the information off-site and/or through a cloud-based system.

If possible, have your IT staff members take these safety measures to protect your electronics from the storm. Move electronics to a safe room. Move electronics off the ground, to protect from flooding. Shut down computers and unplug TPI Turf News May/June 2021

Because new technology has made it easier to test the recovery of systems with virtual machines, StorageCraft recommends testing your backups regularly to make sure your businesses can get up and running quickly after an emergency.

Explore Risk Management Options Agricultural financial advisors urge growers to re-evaluate their risk management plan annually because the crop mix and crop percentages within that crop mix generally change from year to year. Even if your production is focused entirely on natural grass sod, you typically adjust the varieties you produce, and the amount of land dedicated to each variety, to meet the demands of your specific market. Your records of actual production from year to year will provide the history of those changes that will help in developing your annual and ongoing risk management plan.

Also use your analysis to identify any potential options to help alleviate the risk areas in your operations and reduce your financial exposure. See the article on page 12 of this issue, “Covering Ground with Natural Grass Sod and Crop Insurance,” for an update on crop insurance options offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency.

And, as RMA’s Acting Administrator, Richard Flournoy, wrote in that article, efforts are underway to provide natural grass sod producers more risk management options.

Effectively managing risk is essential in protecting your investments.

Suz Trusty is co-editor of Turf News.

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COVERING GROUND WITH NATURAL GRASS SOD AND CROP INSURANCE

By Richard Flournoy Editors’ note: USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), serves America’s agricultural producers through effective, market-based risk management tools to strengthen the economic stability of growers and rural communities. TPI has been working with RMA staff to discuss current risk management products as well as to explore the potential for new options for natural grass sod producers.

I was very pleased that we recently had a chance to talk with Turfgrass Producers International about crop insurance options and future possibilities for America’s sod producers. At the USDA’s Risk Management Agency, our team continually seeks to work with organizations like TPI to expand the Federal crop insurance program and improve upon the risk management products we offer producers all over the United States.

I know there is really one question you are asking as you read this now—Is there a policy that offers coverage for natural grass sod? The answer is Yes! In fact, USDA has two coverage options for sod producers.

The first option I will touch on is called the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, or NAP. NAP provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters. This program is administered by our sister agency—the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, or FSA.

There is a second option that I want to highlight and is well worth considering. It’s called Whole Farm Revenue Protection, or WFRP, and has proven to be an extremely popular choice for producers of specialty crops and commodities over the last few years.

WFRP is available in all 50 states and provides a risk management safety net for all commodities on the farm under one insurance policy. This insurance plan is tailored for any farm with up to $8.5 million in insured revenue, including farms with specialty or organic commodities (both crops and livestock), or those marketing to local, regional, farm-identity preserved, specialty, or direct markets.

WFRP protects your farm against the loss of farm revenue that you earn or expect to earn from:

• • •

Commodities you produce during the insurance period, whether they are sold or not Commodities you buy for resale during the insurance period All commodities on the farm except timber, forest, and forest products; and animals for sport, show, or pets

NAP provides financial assistance to producers to protect against natural disasters. Among eligible crops for this coverage is natural grass sod. Some things to keep in mind when considering NAP coverage:

•

• •

For all coverage levels, the NAP service fee is the lesser of $325 per crop or $825 per producer per administrative county, not to exceed a total of $1,950 for a producer with farming interests in multiple counties An entity’s average adjusted gross income cannot exceed $900,000 to be eligible for NAP payments NAP payments received are limited to $125,000 per crop year, or $300,000 for crops with buy-up coverage

NAP is certainly something to look at, so you can decide which coverage options make the most sense for your operation. For more information on NAP, reach out to your local FSA office.

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Richard Flournoy is Acting Administrator of the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) and Deputy Administrator for Product Management. Photo courtesy of USDA.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

The policy also provides replant coverage:

•

•

For annual crops, except Industrial Hemp and those covered by another Federal crop insurance policy • Equal to the cost of replanting up to a maximum of 20 percent of the expected revenue multiplied by your coverage level • When 20 percent or 20 acres of the crop needs to be replanted The approved revenue amount is determined on your Farm Operation Report and is the lower of the expected revenue or your whole-farm historic average revenue. Coverage levels range from 50 percent to 85 percent.

• • •

The number of commodities produced on the farm are counted using a calculation that determines:

• • •

If the farm has the diversification needed to qualify for the 80 and 85 percent coverage levels (there is a three-commodity requirement) The amount of premium rate discount you will receive due to farm diversification The subsidy amounts. Farms with two or more commodities will receive a whole-farm subsidy and farms with one commodity will receive a basic subsidy.

You can buy WFRP alone or with other buy-up level (additional coverage) Federal crop insurance policies.

When you buy WFRP with another Federal crop insurance policy, the WFRP premium is reduced due to the coverage provided by the other policy. If you have other Federal crop insurance policies at catastrophic coverage levels, you do not qualify for WFRP. WFRP ‘insured revenue’ is the total amount of insurance coverage provided by this policy. Your crop insurance agent and approved insurance provider determine the farm’s ‘approved revenue’ using the following information:

• • • •

Whole-Farm History Report Farm Operation Report Information regarding growth of the farm The coverage level you choose (50-85 percent) multiplied by the approved revenue is the insured revenue amount.

Eligibility for WFRP coverage requires you to:

• • •

Be eligible to receive Federal benefits Be a U.S. citizen or resident File either a Schedule F tax form or other farm tax form that can be converted to a Substitute Schedule F for a specified number of years.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

•

Have no more than $8.5 million in insured revenue, which is the farm revenue allowed to be insured under the policy multiplied by the coverage level you select - Coverage of expected revenue from animals and animal products is limited to $2 million - Coverage of expected revenue from greenhouse and nursery is limited to $2 million Have no more than 50 percent of total revenue from commodities purchased for resale Have ‘buy-up’ coverage levels on any Federal crop insurance plans you choose in addition to the WFRP insurance plan Meet the diversification requirements of the policy by having two or more commodities if a commodity you are raising has revenue protection or actual revenue history insurance available Meet the diversification requirements of the policy by having two or more commodities if there are potatoes on the farm

You can buy Whole-Farm Revenue Protection from a crop insurance agent by the sales closing date shown for each county in the actuarial documents at webapp.rma.usda.gov/ apps/actuarialinformationbrowser/.

With TPI and other partners, we are also currently evaluating the possibility of developing a policy specific to sod. I anticipate that we will determine the most appropriate course of action in the near future. Developing new policies, or tweaking existing ones, is always a collaborative process between USDA and private industry. The public-private partnership that exists, and in many ways defines our enterprise, is a key factor to the success of the program.

You can find more information and other great crop insurance resources at our website—www.rma.usda.gov.

There you will also find contact information for the RMA regional office serving you. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA service centers and on the RMA website at the link that follows. www.rma.usda.gov/en/Information-Tools/Agent-Locator-Page.

TPI is currently seeking sod producers interested in working with TPI and RMA on a committee to explore new specialty crop insurance specifically for natural grass sod producers. To find out more about this committee, or to volunteer to serve on it, please contact Dr. Casey Reynolds at creynolds@TurfGrassSod.org or 847-737-1846.

Richard Flournoy is Acting Administrator of the Risk Management Agency and Deputy Administrator for Product Management where he oversees the development and implementation of crop insurance policies. He has been with USDA for ten years. Richard was raised on a cotton, peanut, corn, and tree farm in Camilla, Georgia. He resides in Kansas City with his wife, Michelle, and two daughters, Alice and Stella.

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RECAP

EMBRACING TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE

A VIRTUAL SERIES

FEBRUARY 16-19, 2021

TPI’S 2021 VIRTUAL SERIES RECAP TPI adapted to the Covid-19 pandemic and related restrictions on travel and large gatherings just as so many other associations have needed to do—virtually—with TPI’s Virtual Series. While we missed gathering in person with all our friends and colleagues as we usually do at onsite conferences, we were able to enjoy a topnotch program virtually!

The TPI 2021 Virtual Series took place February 16 through February 19. It was an immersive digital experience that provided interactive content, networking opportunities, collaboration with peers, and even two Virtual Field Days.

The Virtual Series theme was Growing Forward, and it was packed with virtual sessions focused on doing so.

The virtual format gave virtual attendees the option to set their own “where and how” to take part and many TPI members included many of their staff members in the experience.

This special section of Turf News, compiled by Steve and Suz Trusty, captures many highlights of the Virtual Series. Share it with all your team via the online version of the magazine.

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TPI Annual Business Meeting Reports presented during the TPI Annual Business Meeting showed TPI remained strong through the difficult Covid-19 pandemic year of 2020 and is continuing to do so into 2021. TPI Executive Director Casey Reynolds, PhD, is working in conjunction with the TPI Board of Trustees to serve the association’s membership even more effectively through bringing more attention to turfgrass sod producers and reaching out to consumers about the importance and benefits of natural grass in multiple ways, including through the new TLI website. Dr. Reynolds also spoke about TPI’s current and future endeavors interacting with governmental agencies on regulatory affairs on behalf of turfgrass producers and spreading the word on the Sod Checkoff initiative. The 2021 TPI officers and Board of Trustee members began their year of service on January 1, 2021. The slate of officers and trustees for 2022 was presented and elected unanimously. The 2022 officers are Jim Keeven - President; Bob McCurdy - Vice President; Diane Mischel - Secretary/Treasurer; and Steve Griffen Past President. Elected to the Board of Trustees to serve three-year terms are Larry LeMay, Albrecht Knigge, Lindy Murff, and Wade Wilbur.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

SESSION HIGHLIGHTS

EMBRACING TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE

A VIRTUAL SERIES

FEBRUARY 16-19, 2021

U.S. Sod Checkoff Initiative The 2021 Virtual Series featured a session conducted

by TPI Executive Director Casey Reynolds, PhD, that highlighted the upcoming U.S. Sod Checkoff Initiative.

This session was FREE for anyone to attend, whether they had registered for the Virtual Series or not!

TPI Government Relations Impacting the Sod Industry

Dr. Reynolds explained the background of checkoff programs, noting what they are—and what they are not.

Stressing that the sod checkoff program is being developed and will be managed by natural grass sod producers for natural grass sod producers, Dr. Reynolds encouraged all to check out the ongoing initiative at SodCheckoff.org and, if they have questions or comments to share, to reach out to him personally by email to CReynolds@TurfGrassSod.org or by phone to 847-7371846 to learn more.

In addition, Dr. Reynolds highlighted the positive impacts a Sod Checkoff program would bring to the entire natural grass industry—and especially to turfgrass sod producers.

TPI Executive Director, Casey Reynolds, PhD, provided an update on the progress made to date in working with governmental agencies on regulations and legislation impacting the natural grass sod industry in the U.S. He stated, “In the last year, we have had two big successes in getting sod deemed to be agriculture for transportation exemptions and Covid-19 relief, and we don’t plan to stop there.”

He reported, “We are working with the U.S. Farm Service Agency to create new crop insurance options specifically for sod producers that we hope will be beneficial for many years to come. We are working with private health insurance providers to explore health insurance for TPI member farms. We are working with our policy consultant to make sure sod farms are accurately represented in the next U.S. Farm Bill and future agricultural census surveys.”

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SESSION HIGHLIGHTS

EMBRACING TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE

A VIRTUAL SERIES

FEBRUARY 16-19, 2021

Session Highlights TPI’s 2021 Virtual Series educational sessions were all about “Embracing Transformational Change” as the pandemicaltered year of 2020 came to a close, allowing the process of Growing Forward in 2021 to begin. All the great content attendees have come to expect from TPI was transitioned to the virtual experience.

Though all sessions were conducted online, the “Chat” feature gave participants the ability to post their questions during the presentations and follow up with a live, interactive Question and Answer segment at the close of each session.

In addition, all the speakers provided their contact information for any follow-up questions.

Margaret Considine established her management consulting firm, EQuita, in 2001 following years of national and international positions in consulting, service and manufacturing organization. Skilled in assisting both private and public sector clients in the strategies of negotiations, her four-day Negotiations Workshop was highly interactive, with participants frequently working in small breakout groups to tackle a pre-assigned case requiring complex negotiations and reconvening as a group to dissect their actions and learn new negotiating strategies.

Dr. Bill Withers’ second session, “XYZ: Better Understanding the Marketplace of our Youngest Generations,” compared the attitudes and expectations of five generations, all of which could be interacting within a company’s workforce. He provided strategies for effectively meeting the expectations of the youngest generations who are part of the “Relationship Era,” and are driving “The Experience Economy.”

Dr. Bill Withers has nearly three decades of management and leadership experience in both business and education and was a contributing writer to three books in the areas of leadership and customer service. His first session, “Shift Happens,” dug into strategies to navigate times of change and disruption.

Dr. Marco Palma is a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Texas A&M University and the director of the Human Behavior Laboratory, a transdisciplinary facility the integrates technology to measure the biometric and neurophysiological responses of human decision making. His session focused on the developing economic outlook and marketing trends as they impact the green industry.

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TPI Turf News May/June 2021

SESSION HIGHLIGHTS

EMBRACING TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE

A VIRTUAL SERIES

Dr. Dennis Todey is the Director of the Midwest Climate Hub for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service. His session focused on climate change and its impact on agricultural production.

Dr. Ariana Torres is an Assistant Professor of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture and Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. For her first session in the two-part Social Media Deep Dive, she teamed with Kate Gahimer, CEO and Co-founder of Senler Studio, a social media consulting firm. That session focused on how to develop a social media program for your business. Dr. Torres was the sole presenter in the second session, which concentrated on how to prove your social media works using analytics and ROI.

The Women in Turf interactive networking session was coordinated by TPI Board of Trustees Member Diane Mischel and TPI Marketing and Membership Manager Allie Shriver.

FEBRUARY 16-19, 2021

Dr. Matt Elmore is Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Weed Science at Rutgers University. His presentation focused on Weed Control in Cool-Season Grasses. This screenshot shows part of the interactive Question & Answer session that followed his presentation.

Dr. Aaron Patton, Professor and Interim Department Head of the Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Department of Purdue University and Dr. Ross Braun, post-doctorate Lead Research Scholar at Purdue reported on their research in Fine Fescue Sod Production.

Dr. Jay McCurdy is Associate Professor and Agronomy and Turfgrass Extension Specialist in the Plant and Soil Science Department of Mississippi State University. His presentation focused on Weed Control in Warm-Season Grasses noting how weeds and weed control strategies impact natural grass sod production.

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TLI ONLINE AUCTION & MORE

EMBRACING TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE

A VIRTUAL SERIES

FEBRUARY 16-19, 2021

TLI Online Auction & More The Lawn Institute (TLI) Fundraiser for TPI’s 2021 Virtual Series was a Virtual Auction—totally online! Many had been “Embracing Transformative Change” during the Covid-19 shutdowns by sharpening their online shopping skills. That proved to be a great warm-up for shopping the array of offerings up for auction in TLI’s 2021 Fundraiser.

All auction proceeds go to support TLI activities, including public relations, scholarships, natural grass research grants, and development of TLI’s new “Environmental Benefits of Turfgrass Facts.” In addition, the NEW TLI website, TheLawnInstitute.org, is a valuable resource for spreading the word to consumers on the many attributes of natural grass.

AUCTION ITEMS, THEIR GENEROUS DONORS AND THE HIGH BIDDERS ITEM

DONOR

HIGH BIDDER

$500 Seed Package #100 $500 Seed Package #101 $500 Seed Package #102 $500 Seed Package #103 Steak & Wine Package Sunset Cruise Big Green Egg Weekend in Nashville R & R Products Bison Cooler BIG SKY Montana San Diego 3-for-1 Pass Spa Gift Card Yeti Package Bass Pro Shops One Gallon of Terradigm SD Whale Watching Tour SD Whale Watching Tour Cheesecake of the Month Spa Gift Card

Jonathan Green & Sons Jonathan Green & Sons Jonathan Green & Sons Jonathan Green & Sons Jasperson Sod Farm Valley Irrigation Saratoga Sod Farm Cameron Financial R & R Products Summit Seed/Profile Products Trebro Manufacturing Newsom Seed Turf Merchants Inc. (TMI) Harmony Outdoor Brands Saratoga Sod Farm Locus Agricultural Solutions Turfgrass Producers Association Barenbrug USA Bethel Farms Turf Merchants Inc. (TMI)

Linda Bradley – Turf Mountain Sod Greg DeBuck – DeBuck’s Sod Farm of NY Ryan Menken – Jasperson Sod Farm Greg DeBuck – DeBuck’s Sod Farm of NY Anne-Marie Tribbett – JB Instant Lawn John Coombs – Coombs Farms Anne-Marie Tribbett – JB Instant Lawn Linda Bradley – Turf Mountain Sod Charlene Kogelmann – Creek Side Farm Steve Griffen – Saratoga Sod Farm Jim Keeven – SelecTurf Doug Lechlider – Laytonsville Landscaping Linda Bradley – Turf Mountain Sod Ryan Menken – Jasperson Sod Farm Bob McCurdy – McCurdy Sod Farms Greg DeBuck – DeBuck’s Sod Farm of NY John Coombs – Coombs Farms John Coombs – Coombs Farms Randy Jasperson – Jasperson Sod Farm Diane Mischel – DeBuck’s Sod Farm, Inc.

This Research Project underway at Purdue University is one example of a TLI-funded research project.

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TPI Turf News May/June 2021

THANK YOU 2021 SPONSORS AND FIELD DAY VENDORS!

EMBRACING TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE

A VIRTUAL SERIES

FEBRUARY 16-19, 2021

gold

silver

Bronze

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THANK YOU 2021 SPONSORS AND FIELD DAY VENDORS!

EMBRACING TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE

A VIRTUAL SERIES

FEBRUARY 16-19, 2021

Virtual Field Days took place on the afternoons of Tuesday, February 16, and Thursday, February 18. Gold and Silver Sponsors participated with their own “Virtual Meeting Rooms” hosted online. In addition, there were three “track sponsors” who provided a video introduction to the sessions within that track: Executive Track Sponsor was Mountain View Seeds, Marketing Track Sponsor was Turf Logistics, and Agronomic Track Sponsor was Magnum.

Just as during the onsite Field Day experience, each Virtual Field Days vendor was center stage to feature their products and services in their own totally unique way. Some chose to demonstrate a new product or showcase an existing product or series of products. In some meeting rooms, videos featured equipment operating in the field. Some vendors featured video presentations highlighting their products and services. Some vendors offered opportunities for their virtual attendees to connect directly for one-on-one or small group chats that included in-depth discussions about products and services and a chance to simply say hello. All vendors provided contact information for follow-up contact.

Once more attendees (though virtual) were able to connect with suppliers and check out the latest and greatest for the sod production industry!

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TPI Turf News May/June 2021

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

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THOMAS TURFGRASS: LIVING THE DREAM

By Cecilia Brown Thomas Turfgrass is a longtime, well-known sod producer and installation business in Wharton, Texas. The sod company prides itself on its family operation and pleasing customers throughout the entire process of purchasing new grass.

Emory Thomas is the owner of Thomas Turfgrass, managing the operations of four sod farms spanning the area around Wharton, Austin County, and Bastrop County. In high-seasons, they have roughly 70 employees and in the low-season, they have somewhere around 40.

Emory was in junior high when his dad started the company, Thomas Brothers Grass. He said he saw it then the same way as he does now, an opportunity for him to work together with his family. Emory and his three brothers worked together with their dad to help run the sod business. In 1990, their dad sold the business and signed a noncompete agreement.

Emory and his wife, Sandy Thomas, started Thomas Turfgrass in 2002.

Emory Thomas is owner of Thomas Turfgrass.

He complimented his employees’ positive attitude towards work and said it is what makes running a sod farm and business so rewarding. “It’s a good way to make a living.

The fact that I can work with my family and that we have a great team to work with,” Emory said. “It’s just my happy place out on the farm growing grass and solving problems.

It’s a dream come true.”

History Emory’s father, Emory Augustus (E.A.) Thomas Jr. started the sod business back in 1969 after one of the family’s lifelong friends in the area convinced E.A. and Emory’s grandfather it was a good way to make a living.

The Thomas family had been involved in the dairy industry for years, but Emory said when Lake Granbury, a reservoir in North Texas, was created it took away most of their grazing land for their cows. The Thomas family planted turfgrass on what remained of their land and this began their sod farming operation.

“I liked it a whole lot better than the dairy business and there seemed to be more opportunity in the sod business.

I really enjoyed it. To be honest, it was and is a lot of work but it’s very rewarding in my opinion,” he said.

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In 2002 Emory and his wife, Sandy Thomas, started Thomas Turfgrass as a sod installation company.

Emory explained he saw this as a new opportunity for him to work with Sandy, Seth his son, and Traci his daughter.

At the time, Seth was in high school and Traci was in college at Baylor University. Emory knew that running a sod business required a lot of effort and hard work, so he didn’t know if his children would get involved when they graduated. “I always wanted them to become part of the business, but I wasn’t trying to force them to be part of it.

Either way was fine with me, but I’m thankful that they decided to do so,” he said.

When Traci graduated college, she began looking for a job. Thomas Turfgrass had plenty of positions available and she became involved with the wholesale store near San Antonio as their sales associate covering San Antonio and Austin. Since then, her role has changed and Traci is heavily involved in the company’s marketing, handles their H-2A Visa program, and coordinates their health insurance plans.

Seth joined the company when he graduated from Texas A&M. Emory said that he was pleased that both of his children decided to join the family business. “That’s what makes it fun to me, we have our differences from time to time, but we seem to be able to iron those out and it works really well. Basically, I’m living the dream,” he said.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

Traci Thomas (left), Sandy Thomas (center), and the former media manager for Thomas Turfgrass, posed for this photo when Thomas Turfgrass was planting sprigs on Kyle Field in College Station, Texas.

This Thomas family photo pictures three generations, Emory and Sandy, their children Traci and Seth, along with their spouses, and all six of the grandchildren.

Sod installation

Seth Thomas holds up a slab of sod harvested from one of the Thomas Turfgrass production fields.

Both Traci and Seth have three children each. Emory said that he and Sandy love their six grandchildren, consisting of four boys and two girls. Their families live on farms in Bastrop and Austin counties, making it only an hour’s drive in either direction to visit.

Industry changes Over the years, one of the greatest differences Emory has observed in the sod industry is mechanization. He recalls harvesting in high school when they used a sod cutter they would walk behind. They would push the rolls of sod up by hand and stack them onto trailers. He even remembers when they finally bought a forklift to stack pallets of sod. Emory said he is appreciative of these mechanical changes over time.

Emory also complimented computer software that has made their bookkeeping systems much more efficient and faster.

“We also have better chemicals and safer chemicals than they did back in the 1970s and that’s very important,” he said.

He estimates 90 percent of the grass Thomas Turfgrass produces is grown on sand-based soil which is what sports field architects specify for projects. He explains the reason for this is because water can percolate through the sod quickly after heavy rain so athletes can resume play rapidly if the field is designed properly.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

Thomas Turfgrass produces, installs, and maintains sod products. With seven installation crews, Emory said this responsibility just went along naturally as a part of their sod business. “Most of our competitors do not install grass at all. It’s a real benefit for us and brings a lot more business our way. We think our crews do a better job of installing than anybody else does anyway, so we highly encourage that,” he said.

Thomas Turfgrass has completed several high-profile sod installations and many small projects. Emory said no matter the size of the project, their goals are to make sure their customers are happy and that they resolve any issues quickly.

Last year, Thomas Turfgrass’s Celebration® Bermudagrass was installed at LSU’s Tiger Stadium. Emory said this was a high-profile project that they enjoyed completing.

He joked it would have been a lot better if they’d repeated their national football championship and is hopeful it will happen next season.

Thomas Turfgrass also installed its Latitude 36® Bermudagrass at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field. Emory said since they had a good season this past year, they were really proud to see their grass played on at this stadium.

A few years ago, Thomas Turfgrass produced and installed the grass for the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. They also furnished and installed Latitude 36 at the Amarillo Sod Poodles minor league baseball field and the BBVA Compass Stadium professional soccer arena in Houston, TX. Emory said there are more listed on their website, thomasturfgrass.com, but these are some notable jobs they have completed.

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Thomas Turfgrass is a sod farm that aspires to be a part of its community. The business has donated several athletic fields near the farm. “We donated entire fields and we installed the grass for both private and public schools.

Roberto Gurgel, executive director of research for Sod Solutions (left) and Seth Thomas (right) check out the Texas A&M soccer field.

Future Thomas Turfgrass planted sprigs on Kyle Field at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.

We’ve done a lot of repair work for baseball and athletic fields for little leagues, schools and town leagues that don’t need a full replacement, but infield and portions of the field replaced,” Emory shared.

Thomas Turfgrass also provides partial scholarships to people who otherwise wouldn’t have an opportunity to go to college. “We look for people that we can actually help in the community and that always comes back to help us in the long run,” Emory said.

COVID-19 Over the past year, Thomas Turfgrass has taken precautions during the Covid-19 pandemic to keep everyone healthy. Emory explained they have five bunkhouses for their H-2A visa employees. He said between these houses and their installation crews traveling to and from sites, they are trying to keep everyone safe.

“It’s pretty alarming and kind of scary but we just have to keep moving forward and do the best we can,” Emory said.

The business has purchased disinfectants, hand sanitizers and Emory said for the most part the employees have done a good job of keeping things clean. He said that some people have started working from home and will continue to do that until risks are reduced.

Thomas Turfgrass has not had as many athletic field installations during the pandemic. This year, they have started to see things steadily pick back up.

Emory said the future of Thomas Turfgrass is dependent on the political climate. “I’ll be a little boastful about our state. We’re very fortunate to live in Texas,” he said.

Emory said they plan for Thomas Turfgrass to double in size within the next 10 years. He explains they are happy at the size they are at right now but will continue to grow at a steady pace while improving what they have.

“We always give God the credit for everything that we’ve done. He’s the reason. He’s given us the ability and the wherewithal to do it. God has blessed us with a great team and of course a family operation and I am very happy with that and very thankful,” he concluded.

Cecilia Brown is Media and Content Manager for Sod Solutions. This article was developed for the company’s Producers Update series and is posted on their website, SodSolutions.com.

Photos provided by Sod Solutions.

In a YouTube video, Emory Thomas reported that Thomas Turfgrass grows eight varieties of bermudagrass, two varieties of St. Augustine, and four varieties of Zoysia, with 1,500 acres in production spread across four different farms. The majority of their sod is sand-based, which is preferred for the sports fields and golf courses that make up 40 percent of their sales. The remaining 60 percent of their sales are for commercial and residential properties.

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TPI Turf News May/June 2021

IS YOUR COMPANY CULTURE A THERMOSTAT OR THERMOMETER?

By Jason V. Barger Too many teams and leaders operate in Thermometer Mode. Without clarity of the type of culture they are trying to create and leader they need to be, the culture they end up experiencing is purely reactionary. The temperature just goes up and down depending on who is in the room or what is happening in the external environment. One day it’s hot and the next day it’s cold. Like a thermometer, the culture only reacts to the environment it is in.

The best leaders and teams on the planet operate in Thermostat Mode. With clarity and precision, they know the temperature they are trying to set as a leader and a collective team. No matter what is happening in the external environment they proactively set the temperature they desire. The focus isn’t just on WHAT they are going to do, but on HOW they do it as leaders and unified teams. Like a thermostat, the culture is proactively shaped by the consistent temperature they set.

The best leaders and organizations understand that calibrating the thermostat doesn’t just magically happen.

It’s not reactionary, it’s proactive. The best team cultures are committed day in and day out, month in and month out, year in and year out to calibrating their thermostat and gaining alignment and clarity on the temperature they desire to set in the future.

Four Ways to Calibrate Your Team 1. Mission — The Mission is WHY you are going on the journey you’re on. It is the heartbeat and soul to all your efforts. Return your team to purpose by involving them in discussion on why they are on the journey you’re on as a team. What’s your collective Mission and each teammate’s individual Mission? Help clarify the Mission so that everyone is clear from the beginning why you’re going to the efforts you are as an organization.

2. Vision — The Vision is WHERE you are heading as a team or organization. It’s the dream of what is possible and what can be created together. Paint the picture of what you hope to create that doesn’t exist and what that future Vision looks like. What’s your collective Vision as a team and the individual Vision for each contributor’s role? Help clarify the Vision so everyone is clear on the end game and the desired results of all efforts.

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3. Values — Your Values are HOW you are committed to traveling along the journey. They are the compass that helps you know that you are on track with HOW you’re committed to traveling. Values aren’t dictated to us, but are discovered, discerned, and identified by participatory discussion. What are the unified Values that will guide you as a team and what do they look like in action and behavior? Help clarify the Values so that your teams have a compass for HOW they will travel together.

4. Strategy — The strategy is WHAT you are going to do proactively to bring the Mission, Vision and Values to life. It’s the game plan that clarifies the priorities, people, and next actions to bring the dream into reality.

With clear direction for the road ahead, what are the next actions needed to stimulate progress individually and collectively as a team? Help clarify who is on the journey and who is doing what. Have a bias toward action that stimulates progress toward the Vision.

Every time you return to these discussions and seek clarity as a team, the thermostat begins to calibrate. Every time you deliver on the actions and behaviors you envisioned, the temperature becomes even more consistent and felt.

Culture-shaping is not a one-time act, flavor of the month, or annual exercise, it requires ongoing discussion, focus, accountability, and action. The temperature is intentional and consistent.

The best cultures proactively set the temperature throughout their organization. They are grown, developed, cultivated, and led with intentionality. The process for developing high-performing and engaged cultures never stops and the best leaders, teams and organizations are committed to setting the temperature in how they hire, onboard, do performance evaluations, develop emerging leaders, and recognize excellence. The best leaders invest in their cultures and the climate they want to be a part of.

If you’re experiencing negativity, blame, blurry vision, division, disconnection, or uncertainty, it may be time to calibrate the thermostat!

Jason V. Barger is the globally celebrated author of Thermostat Cultures, ReMember, and Step Back from the Baggage Claim, as well as the host of The Thermostat podcast. As Founder of Step Back Leadership Consulting, he is a coveted keynote speaker, leadership coach, and organizational consultant who is committed to engaging the minds and hearts of people and growing compelling cultures.

Learn more at www.JasonVBarger.com.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

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UNIVERSITY SCIENTISTS GROW WATER SAVINGS WITH DROUGHT-TOLERANT TURFGRASS

By Jennifer Howard Editor’s note: When this article was written, on April 27, 2020, Covid-19 restrictions had dramatically impacted research activities. See the Sidebar for an update on how 2020 played out and what is predicted for research activities in 2021.

Which half of landscape water use is wasted? Experts estimate that more than 50 percent of our outdoor irrigation goes to waste—even more in dry years and dry climates.

Our landscape watering habits are the primary culprit in this overflow. It’s a big issue. The typical suburban homeowner irrigates an estimated 10,000 gallons of water each year, primarily aimed at their lawn. Conserving our freshwater supply is essential for long term sustainability.

group’s work producing drought-tolerant warm-season turfgrasses. The team (representing five universities— North Carolina State University, Texas A&M University, University of Florida, University of Georgia, and Oklahoma State University) has collaborated for ten years with a rotating leadership structure. For the five-year grant that began in 2020, the team decided to expand the evaluations out west and invited the University of California Riverside, lead by Dr. Jim Baird, to join in the collaboration. Thus, the team is now 32 scientists strong.

NC State’s Dr. Susana Milla-Lewis, associate professor of Turfgrass Breeding and Genetics, is at the helm in their new phase of study. “Our 2010 and 2015 projects were crucial in the development of drought-tolerant turfgrass cultivars. The levels of improvement of these grasses are promising and validate the need to promote adoption, continue cultivar research, and develop tools that facilitate the breeding process,” Milla-Lewis said.

Early Season Success The team of turfgrass researchers’ work has focused on selecting and testing drought-tolerant cultivars of four of the most economically important warm-season turfgrass species in the southern U.S. By exchanging plant materials and data among university breeders, turf varieties are tested under many climatic conditions, and the results accumulate quickly.

Milla-Lewis’s team reviews test plots in 2019.

Saving Water & Natural Grass’ Benefits Turfgrasses occupy over 30 million acres in the U.S. It’s tempting to assume that eliminating our outdoor grass carpeting could solve the water demand problem. But it’s not so simple. Natural grass provides substantial environmental and economic benefits in our landscape. It mitigates heat around our homes, stabilizes soil against erosion, provides safe play space, and reduces noise, glare, and pollution. Eliminating natural grass would create a whole new set of environmental challenges.

“The collaboration among breeders across such different environments is priceless,” Milla-Lewis said. “It helps us select better lines with more performance stability because they have been tested against a wide range of weather conditions like drought and cold as well as an array of pests and diseases.”

A network of turfgrass researchers from six major universities, including NC State, is solving this dilemma by developing turfgrasses that are attractive and healthy with minimal water.

NC State Leads New Research The National Institute of Food and Agriculture approved a specialty crops grant to continue the multi-university 28

MS Student Greta Rockstad makes turfgrass crosses in the greenhouse.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

The team has already released six new drought-tolerant varieties from previous project phases including two bermudagrasses (‘TifTuf ’ and ‘Tahoma 31’), two St. Augustine grasses (‘TamStar’ and ‘CitraBlue’), and two forthcoming zoysiagrass varieties.

With tangible success already, what will the next research phase include? More trials with new avenues to share and test them. Plant breeding is a long-range game, 10-15 years in most cases. The group has already evaluated over 2,500 potential varieties in their nine years together. Now Milla-Lewis and team are intent on warping this speed with new technology.

Tackling Turfgrass Technology

Consumer Education Despite the team’s field research success, Milla-Lewis’s group recognized that improved varieties can’t deliver their inherent benefits if end users don’t adapt their lawn care. So the project’s phase III incorporates a significant extension and consumer outreach plan spearheaded by Jason Peake at the University of Georgia.

The nationwide campaign will include broadcast media, a consumer decision tool website, and printed marketing pieces all aimed at educating consumers on why they should choose a drought-tolerant grass and, importantly, how to properly manage it to reap all the benefits. After all, a new lawn doesn’t come with a care tag.

The group’s next phase of research will integrate tech specialists using drones and remote sensing devices to provide real-time feedback on plant stress—a plant breeder’s dream. But how does a robot sense plant stress?

Drones equipped with specialized sensors will be programmed to fly missions over the test plots to detect changes in turf color, ideally even before visible to the human eye. By measuring color change over time resulting from turf stress, researchers can rank the highest performers and concentrate on those showing the greatest genetic potential.

Technology also brings objectivity to plant breeding. Instead of researchers assigning a visual grade of 1-9 on turfgrass color, the drone sensors capture a binary “stress/no stress” assessment. It’s black or white—or brown or green in this case. Removing human bias will result in standardized scoring—important when measurements are taken across hundreds of plots at each of the collaborating universities. Because who’s to say someone’s turf score of a 6 in Raleigh is the same 6 as someone’s in Texas?

Using autonomous data collection, breeders can measure more traits, evaluate more trials—and even more varieties at a time.

Increasing the volume of data generated in a short timeframe speeds the plant breeding process by weeding out low performing options. Researchers call it ‘high throughput phenotyping” and it promises to deliver fast feedback for a streamlined selection funnel.

Greater testing volume into the research pipeline means better outcomes with the most resilient samples.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

QUALITY SEED FOR SOD PRODUCTION

Gold Tag Certified Seed Gold Tag certified seed is the highest standard for seed purity in the industry, however at Pennington Seed we go beyond the industry standard by requiring our seed be free of many more contaminants. We ensure that our seed is free of all crop and weed seed* when sold as Pennington® Gold Tag Seed. Our increased scrutiny ensures our customers are receiving the best sod quality seed available. *Our Pennington® Gold Tag is verified as free of all crop and weed seeds in two independently drawn samples and submitted to two separate seed testing labs. While guaranteeing any lot of seed as being completely free of crop and weed seed is not possible, our testing procedures offer the highest verification offered.

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Industry Involvement This new wave of consumer outreach will complement traditional extension activities such as field days and demonstration turf plots at public locations like municipal buildings (including NC State’s forthcoming N.C. Plant Science Initiative building). To see details on that project, check out this website. https://cals.ncsu.edu/psi/psb/ This closeup view shows one of the turfgrass samples in the research program.

The group is looking not only to refine the varieties but to quantify best management practice guidelines for the new turfgrass varieties. This will involve testing under multiple conditions: restricted rainfall, reclaimed water irrigation, salty-spray exposure, shade, sod strength for cutting, and other production aspects. Surviving these endurance tests will produce turfgrass uniquely adapted for low maintenance production and management.

Testing the Technology The projected design of NC State’s North Carolina Plant Science Initiative

These opportunities will reach industry professionals like landscapers, contractors, and sod producers who are often the decision-makers in turfgrass variety selection. NC State turfgrass extension specialist Dr. Grady Miller says it’s not enough just to put new varieties out. “Like the old saying goes ‘Those near the cutting edge may get cut.’ Our efforts can convince the industry to adopt and produce, but the consumer needs to be able to properly manage the turfgrasses if we want these new varieties to be successful.”

“We’ve learned in our investigations that the average consumer is concerned about their grass’s environmental tolerance—to shade, drought, and winter-kill They are looking for low-maintenance landscapes,” Milla-Lewis noted.

Convincing homeowners to adopt these drought-tolerant grasses would deliver on both accounts. “We have a young consumer audience with very different landscape needs.

For some, lawn maintenance is at best a hobby, and at worst a nuisance. They are looking for lawns requiring fewer inputs, even if it is more expensive,” concluded Miller.

New Conditions Plant breeding didn’t end in the project’s phase II. It’s the heart of the project, but there’s always room to improve selections and methodology. “Some team members are working to understand what makes a grass more droughttolerant. Others use that information to identify which genes might be responsible for the improved performance.

All this information can be used to quickly identify plant materials worth field testing, saving breeders time and resources,” Milla-Lewis said.

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Part of the team’s challenge isn’t just testing turfgrasses, but technology itself. Most UAV technology wasn’t developed for crop production. Part of the group’s forthcoming research will be devoted to figuring out the best ways to use technology in plant breeding and developing protocols to standardize use. Rob Austin is a GIS specialist at NC State, “We’re trying to figure out what works best for this application. Some experiments on drone use in plant breeding have been done, but largescale research is scarce.”

The group plans to collaborate on shared protocols that standardize drone data collection activities and data analysis techniques. Austin will oversee the Raleigh group’s data strategy. He sees opportunity in automating the workflow.

“We don’t want to simply trade time in the field for time behind a computer screen,” Austin said, “We need standards and processes to translate the data into meaningful results.”

The Power of Teams “The success of this project to date is because of teamwork. It just goes to show how much you can get done with a collaborative team—with no room for hierarchy,” Grady Miller noted. The multiuniversity team is guided by an industry advisory board providing feedback and input to direct the research for environmental and economic benefit.

Milla-Lewis’s leadership stint will extend the project for an additional four years. “The strength of this group resides not only in the wide range of expertise of the research and extension scientists involved in the project and how well we work together, but also in how closely we interact with our industry partners. They are our compass, making sure our deliverables fulfill real industry needs,” Milla-Lewis concluded.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

And Now

By Susana Milla-Lewis Covid-19 made the first year of our project a bit more interesting than expected! Safety measures and social distancing changed protocols and by mid-March most programs were in a lockdown. For breeders, propagation of materials and planting were delayed. For genomics teams, their labs were closed, and they were unable to generate new data. For the extension and outreach teams, cancellation of field days limited traditional summer educational activities. By fall, research operations were resumed with restrictions in place. Some states/ universities were more restrictive than others based on trending Covid-19 case numbers.

Despite these setbacks, we were able to attain the main project goals for year one. This can be attributed to good communication among team members, creativity to come up with contingency plans, and ultimately the team’s commitment to this project which we all believe will have a significant impact on the turfgrass industry.

As vaccination progresses in the next few months, we expect restrictions to be slowly lifted. This should allow us to have a more normal field season this year and hopefully to regain capacity for holding face-to-face extension meetings in the not-too-distant future.

NC State turfgrass research plots as captured by a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle, commonly known as a drone).

Jennifer Howard is communications specialist for the Crop and Soil Sciences Department of North Carolina State University.

All photos courtesy of North Carolina State University.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

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TPI Turf News May/June 2021

THE TURFMUTT FOUNDATION PREDICTS “BACKYARDING” TO BECOME PERMANENT TREND Supplied by The TurfMutt Foundation “Backyarding,” the new trend to move many indoor activities—from working in an office or classroom to dining and recreation—to the great outdoors, is growing. Under pandemic conditions, yards and other managed landscapes became safe havens for social gatherings, celebrating milestones/holidays, working, studying, playing, exercising, relaxing.

“Your own backyard is nearly limitless with possibilities, and homeowners got really creative as they expanded and enjoyed their yards over the last year,” said Kris Kiser, President and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) and the TurfMutt Foundation. “We predict, long after the Covid-19 pandemic passes, our yards will become an even greater part of our lives. The notion of ‘backyarding’ is here to stay.”

“In 2020, home improvements—many of them in the backyard—skyrocketed. So did the demand for natural grass sod and outdoor power equipment as homeowners invested in making their outdoor spaces fabulous, functional, and flourishing.”

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“Expect people to continue to invest in their outdoor life this coming spring,” said Kiser. “Many homeowners who put time and effort into their landscapes last year will be rewarded when that yard comes back to life this spring.” Be ready to help them continue or start their projects.

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Here are some questions and suggestions to help homeowners bring more “backyarding” into their life: 1. Invest in the yard.

4. Stretch winter-weary muscles.

Design a dream lawn and garden. Consider its purpose.

Don’t design just for aesthetics. Do you have kids and pets who need a place to play? Will you be hosting safe gatherings? Do you need a place for rest and relaxation and/or games and recreation?

Take workouts, yoga classes, and meditation sessions outdoors. You also can let off some steam by mowing the grass, trimming the hedges, or edging the lawn. Working in the yard not only helps our living landscapes look better and stay healthy, it also gives us a sense of accomplishment and control in trying times.

2. Get the whole family involved.

5. Plan a staycation.

Create a game or a friendly competition with your family to help identify all the ways you can move your indoor life to the great outdoors—and right out your backdoor. Can you take office calls and video meetings to the patio or porch? Can your kids do their online learning outdoors?

How often can you take dining outside? Keeping safety in mind, can you gather outdoors for family celebrations, birthdays, graduations, and reunions?

A makeshift “resort” or vacation spot could be just out your back door. Pitch a tent, build a campfire, hang a sheet between trees to make a movie screen, set up games—these are just a few ideas to make the backyard a vacation spot.

3. Plant something—as early as possible. (Or plant more!)

Adding trees, bushes, grass, and flowering plants is a good yard investment, but they often take time to grow. Plant as early as recommended so you can enjoy the benefits faster. Just remember “right plant, right place.” Location, maintenance, sunlight, and watering needs should all be considered, as well as your climate zone.

6. “Level up” nature care.

Add flowering plants, trees, and shrubs to give wildlife and pollinators food and shelter. Your yard is part of the larger ecosystem, so check your climate zone for landscaping options that support your birds, bees, butterflies, and other wildlife. Don’t forget to take time to just sit and drink it in, observing the wildlife and nature around you.

Research shows simply spending time in nature—which starts in your backyard—is good for reducing stress, boosting heart health, boosting Vitamin D levels, and enhancing memory. Thanks to the family yard, the health and well-being benefits of being outside are just a few steps away.

TurfMutt was created by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute’s (OPEI) TurfMutt Foundation and has reached more than 70 million children, educators, and families since 2009. Through classroom materials developed with Scholastic, TurfMutt teaches students and teachers how to “save the planet, one yard at a time.” For more information on TurfMutt, visit TurfMutt.com. Sign up for Mutt Mail, a monthly e-newsletter with backyarding tips and all the news from the TurfMutt Foundation, at the link that follows. https://opei.us17. list-manage.com/subscribe?u=d7cbaa310f76e5b6408a28c4a&id=ef4209e160

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TPI Turf News May/June 2021

The Natural Choice.

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LILLIE GARDNER AWARDED DR. HENRY W. INDYK SCHOLARSHIP Twins Lillie and Carlie Gardner have jointly been awarded the four-year Dr. Henry W. Indyk Scholarship, which is administered by The Lawn Institute. They will be splitting the scholarship funds.

Lillie and Carlie are the daughters of Clay and Denise Gardner of DMG Turf and Farms in Angier, North Carolina.

Beginning in her junior year, most of Lillie’s classes have been part of a dual credit program, earning both high school and college credit. She will graduate this spring with a diploma from Harnett Central High School in Angier, NC, and an associate degree through Central Carolina Community College in Sanford, NC. Though Lillie had been accepted at Campbell University, after exploring her options, she decided instead to attend the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in the fall where she will major in Marketing and Graphic Design.

Her love of design started early and by Middle School she learned the basics of calligraphy and started practicing and improving her skills. In her essay outlining her career goals, Lillie wrote, “Ultimately, I have come to the decision that I want to have a career in Marketing and Graphic Design.

I have always loved creating, drawing, writing, and coming up with different ideas for designs.” And, “… learning more about how to turn what I love into a job, I began doing small jobs for people in my community.”

In February of 2018, she turned those small jobs into her own business. In her essay, she explained, “I created and designed signs, logos, stickers, labels, monograms, hats, clothing items, and other accessories. Along with these small jobs, my parents tasked me with creating a new logo for our turfgrass business. They only gave me a few guidelines that they wanted to incorporate into the logo, but the rest was for me to figure out and create. There was some trial and error as I was figuring out what worked and what did not work but I was able to create something that we all loved.”

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In her essay on how the turfgrass industry has shaped her character, Lillie wrote, “Growing up and living on a farm that sells turfgrass, along with other row crops, showed me the importance of hard work, responsibility, and the labor that goes into the turfgrass industry.” And, “… I have been able to take these characteristics and work ethic that they have taught me and use them in my daily life.”

Lillie played volleyball during eighth grade but opted to try out for the Cross Country team as a freshman and found her sports niche. She says, “I run cross country in the fall, and compete in track during the winter and spring, concentrating on the long-distance running events, the two-mile, one-mile, one-kilometer and 800-meter races. There’s not really a down season for running.”

Lillie wrote, “As an avid cross country, four-year varsity runner, team captain, and state qualifier, I have used these qualities that my parents instilled in me to be my best.

Being a runner takes a lot of hard work and dedication to be successful. I have had to put a lot of hours into this sport, strength training, overcoming injuries, and running longer and faster miles to improve my time.” And, “…

I have also been able to maintain high grades and be a part of numerous clubs including: BETA Club, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), DECA, Fellowship of Christian Students (FCS), and FFA, along with working on our family farm.”

Faith is at the center of Lillie’s life. Her favorite Bible verse is 1 Timothy 4:12, “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.”

In her letter of recommendation, Amanda Hesselmeyer, School Counselor, Harnett Central High School wrote, “Lillie is one of the most caring and kindhearted students I have ever met. She is a goal setter and is determined to achieve both her academic and personal goals.” And, “She is involved in many extracurricular activities and she always tries her best in all she is doing.” And, “Lillie has enjoyed being a Peer Tutor at our school.” Hesselmeyer added, “Lillie has a very calming personality and works well with everyone she meets.”

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

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CARLIE GARDNER AWARDED DR. HENRY W. INDYK SCHOLARSHIP Twins Carlie and Lillie Gardner have jointly been awarded the four-year Dr. Henry W. Indyk Scholarship, which is administered by The Lawn Institute. They will be splitting the scholarship funds.

Carlie and Lillie are the daughters of Clay and Denise Gardner of DMG Turf and Farms in Angier, North Carolina.

Beginning in her junior year, most of Carlie’s classes have been part of a dual credit program, earning both high school and college credit. She will graduate this spring with a diploma from Harnett Central High School in Angier, NC, and an associate degree through Central Carolina Community College in Sanford, NC. Carlie will attend the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in the fall where she will major in Biology.

She says, “I have a heart for helping others and want to be someone that can make a difference in others’ lives.”

In one of her essays, Carlie wrote, “For College, I want to pursue a career in the medical fields, specially thinking about a Physician Assistant. To have a job in the physician assistant field not only requires a four-year undergraduate degree, but it also requires a graduate program which can take an additional three or more years.”

The college credits Carlie has completed will allow her to enter college as a sophomore. Carlie wrote, “This means I will only have to complete three years of undergraduate classes instead of four.” And “… hopefully get into a graduate program a year earlier. This will allow me to reach my goal quicker and start helping others faster.”

And, “Receiving this scholarship will allow me to learn, study, and develop a greater understanding of the human body and how it works. I would be able to focus on my studies with less stress about finances.” And, “The generosity of awarding me this scholarship will be greatly appreciated and will allow me to give generosity to others by helping them with their medical needs.”

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In her essay on how the turfgrass industry has shaped her character, Carlie wrote, “One thing it has taught me, and I have seen first-hand is patience.” And, “Growing up on a sod farm has taught me hard work and determination.”

And, “… also has taught me about teamwork. When working together things can get done so much better and more efficiently, as long as everyone is determined.” She added, “I would never want to grow up any other way, in any other town, or on any other farm because of all the memories and lessons that I have learned here, at my home.”

Carlie started playing volleyball in eighth grade and continued throughout all four years of high school. She was the recipient of the Volleyball Coaches Award in 2018 and served as volleyball captain for two years. In addition to volleyball and working on the family farm, she was a member of DECA and of FBLA, where she served as treasurer for two years.

Carlie says, “I try to keep my faith in the center and above everything; when I do, I see that it allows everything to go a little more smoothly.” Her favorite Bible verse is Psalms 145: 17, “The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.”

In her letter of recommendation, Chelsey Cabe, Physical Education Teacher and Head Volleyball Coach at Harnett Central High School, wrote, “I have coached Carlie in volleyball and taught her in the classroom. In both of these areas she excels.” And, “As an athlete, I have watched Carlie set goals and reach each and every one of them. As a freshman, Carlie struggled with skills and played very minimal minutes in games. This never discouraged her or took away her love and desire for the game. Instead, I saw her incredible work ethic shine and her willingness to be dedicated and determined pay off.

Carlie, now as a senior, is a leader on our team and a contributor on and off the court.” Cabe added, “Her love for God, her family and her friends is evident. This can be seen, not only in her words, but in her actions and attitude.” And, “… I look forward to watching her as she continues to grow and mature into the beautiful young woman I know she is becoming.”

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

TTPI TP PI TTu urf urff N ew ws Ma M ay/ y/Ju JJu une n 22021 021 02 Turf News May/June

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AIDAN COOPER AWARDED DR. HENRY W. INDYK SCHOLARSHIP Aidan Cooper has been awarded the one-year Dr. Henry W. Indyk Scholarship, which is administered by The Lawn Institute (TLI). He is the son of Jeremy and Kim Cooper. His Dad is manager of turf operations for Red Hen Turf Farm, Inc. in New Carlisle, Indiana.

Red Hen Turf Farm President, Gordon Millar, endorsed Adian’s scholarship application.

Beginning in his sophomore year, the majority of Aidan’s classes have been part of a dual credit program, earning both high school and college credit. He will graduate this spring with a diploma from Penn High School, Mishawaka, IN, and an associate degree through Ivy Tech Community College, which has multiple locations in Indiana. Aidan says, “All the credits may not apply, but I anticipate it will give me at least a year’s worth of college credit. It’s a great way to complete the basics and makes sense financially.” Though Aidan had been accepted at Ball State University, further exploration of his options resulted in the decision to attend Indiana University Bloomington. He says, “I’ve been accepted into the honors college and received a better scholarship offer there, and they have a strong program in my major field of study, Computer and Information Systems.”

Aidan developed his interest in computers as a child and a computer programming class his freshman year turned that interest to a passion. In his sophomore year, he started working with the game system Unity to develop his own games online to offer to others for free. He also has used his programing skills to modify older computer games to work with today’s technology. In one of his essays for the scholarship application, Aidan wrote, “It brings me great joy whenever I finally squash a bug in the code for a video game I’m programming, or when I finally figure out what is wrong with a program on my friends’ computers, or when I see a modification that I made for a game get hundreds of downloads.”

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He also attributes his experience working at Red Hen Turf Farm for helping him determine Computer and Information Systems should be his career path. In his essay on how the turfgrass industry shaped his personal character, Aidan wrote, “My father used to have to do a lot of manual planning in order to properly plan deliveries of sod and communicate with everyone that needed to know those plans, but with the Turf Logistics software, he is now able to plan deliveries and communicate details about those deliveries with ease, freeing up massive amounts of time for him and his coworkers for other, more high-level work. Pursuing an education in computer and information systems will allow me to use my talents with computers and turn them into a profitable venture that can also help businesses improve their operations using technology.” Aidan added, “The better businesses operate, the better the economy.”

Four years of foreign language study was a requirement of the dual credit program. Aidan selected Spanish and loved learning the language. He explains. “The bonus is being able to communicate in Spanish also should make me more valuable in the job market.”

In his letter of recommendation, James A. Schmidt, teacher of Social Studies at Penn High School, wrote, “I have known Aidan since he was a sophomore in my History Topics course.” And, “Aidan’s list of accomplishments during his high school career is endless. He is one of the best students I have ever had the pleasure of teaching. Aidan can be outgoing and dedicated and at the same time quietly set the highest example for others.” And he wrote of Aidan’s compassion for others, “… Aidan always goes a step beyond to find ways to make a difference in others’ lives.” And “He is as diligent and responsible in the classroom as he has shown outside of it. To say he works well with others is an understatement.” In his evaluation of Aidan’s scholastic abilities, leadership abilities, and general character, Mr. Schmidt gave Aidan the highest ranking, exceptional, in all the categories listed: leadership, attitude, organization, reliability, attendance, and initiative.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

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WHAT IS A CHECKOFF? Checkoff programs are industry-funded initiatives that improve the market position of a commodity by…

Expanding markets

Conducting market and scientific research

Increasing demand

Promoting industry initiatives and activities

HOW WOULD THE CHECKOFF WORK? A board of producers, nominated by fellow producers, will invest checkoff dollars in national and consumer marketing collateral, agronomic and consumer research, promotional kits that can be customized by growers, and customer and regulator education and outreach, to increase the value of every square food of sod for the US Sod Industry.

The proposed assessment rate is 1/10th of one penny for every square foot of sod sold.

WHAT ARE SOME BENEFITS OF THE CHECKOFF? The sod checkoff will benefit every producer and farm by increasing visibility and value of sod. That includes driving preference for natural sod with both consumers and customers. And by uniting the U.S. sod industry to protect and even grow market share in the face of competitors like artificial turf.

HOW DO WE GET TO A CHECKOFF? ORDER

COMMENT

Industry leaders are working with USDA to submit a draft order that outlines the key points needed for an efficient, successful checkoff program has been written and submitted to USDA for review.

Once the Draft Order is approved, it will be published in the U.S. Federal Register for public viewing and commentary prior to a vote.

REGISTER

APPROVE + IMPLEMENT

Every U.S. sod producer will be eligible to vote and can have a say on the future of a sod industry checkoff.

Once passed, the program will be implemented and governed by sod producers, for sod producers to help increase value and profitability per square foot.

The U.S. sod industry can accomplish more together than any of us can do alone.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE U.S. SOD CHECKOFF WEBSITE – WWW.SODCHECKOFF.ORG TPI Turf News May/June 2021

HOW DID WE GET HERE? Sod producers in US have been discussing the benefits of the checkoff since at least 1996, but in recent years, there has been more thoughtful discussions around how the industry can bring grass to life:

PROTECT AND GROW MARKETS

2017

Discussions and thorough considerations began within the industry

2018

Discussions began with the USDA Ag Marketing Service to explore the idea of a Sod Industry Checkoff

2019

Discussions with American Farm Bureau around establishing a Sod Industry Checkoff

EARLY 2020

First stakeholder meeting to discuss potential interest in a Sod Industry Checkoff

LATE 2020

A formation committee of 14 U.S. Sod Producers began work on the draft order

2021

First stakeholder meeting to discuss how a Sod Industry Checkoff program would work

CHANGE THE NARRATIVE

LOCAL MARKETING SUPPORT

The U.S. Sod Checkoff can help fight against regulations like grass bans, fertilizer bans, invasive species lists, building codes, etc.

Consumer messaging research can help to educate consumers on the benefits of sod, helping them make more informed decisions.

Cease-sale initiatives, (Missouri, 2020) Lawn Removal Incentives, (CA,TX ongoing) Legislative Fertilizer Bans, (Florida, in-effect) Legislative Lawn Bans, (Maine, 2014) Legislative Lawn Equipment Bans, (New York, 2020) Legislative Grass Bans, (Maryland, 2021)

Scientific research on ecosystem services can change the narrative around lawns in terms of smart irrigation, drought tolerance, low-input grasses, etc.

Marketing can help combat competitive products in the marketplace, not just synthetic turf.

A U.S. Sod Checkoff could create a network for monitoring headlines for negative media and responding to them swiftly, effectively, and in unison with one voice.

Research can help gain insights into generational attitudes towards lawns, which are currently shifting in the wrong direction.

Nationally recognized marketing firms with experience in not only checkoffs, but also the turfgrass industry, will help to build tools for marketing & communication.

National recognized brands and influencers can be tapped into to expand our reach.

Marketing tools for farms to access and promote their products locally, to achieve a consistent message across the industry.

U.S. SOD CHECKOFF PROGRAM

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE U.S. SOD CHECKOFF WEBSITE – WWW.SODCHECKOFF.ORG TPI Turf News May/June 2021

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DEALING WITH OSHA

By Phillip M. Perry Employers trying to avoid costly OSHA citations are facing new challenges in the form of heightened enforcement activity and greater liability for workplace Covid infections. To lessen their exposure, businesses are retooling their operating environments to ensure compliance with state and federal mandates.

“I think you're going to see much more aggressive OSHA enforcement under the Biden administration,” says former OSHA head Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., now a partner in the Atlanta office of Fisher & Phillips (fisherphillips.com). He views a January presidential executive order, “Protecting Worker Health and Safety,” as a leading indicator of a more robust regulatory fervor. In March, OSHA announced an initiative to increase workplace inspections and develop outreach programs for whistle-blowers. The agency said it would target some high-hazard industries such as healthcare, nursing homes, food processing, and manufacturing to protect workers from Covid infections.

The new federal posture may include a larger OSHA oversight staff. “The Biden administration says it wants to double the number of inspectors,” says William K. Principe, partner in the Atlanta office of Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete (constangy.com). “While we don’t know if they will hire that many, it's reasonable to assume there will be some increase. During the last administration vacancies weren't always filled, so OSHA ended up being below the number of federal inspectors that had existed for a very long time.”

“More inspectors mean more boots on the ground.

OSHA observers expect an increase in the rate of inspections, along with more citations and higher penalties.”

More inspectors mean more boots on the ground. OSHA observers expect an increase in the rate of inspections, along with more citations and higher penalties. And all this comes at a time when Covid is raising troublesome issues of its own. “The pandemic, with its greater safety requirements, has increased the risk of OSHA violations,” says Gary Heppner, a California-based independent OSHA safety advisor (riskmanagementaudits.com). He

44

added that inspectors will be looking closely at how businesses are spacing personnel, mandating masks, and cleaning the work environment.

OSHA is taking greater interest in machine shops, an environment with high accident rates, according to Heppner. Here Covid is having an effect: Workers, long required to wear safety glasses while using drill presses or hand drills, are now expected to add face shields and maintain appropriate distances from others. That can be difficult in restricted environments where people are working in close quarters. Any resulting laxity in safety considerations can spark illnesses and OSHA citations.

OSHA Mandates Most employers want their workers to be safe and healthy. And given the higher OSHA profile, businesses will be making a special effort to meet state and federal standards. That means conforming to the “General Duty Clause” of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, requiring workplaces “free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees.”

While the imprecise nature of the general duty clause allows leeway for employers to account for varying local conditions, it also leaves plenty of room for inspectors to find unexpected violations. The lack of specific guidelines prompted OSHA to issue a comprehensive guidance document earlier this year. “Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of Covid-19 in the Workplace” lists steps employers can take to reduce potential spread. (Businesses can access the document at osha.gov/coronavirus).

Although the new guidelines are advisory in nature, OSHA watchers have been expecting the agency to release regulations which carry the force of law (rather than being simply guidance) before too long. These so-called “emergency temporary standards” had been expected before March 15. They are still expected any day now, but there is no guarantee they will come to fruition.

How strict will the regulations be? That is still to be seen.

“The emergency temporary standard is not expected to be as employer averse as the OSHA regulations in California, but will likely resemble the Virginia standard, which follows CDC guidance,” says Foulke. Employers will likely be required to conduct workplace risk assessments and maintain written Covid-related action plans to include social distancing, masks, sanitation, and training.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

More Inspections, Greater Citations Ahead “The Biden administration is issuing new OSHA regulations and stepping up enforcement in a move to ensure workplace safety. In response, businesses are retooling operations and sanitation procedures to protect personnel from accidents and Covid infections. A recent OSHA advisory describes steps to reduce the risk of violations.”

“One thing I think you're going to see during the Biden administration is a focus on musculoskeletal disorders (ergonomics, repetitive motions, lifting) and combustible dust,” adds Foulke. “Also, I think sometime this year OSHA will go back to requiring that 250-plus employers in certain industries file not only 300A Summaries but also the 300 logs and the First Report of Injury forms.”

Employer organizations will likely litigate onerous OSHA rules. “Trade associations have been successful in the past in getting injunctions against OSHA regulations deemed outside the agency’s jurisdiction or overly burdensome,” notes Douglas E. Witte, who represents businesses in labor and employment law matters at Madison, Wisconsinbased Boardman & Clark (boardmanclark.com). “Sometimes the regulations are modified, or simply delayed for a year or longer.”

Work-Related Illness If an employee comes down with Covid and misses work time or goes to the hospital, is the illness recordable as work related? The answer is often less than clear. “Up until now, OSHA has not been pushing too hard on employers who claim Covid-19 infections occurred outside the workplace,” says Witte. Employers have been operating under fairly liberal standards, thanks to OSHA guidance issued in the spring of 2020 that allowed Covid illnesses to be categorized as not work related if an “alternative explanation” could account for the infections.

Unfortunately, the term “alternative explanation” is vague, and OSHA does not provide examples. “The guidance is being interpreted, by some, as indicating that if the employer can point to some exposure away from the workplace, then the case can be deemed not work-related,” TPI Turf News May/June 2021

says Principe. Others are even taking the position that because Covid is being spread everywhere, an infection is not work-related unless the employee has continually commuted in their own car, stayed in their own house, and not gone to a grocery store or interacted with the public in any way.

That kind of liberal interpretation, though, skirts the edge of justice. “I think you need more concrete evidence that the employee was exposed to an infected person away from work,” cautions Principe. “Perhaps their spouse, children, or people they socialized with have Covid, or perhaps they attended a super-spreader event.”

Faulty categorizations can be costly. “OSHA issues citations to employers who fail to properly record or report cases,” says Principe. “The agency is often tipped off by whistle blowers, or they get word of infections through hospitals or public health departments.” Penalties for serious violations start at $13,653, although the amount is sometimes reduced in the event of a good faith history.

Citations for willful or repeated issues start at $136,532.

Certainly, there is no need to record cases that are clearly not work-related. While an employer may do so out of fear of a citation, being too inclusive can backfire.

“Over-reporting can spark an OSHA inspection when the entries from an employer’s logs are entered on their 300A Summaries,” says Foulke. “Those are available for review not only to OSHA but also to plaintiff’s lawyers and community activists like Common Cause. Skewed numbers can impact a business’s ability to get future work from clients.”

45

So how about those cases that fall into a grey area? “My advice to employers would be that in the case of doubt, record or report the event,” says Principe. “You can always explain the facts, saying that you don't believe it is work-related for the following reasons, but that you are including the case out of an abundance of caution. This will protect you from a citation.”

Many OSHA observers believe the Biden administration will tighten criteria, determining that more infections occurred in the business environment. There may be a return to earlier CDC guidance which mandated that an illness be designated work related if the employee had been within six feet of another Covid-infected worker for a total of at least 15 minutes. “The agency may start tracking infections down to employer facilities if they can do so and support the change by claiming they are trying to halt the spread of Covid,” says Principe.

Determine Your OSHA Readiness How well have you secured your workplace against the risk of accidents and Covid infections? Find out by taking this quiz. Score 10 points for each step taken. Then total your score and check your rating at the bottom of the chart.

1. Conducted a workplace risk assessment 2. Implemented measures to control risks 3. Developed a written accident and infection prevention plan 4. Assigned a Covid-19 mitigation plan coordinator 5. Trained employees on the plan and on preventive measures 6. Enforced the use of face coverings 7. Implemented temperatures/symptoms screening

“Unfortunately, the term ‘alternative explanation’ is vague, and OSHA does not provide examples.”

8. Implemented cleaning protocols 9. Coordinated use of breaks and lunchrooms 10. Ensured the enforcement of sick leave policies What’s your score?

Finding Help While the prospect of an OSHA inspection and citations can disturb any business owner, there is some misunderstanding about what the agency can do. “One misconception is that OSHA can come in and shut a job down,” says Mark D. Norton, Director of Norton Safety Services, Tucson, Arizona. “It's not really that easy. In cases of an eminent dangerous situation, they have to go through getting a court order to try to get the process or the activity to stop—but not necessarily to shut down the whole company. And even that doesn't happen very often.”

80 or more: Congratulations. You have gone a long way toward making your business environment safer for your employees.

Between 60 and 80: It’s time to fine tune your prevention procedures.

Below 60: Your business is at risk. Take action on the suggestions in the accompanying story.

Source: Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete.

Indeed, the federal agency can also be helpful. “Many businesses believe that every interaction with OSHA is negative,” says Norton. “They don’t realize that OSHA also provides consultative services at both the federal and state level.” At the employer's request, OSHA will inspect the workplace for problem areas. While there is no charge for the service, the employer has to agree to fix whatever OSHA finds. “It’s all confidential, so nothing uncovered by the inspectors gets shared with the compliance side.”

That proactive approach can prevent costly citations down the road. “It’s very important to take the right steps to reduce the risk of infection in the workplace,” says Principe. “This will keep employees from getting sick and the employer out of trouble. I encourage businesses to track the OSHA and CDC websites on a regular basis.

Know what the recommendations are. Then if OSHA shows up at the door everything will be in order.”

46

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

Controlling the OSHA Inspection While OSHA has the right to conduct inspections of business premises, employers need to know and exert their own rights. “Just because a person has a government badge, that doesn't mean they get to do whatever they want,” says former OSHA head Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., now a partner in the Atlanta office of Fisher & Phillips (fisherphillips.com).

During an opening conference with inspectors, Foulke suggests employers set out guidelines such as the following: At least one management person needs to be present when OSHA inspectors visit the work site.

One other management level person must be present when OSHA inspectors interview any supervisor or manager.

• The employer must be allowed to bring in their own industrial hygienist, as well as be present if OSHA does any kind of monitoring of air or noise.

• •

During their inspections, OSHA representatives will look for the following evidence of violations: There was a hazardous condition The hazard was recognized The hazard was causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm There was a feasible method to correct the hazard.

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Finally, businesses should treat OSHA inspectors with respect while not offering more data than the law requires.

“Some employers think that if they tell OSHA everything they know and they give every document they have, that somehow that's going to make things better,” says Foulke. “It never does.”

Phillip M. Perry is an award winning business journalist with over 20 years of experience under his belt. A three time recipient of the American Bar Association's "Edge Award" for editorial achievement, Perry freelances out of his New York City office. His byline has appeared over 3,000 times in the nation’s business press and he maintains a web site at www.editorialcalendar.net.

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TPI Turf News May/June 2021

Phone: 800-545-1755 WWW.SUMMITSEED.COM

47

ROOTED IN RESEARCH

ZOYSIAGRASS, HOW DID IT GET TO THE U.S.?

—PART ONE In 1892, James B. Olcott was appointed by the Connecticut State Agricultural Experiment Station to collect various grasses which could potentially benefit the state.

John M.B. Sill sent seed of Zoysia japonica to the USDA in 1894 while he was serving as a U.S. diplomat to Korea.

In 1894, Frank Lamson-Scribner became head of the new USDA Division of Agrostology.

By Mike Fidanza, PhD In the ‘Rooted in Research’ column, on occasion we’ll explore the history behind various aspects of turfgrass science. There are three primary species of zoysiagrass used in the turf industry: Zoysia japonica, Zoysia matrella, and Zoysia pacifica. Zoysiagrass is a warm-season turfgrass that originated in East Asia and the Pacific Islands, and today is used primarily for golf courses and lawns.

So, let’s take a historical look at the people who introduced zoysiagrass to the United States. These folks were considered botanists, agrostologists (a person who specializes in the study of grasses), and plant explorers.

Zoysiagrass first arrived in the U.S. in 1892 thanks to James B. Olcott (1830-1910), of Manchester, Connecticut.

He was appointed by the Connecticut State Agricultural Experiment Station to collect various grasses which could potentially benefit the state.

As a result, in 1885, Olcott established and maintained the first “turf garden” in the U.S., consisting of his collection of grasses from all over the world. Perhaps we can say this was the very first turfgrass variety trial in the U.S. He had an area divided into individual square plots, planted with many different kinds of grasses he evaluated for suitability as a turfgrass, and did selections and crossbreeding.

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“… in 1885, Olcott established and maintained the first “turf garden” in the U.S., consisting of his collection of grasses from all over the world. Perhaps we can say this was the very first turfgrass variety trial in the U.S.” He traveled to Europe, Australia, and New Zealand to collect various grass species, and he made requests of plant material to botanists and gardeners in many countries.

Zoysiagrass was introduced for the first time into the U.S. from Olcott’s garden. His written records list a grass labeled as “Korai shiba” from Yokohama, Japan. It is unknown if Olcott traveled to Japan to collect the grass himself, or if it was sent to him, since his records indicate the source as the Yokohama Nursery Company. This grass was actually Zoysia matrella and was planted in U.S. soil for the first time in 1892.

Olcott was known as “the Grass Man,” because he was probably the best authority on grasses in his time. For example, he provided advice for Central Park in New York City, and Prospect Park in Brooklyn. It was written that “… Olcott conceived the idea that ‘greenswards’ could be developed of … fine quality.”

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

He was involved in negotiations with Augustus and Charles Storrs to establish a school of agriculture on 170 acres of their land in Storrs, Connecticut. As a result, in 1881 the Storrs School of Agriculture was established, and Olcott become a member of their first Board of Trustees.

In 1893 the school become Connecticut’s land-grant college, in 1899 the name was changed to Connecticut Agricultural College, and so it seems that an agrostologist was responsible for what today is known as the University of Connecticut.

Around 1912, Olcott’s turf garden was sold to the famous industrialist Frederick W. Taylor, who moved most of his grasses via sod, and in particular the fine fescues, to his estate near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for use as a golf course.

In 1894, Zoysia japonica was the second zoysiagrass species to arrive in the U.S., thanks to John M.B. Sill (1831-1901). He served as a U.S. diplomat to Korea from 1894-1897. In 1894, he sent seed of Zoysia japonica to the USDA. It is interesting to note, that by 1906, use of zoysiagrass for lawns from the Carolinas to Washington, DC, was being described in the popular press. After his service in Korea, Sill served on the Board of Regents at the University of Michigan.

How do we know about Olcott and Sill’s zoysiagrasses? A detailed description of those grasses from 1892 and 1894 was published by Frank Lamson-Scribner (1851-1938) in 1895. He was born in Massachusetts, but his parents died when he was three years old and then he was adopted by the Scribner family of Maine. He graduated from the Maine State Collee of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1873. He taught high school botany in Maine, and then worked at Girard College in Philadelphia, which coincidently was close-by to F.W. Taylor’s estate.

In the summer of 1883, Lamson-Scriber worked in Montana as the botanist for the Northern Transcontinental Survey completing an inventory of grasses and forages. In 1885, he was appointed to the USDA Division of Botany, to study fungal pathogens affecting crops. As a result, he became chief of the USDA Section of Mycology in 1886 and focused on vegetable crop diseases. Then, in 1888, he become head of the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Tennessee.

In 1894, Lamson-Scribner returned to the USDA to become head of the new USDA Division of Agrostology.

He first described zoysiagrass use in the U.S. in 1895, as a grass species which “form close, leafy mats over the surface of the ground, and usually possess considerable value for grazing or for lawns…” He used Zoysia pungens as the botanical name (‘pungens’ referring to sharp or pointed leaves), however, these zoysiagrasses were later named Zoysia matrella and Zoysia japonica, which are the correct botanical names we use today.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

“Official record keeping of plant introductions into the U.S. was established in 1898 by the USDA’s Office of Seed Plant Introduction.”

He was known as a botanist and pioneering plant pathologist and became the first USDA scientist hired to study plant diseases of economic plants. He was also the first USDA agrostologist. He was author of the American Grasses, a USDA treatise published in 1897, with 331 pages that included a botanical description and detailed illustrations of grass species in the U.S. Official record keeping of plant introductions into the U.S. was established in 1898 by the USDA’s Office of Seed Plant Introduction. Thus, the first official introduction of zoysiagrass into the U.S. was by Reverend W.M. Baird in 1901, who was a Korean missionary but also responsible for collecting economically important plants for the USDA. In the early 1900s, the soybean variety ‘Baird’ was named after him.

In 1901, however, Baird collected two varieties of what he described as Zoysia pungens used for lawns in an area that is now North Korea. It was later reclassified as Zoysia japonica. The two varieties he collected, which he called “Korean lawn grass,” were given the documented introduction codes of PI 6404 and PI 6405. Unfortunately, very little information is available about Reverend Baird.

We’ll continue with Part Two of our historical review of these zoysiagrass pioneer plant explorers in the July/ August issue of Turf News.

Source: Patton, A.J., B.M. Schwartz, and K.E. Kenworthy.

2017. Zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) history, utilization, and improvement in the United States: A review. Crop Science 57:S37-S73. (doi: 10.2135/cropsci2017.02.0074)

Mike Fidanza, PhD, is a professor of Plant and Soil Science at Pennsylvania State University, Berks Campus. Cale Bigelow, PhD, is a professor of Turfgrass Science and Ecology in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Purdue University in Indiana. They are teaming to provide a Rooted in Research article for each issue of Turf News.

All photos courtesy of Mike Fidanza, PhD.

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ASSOCIATION UPDATES

TURFGRASS GROWERS ASSOCIATION UPDATES

By Coral Russell In April, the UK entered its fourth month post Brexit.

The full extent of this change may not be realized for some time due to the impacts of the pandemic. One of the major changes since the first of January is that the export of turfgrass to the European Union is now no longer allowed. The restriction on export of turfgrass is in place to limit the exchange of soil, and therefore soil borne diseases.

The market for good quality natural grass is strong in the UK.

It is hoped that, with lobbying by the TGA, the export restrictions may be altered to allow cross border trade going forward.

During 2020, the pandemic-related restrictions caused a surge in the expenditure on gardens and lawns, revamping the nation’s entertaining areas. We are now looking forward to the coming summer season. The vaccination program is being rolled out with some momentum in the UK, with the proposed date for the end of restrictions being June 21, 2021.

Despite the restrictions being lifted across the UK, it is likely that there will be continued limits to overseas travel for holidays this year. This may again cause a positive outcome, as once again the UK will rely heavily on lawns and gardens to provide a venue for socialization. This in turn will likely provide opportunities for garden redesign—and for turfing.

Alongside domestic work, the UK’s golf courses can re-open, for the first time since their closure in November 2020. Last summer, when the courses were allowed to open, the sport saw a tremendous increase in the number of players. The industry is once again hoping to see similarly high numbers.

Although the restrictions meant that golf courses were forced to close from November to March, it in fact allowed greenkeepers to carry out course maintenance that had been neglected over the summer due to the busy season.

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Despite challenging spring weather, the natural grass in this production field looks very good.

The spring weather is bringing many challenges. After a wet winter, we are now in a period of low rainfall and variable temperatures. Over the month of March there have been incidences of snowfall and highs of 22 degrees Celsius (71.6 degrees Fahrenheit)—all within a matter of days. Despite the challenges that the UK weather can bring, the TGA members are looking forward to another successful season.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

ASSOCIATION UPDATES

Harvesting is underway in this turfgrass production field.

Prior to the summer we will be hosting another virtual meeting. On this occasion, we are providing a platform for our associate members to update the grower members on their latest technologies and product information. After a year where there has been little opportunity to catch up, the updates will be most valuable.

The TGA would like to thank Executive Director Dr. Casey Reynolds and Turfgrass Producers International for the opportunity to update TPI members on our association. We look forward to strengthening the relationship between our two associations.

Keep safe!

In our update in the last issue of Turf News, we announced that we have now launched our new TGA website which can be accessed at the same website address www.turfgrass.co.uk.

Please visit it if you have not yet done so. The aim of the new site was for it to be more consumer friendly, engaging, and informative, and it will also host more interesting information that you can share with your customers.

With the launch of the new website, we are also launching a “Meet the Grower” section. Each month there will be an opportunity for one of our grower members to introduce themselves and their company, both on our website and via our social media channels.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

Coral Russell is the Company Secretary for the TGA, managing all processes involved with running the day to day with the Association.

For more information, visit the website at www.turfgrass.co.uk, co.uk, or contact her at Coral.Russell@britishgrowers.org.

The logo and all photos courtesy of the Turfgrass Growers Association (TGA).

53

HAPPENINGS

Mathis Kuenzi Joins Mountain View Seeds!

Mountain View Seeds has announced that Mathis Kuenzi has been added to their team. In case you are wondering if there is a connection, yes, this is Troy’s son! Mathis has been working for Farm Credit since he completed his degree at Oregon State but has been eager to get more hands-on with Ag, especially the grass seed agribusiness. He is excited to have an opportunity to come aboard and contribute to the MVS Team! Mathis is an Account Manager based in the Salem, Oregon, office.

Outside of work, Mathis enjoys fishing, dirt bike riding, and swimming. He and his wife recently purchased their first home and have been busy with house projects!

Mathis can be reached at mkuenzi@mtviewseeds.com or on his cell at 503-910-4058. For more information on Mountain View Seeds, visit www.mtviewseeds.com.

Green Industry Contractors and Suppliers Rally with SiteOne and Build Champions Place Champions Place is a group home for physically challenged young adults.

SiteOne® Landscape Supply, alongside customers and suppliers, proudly invested time, talent, and materials at Champions Place to create a special outdoor living space for its residents.

Champions Place is made possible by Champions Community Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving physically challenged young adults who have aged out of high school programs. It is committed to significantly improving the lives of young adults with physical disabilities, enabling them to reach their full potential as self-reliant, productive, and fulfilled citizens in their local community. Watch the outdoor transformation and hear from Champions Place residents on how meaningful this project was on SiteOne’s YouTube channel available at the link that follows. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=WCzxgCtPt_c “It is an honor and privilege to team up with our partners to make this space a reality for the exceptional young men and women who call Champions Place home,” said Doug Black, CEO of SiteOne Landscape Supply. “This was a total team effort from those in the industry who truly believe in being stronger together, to make a big impact in the communities we serve.”

Randy Moody, Area Sales Manager at SiteOne Landscape Supply, oversaw the project. He said there were quite a few challenges they ran into, but the results of Champions Place were amazing. “The living space is state-of-the-art and looks great,” said Moody. “However, through the landscaping, we were really able to transform Champions Place into a true home.”

Over $325,000 in materials and installation services were gifted to Champions Place. The installation of the project included: 23 irrigation zones, 100 trees, 1,600 plants, 36,500 square feet of TifTuf Bermuda sod, 3,500 square feet of paver patio, 5,000 square feet of synthetic turf, a drainage system, an outdoor kitchen, a fire pit, water features and entrance signage.

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Former Jacklin Seed GM Pleads Guilty to Multiple Schemes Christopher (Chris) Claypool, 52, former general manager of Jacklin Seed Company, has plead guilty to several counts in U.S. Federal Court in Oregon. The charges included conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. He admitted to mislabeling, pyramid, and real estate investment schemes that defrauded customers and the company and netted Claypool more than $12 million.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 21. Prosecutors are reported to be seeking a four-year prison term if he follows the conditions of his pre-sentencing release, including paying $8.3 million in restitution to Simplot plus unpaid taxes. The schemes ran from 2015 through August of 2019. Each count in the indictments carried a maximum of 20 years on each charge.

Jacklin was owned by J.R. Simplot until last fall when they announced the sale to the Royal Barenbrug Group. According to court records, the seed-pricing scheme started in 2015 and continued through 2019. Claypool and defendant Richard Dunham, of Oregon, agreed to start selling lower-grade grass seed that was fraudulently packaged as more expensive varieties.

“As a result of the unauthorized substitutions and false invoices … Simplot refunded buyers at least $1,108,401.44,” court records state. “This amount represents the defrauded purchasers’ combined losses from this scheme.”

Claypool admitted working with an independent travel agent in Spokane, starting in 2014, to submit inflated invoices to Simplot for Claypool’s business travel. “The invoices submitted as part of this scheme billed Simplot many times the actual cost of the airfare defendant used and sometimes billed for travel that defendant never undertook,” according to court records.

Simplot was overcharged more than $500,000 and the agent then gave most of that money back to Claypool in the form of kickback payments, court records state.

In addition to those schemes, Claypool admitted working with a Jacklin employee based in China to divert Jacklin funds through banks in Hong Kong and China to purchase property in Hawaii as a means to avoid detection by the Internal Revenue Service.

Leadership Changes at Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science James (Jim) Murphy, extension specialist in turfgrass management, and Stacy Bonos, professor of turfgrass breeding, have been named director and associate director respectively of the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science, effective January 1, 2021.

Murphy joined the Rutgers faculty in 1991 as an assistant extension specialist and was promoted in 2006 to extension specialist in the Department of Plant Biology. His research focuses on the development of environmentally-sound, best management practices in multiple turfgrass systems to improve stress tolerance, suppress disease, and reduce fungicide use.

Bonos joined the Rutgers faculty as an assistant professor in 2001 and was promoted in 2017 to professor in the Department of Plant Biology. Her research focuses on developing cool-season turfgrasses for enhanced stress and pest tolerance and environmental sustainability, as well as breeding switchgrass for use as biofuels.

Bruce Clarke, extension specialist in turfgrass pathology, served as director of the center since July 1993, and William (Bill) Meyer, professor of turfgrass breeding, served as associate director since joining the faculty in 1996. Together, they have provided more than 50 years of combined and outstanding leadership of the center and its award-winning programs.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

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55

HAPPENINGS

Pratum Co-op Adds Landmark Turf Division to Offerings The Pratum Co-op board of directors and management have announced that they have purchased the turf division of Landmark Turf & Native Seed. The acquisition was finalized April 1.

Pratum will now market turf and forage grasses under both the Mountain View and Landmark brands. “We believe a two-brand strategy makes a lot of sense for our growing company,” says Pratum Co-op President Troy Kuenzi. Landmark’s seed is sold worldwide with focus on the sod, sports turf, golf, and landscape segments. Pratum will build on the great brands and varieties that Landmark’s customers have come to appreciate. We want the Landmark customer to experience a seamless transition,” said Executive Vice President Aaron Kuenzi.

Landmark’s Vice President John Brader said, “Pratum Co-op has an exceptional reputation of integrity, customer service, and innovation. It’s a great fit. Pratum’s resources will fuel the growth of our business and provide opportunity to our turf team and customers.”

Pratum Co-op of Salem, Oregon, established in 1946, is an independent and locally owned cooperative delivering agronomy, energy, research, seed processing, and marketing to 400 active members throughout Oregon. Combining the two brands, Pratum will market over 90 million pounds of turf, forage, and cover crop seed worldwide.

Vegas Calls for Ban on “Nonfunctional Turf” According to an AP report, a “… desert city built on a reputation for excess and indulgence wants to become a model for restraint and conservation with a first-in-the-nation policy banning grass that nobody walks on.”

Las Vegas-area water officials have spent two decades trying to get people to replace thirsty greenery with desert plants, and now they’re asking the Nevada Legislature to outlaw roughly 40 percent of the turf that’s left.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority estimates there are almost 8 square miles (21 square kilometers) of “nonfunctional turf ” in the metro area—grass that no one ever walks on or otherwise uses in street medians, housing developments, and office parks.

They say this ornamental grass requires four times as much water as drought-tolerant landscaping like cactus and other succulents.

By ripping it out, they estimate the region can reduce annual water consumption by roughly 15 percent and save about 14 gallons (53 liters) per person per day.

Keep an eye out for more information on this initiative that balances on suppositions rather than the facts on all of the benefits of natural grass and proper natural grass maintenance.

56

NFL Player Calls for Natural Grass Fields Only In a story posted on the NBC Sports website on February 14, Mike Florio reports that 49ers defensive lineman, Solomon Thomas, calls for “grass only fields” for all NFL teams. While the football season officially ended on February 7, Florio says, “For the 49ers, it unofficially ended 20 weeks earlier. It ended in Week Two, with a stunning rash of leg injuries on the turf at MetLife Stadium.” Florio goes on to say, “One of the players lost for the season in that game against the Jets, defensive lineman Solomon Thomas, wants the NFL to ditch the fake stuff and play only on the real thing.”

Thomas told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, “The NFL needs to do a better job with turf. It should be all grass fields. We should take care of our players. Safety should be number one.”

Florio states, “Plenty of players feel that way, and for good reason. The teams make gigantic financial investments in players.

But then the teams don’t protect those investments by putting the players on the best possible fields.”

As reported previously in Turf News, “The NFL Players Association has presented data from 2012 through 2018 showing non-contact knee injuries happened 32 percent more often on artificial surfaces and non-contact foot/ankle injuries happened 69 percent more often on the plastic grass.”

Florio says, “While grass may be a challenge in some locations, the Packers have impeccable grass at Lambeau Field. If they can do it in Wisconsin, it can be done anywhere.”

He adds, “Of course, some teams don’t do grass well, either.

For some teams, that’s because the field is shared with a college team—and because the stadium periodically hosts high-school games. Throw in the profit grab that comes from staging concerts and other events in the venue, and it becomes easier and cheaper to go with plastic grass.”

Florio suggests that one solution might be building or renovating stadiums with a grass field that slides in or out of the building as it does in Arizona and Las Vegas, or the renovated Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London.

Florio concludes by stating, “The NFL’s sole product is football.

Football is played on a field. That field should be covered in high-quality grass with proper footing. It shouldn’t be hard.

Either it is, or the people responsible for the sport don’t care enough to make it happen. The complete article can be found at: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/02/14/solomon-thomascalls-on-nfl-to-use-grass-fields-only/

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

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TURF INDUSTRY NEWS Third Wave of Pandemic Thwarts demopark 2021 Just a few weeks after the decision to postpone demopark 2021 to the fall, Germany and many other parts of the world were hit with a third wave of the coronavirus. Europe's largest open-air exhibition for the green sector is taking a break this year due to the pandemic. "In view of the uncertain situation, we decided with a heavy heart not to let demopark 2021 take place," says Dr. Bernd Scherer, demopark trade fair director and managing director of the VDMA agricultural technology industry association. The decision, which the trade fair advisory board made unanimously, was "currently without any alternative, as the protection of visitors and exhibitors is our highest goal."

The dates are now set for June 18-20, 2023. More information at www.demopark.de.

14th ITRC Postponed to July 10 -15, 2022 Maria Strandberg, ITS President and STERF director, provided the following information in the 14th ITRC. The coronavirus situation all over the world does not look very optimistic and we all have to face long-term restrictions regarding traveling, gathering and conferences. According to the Health Directorate of EU, the sanctions and restrictions related to the Corona/ Covid-19 situation will last at least for the next eight months; effects of general vaccination are not expected to be seen until the autumn of 2021.

Due to this uncertainty created by the global Covid-19 pandemic, the ITS board made the final decision in December 2020, to postpone the 14th International Turfgrass Research Conference to 2022. ITS board is currently considering the implications of postponing the conference to 2022 in terms of ITS membership etc. and further communication will follow.

The ITRC2021 has been renamed to ITRC2022 and the dates are now set for July 10-15, 2022, as an on-site conference according to the existing plans. The venue at Copenhagen University and the hotel reservations are rebooked without any extra costs. The conference organizer CAP Partner has agreed to the postponement. Main sponsors for the conference have been contacted and are all in favor of postponing the conference.

Conference program, technical tours, the one-day practitioners´ seminar, and social events will be rearranged and set up in 2022 according to the existing plans. More information at: www.itrc2022.org In conjunction with the postponement of the ITRC a second call for papers has been issued.

The ‘Standards for International Turfgrass Society Research Journal’ have been revised to make a clearer distinction between ‘Short communications’ and ‘Technical papers.’ The Standards are accessible at the conference website www.itrc2022.org and the Wiley ITSRJ subsite: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ journal/25731513.

The deadlines for the second call have been set to: Full papers: June 1, 2021, Short communications: September 1, 2021, and Technical papers: January 1, 2022.

58

The Turfgrass Producers of Texas Launch Your Texas Lawn To address lawn care questions specific to Texas homeowners, the Turfgrass Producers of Texas have launched Your Texas Lawn at YourTexasLawn.com as a resource and online community focused on lawn care issues for Texans.

Your Texas Lawn is designed to help Texans solve problems in their current lawn, or, if in need of a new lawn, help select the right sod for their region’s climate and soil. YourTexasLawn.com offers guidelines about which types of grass will stand up to shade or drought conditions, full sun, or high traffic. Lawn maintenance tips are specific to growing and caring for grass in Texas. Many of the resources available on Your Texas Lawn were produced by the Texas turfgrass specialists at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

“We know that Texas is special, right down to our lawns. Your Texas Lawn was developed to offer videos and information for Texas only,” said Brent Batchelor, executive director of the Turfgrass Producers of Texas. “Through Your Texas Lawn, they’ll learn how to select the right grass for their part of Texas, how to install it, fertilize it, mow it, and take care of it. Because lawns are about more than just grass. That’s why we say: Your Texas Lawn, Feels Like Home.” Check out the features at YourTexasLawn.com.

The purpose of YourTexasLawn.com is to help Texans avoid searching the internet endlessly through turfgrass maintenance information that does not apply to the climate, soil, or environment of Texas. YourTexasLawn.com pulls together lawn care and grass selection information developed by Texas turf experts for Texas homeowners. You can also join the Your Texas Lawn Facebook Community at https://www.facebook.com/ YourTexasLawn/ NALP’s National Lawn Care Month Toolkit Coloring Book Though the April is … National Lawn Care Month promotion has ended, much from that campaign to educate the public about the benefits of healthy lawns can be used year-round. In 2021, NALP, the developer and promoter of the initial idea, focused their efforts on the ways that lawns and landscapes help fight climate change. With TPI and TLI both industry partners in this promotion, TPI members have access to the free resources in the NALP National Lawn Care Month Toolkit. You may want to download one of those resources, a coloring book handout, to share with the young family members of your residential customers and with the youth groups that come for tours of your sod farm. The coloring book is available by contacting Turf News co-editor Suz Trusty at suztrusty@TurfGrassSod.org or by accessing the Toolkit at the link that follows. https://www.landscapeprofessionals.org/LP/News-Pubs/Lawn_ Care_Month/LP/Membership/national-lawn-care-month.aspx.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

TURF INDUSTRY NEWS HRI Issues Research Grants That May Impact TPI Members The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the foundation of AmericanHort, has announced the portfolio of research projects to be funded in 2021. Projects range from innovations to crop production for both greenhouse and nursery segments, emergent consumer research, pollinator research, and plant disease projects.

A total of $364,000 will be awarded this year.

The two research awards in the “Gathering Consumer Insights” area have the potential to impact natural grass sod producers. The first, “Gardening purchase motivation and satisfaction during Covid-19 isolation and their effects on likelihood to buy again,” will be coordinated by Dr. Bridget Behe, professor of horticulture, Michigan State University. Dr. Behe reported on her previous research in this area during a presentation titled, “Consumer Perspective on Lawns: Captivate Their Emotional Side” during TPI’s 2020 International Education Conference & Field Day. An article recapping that presentation appeared on page 36 of the May/June 2020 issue of Turf News.

The scope of this project follows. The Covid-19 pandemic ignited a big interest in plants. Understanding why and how much of that will influence future plant purchases is the focus of a study to be conducted by Drs. Behe and Huddleston at Michigan State University. They will survey both plant purchasers and nonpurchasers to discover how their attitudes and motivations for buying (or not buying) plants differ. Results from 2021 data will be compared to 2020 data. Growers, wholesalers, and retailers should all benefit from a better understanding of consumer perceptions this study will provide to improve their sales and communications.

The second funded project, “Growing Green Industry Profits from an Emerging Market of Plantspeople,” will be coordinated

by Dr. John L. Campbell of the University of Georgia. The scope of this project follows. Recently, the horticulture world has seen an influx of new plantspeople entering the marketplace. These new consumers are providing new challenges and opportunities for our industry. This project will provide insight and tools, developed from consumer research, to equip horticulture industry stakeholders to better engage emerging audiences and convert them into lifelong buyers.

For more information on these research projects, click on the link: https://www.hriresearch.org/2021-funded-projects The Four Priority Areas of HRI’s Research Awards are Quantifying Plant Benefits, Creating Innovative Solutions, Producing Practical and Actionable Solutions, and Gathering Consumer Insights.

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), founded in 1962, has provided more than $8 million in funds to research projects covering a broad range of production, environmental, and business issues important to the green industry. Nearly $11 million is committed to the endowment by individuals, corporations, and associations. For more information about HRI, its grant-funded research, or programming, visit www.hriresearch.org or contact Jennifer Gray at 614-884-1155.

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

Turfgrass Being Rethought as Pollinator Food Source

An article in Turf magazine on research from USDA’s Agricultural Research Service reports certain turfgrasses can serve as a food source for pollinators. Turfgrasses have been blamed in the past for the decline of these extremely important insects. This new research suggests that bad rap is unfair. At least five pollinator species have been found foraging on grass flowers. Centipedegrass was the grass in this research but others are also suspected to be beneficial.

More information can be found at: https://www.turfmagazine.com/keeping-it-green/turfgrass-being Australian Research Finds Turfgrass Helps Bushfire Management Recent research out of Australia commissioned by Hort Innovation for Turf Australia, the industry body of Australia’s turfgrass production growers, found that living turfgrass and green life can play an active role in bushfire management. While the study focused on common Australian grasses, one can’t help but wonder if common U.S. grasses might yield similar results.

The study found that samples of three common grasses in Australian lawns—buffalo, couch, and kikuyu—are all highly resistant to ignition by embers. Further, even dead turf under severe moisture stress proved difficult to ignite in ignition experiments conducted at the CSIRO’s Pyrotron facility in Canberra.

The study saw repeated attempts to light the three species of grass under typical bushfire seasonal conditions. Various wind speeds were tested, as were different levels of leaf-blade moisture. After 221 ignition attempts in the Pyrotron facility only 14 percent of the samples were able to sustain ignition—and all occurred in dead grass with less than 20 percent leaf-blade moisture. No live samples sustained ignition.

Paul de Mar, natural resources and bushfire management consultant with GHD, which conducted the research, said the results are clear. “These findings tell us that watered and mowed live turfgrass lawns are not combustible under natural conditions associated with bushfires. Even lawns that are drought-stressed but provided with just enough watering to keep them alive, are highly unlikely to ignite and sustain fire spread. Essentially, for a lawn to ignite and sustain fire spread it needs to be dead and subject to extremely low moisture content,” he said.

“The findings also reinforce what has been known anecdotally for some time. It is common in post-bushfire impacted areas to observe green, or partially green lawns remaining largely undamaged by fire surrounding either unburnt houses or burnt houses where airborne ember attack has directly impacted the house, but the surrounding lawn remains unburnt.

“Similarly, it backs up the long-held operational knowledge of firefighters; that lawns are useful both to mitigate fire spread, and for providing defendable space near houses. Lawns and walkways are a form of firebreak which interrupt the path of surface fire spread. They can’t stop airborne embers, but they can provide defendable space from where such embers can be safely put out.”

For a Fact Sheet on the benefits of natural turf as a bushfire/ wildfire retardant, click link. https://www.turfmagazine.com/ industry-news/australian-research-finds-turf-helps-bushfiremanagement/

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WEATHER WATCH GRACE-Based Root Zone Soil Moisture Drought Indicator April 05, 2021

Wetness percentiles are relative to the period 1948-2012 The root zone is defined as the top 1 meter of soil Cell Resolution 0.25 degrees Projection of this document is Times (World)

https://nasagrace.unl.edu

Scientists at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GRACE-FO) generate these groundwater and soil moisture drought indicators each week. They are based on terrestrial water storage observations derived from GRACE-FO satellite data and integrated with other observations, using a sophisticated numerical model of land surface water and energy processes. The drought indicators describe current wet or dry conditions, expressed as a percentile showing the probability of occurrence for that particular location and time of year, with lower values (warm colors) meaning dryer than normal, and higher values (blues) meaning wetter than normal. These are provided as both images, such as the map above, and binary data files.

This information is available on the website https://nasagrace.unl.edu/.

Maps and binary data files are generated showing the Root Zone Soil Moisture Percentile, the Surface Soil Moisture Percentile, and the Groundwater Percentile. These are provided for the following areas: Global (as shown above), Contiguous U.S. (CONUS), Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. The Global Land indicators are at 0.25-degree resolution for all areas except CONUS, where indicators are generated at 0.125-degree resolution.

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TPI Turf News May/June 2021

TURF MARKETPLACE See It In Action On

Kleen Sweep Vac

KLEEN SWEEP VAC-320 Phone: 519-527-2929 Fax: 519-527-2150 P.O. Box 818, 21 Birch St., Seaforth, ON N0K 1W0 Website: www.advancedequipmentsales.ca

THE WORLDS WIDEST GRASS COLLECTOR - www.trilo.com

Telephone: North America 864.332.9776 - Rest of the world +31 (0)33.456.4550

Directory

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

61

CLASSIFIED ADS

Visit TurfGrassSod.org to view the advertiser's photos or click on the camera icon in the electronic version of this page.

/RRNLQJ WR ¿OO D SRVLWLRQ" FOR SALE: 2003 Progressive 36' mower. Asking $25,000 USD. Please contact Bruce at 403-347-7211 or bmcewen@bg-rd.com.

TPI CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING— TARGETED TO TURFGRASS PRODUCERS WORLDWIDE

FOR SALE: Trebro accumulator off an older auto stack.

Excellent condition, very low hours. Comes complete, located in Philadelphia area. Asking $3,000.

Please contact Fred at fred@brommslullaby.com or 215-651-5223.

Buying or selling equipment, supplies, properties, or looking for employees or employment opportunities?

TPI classified advertising is the answer! Reach your target market with a free or low cost classified ad in Turf News magazine and on the TPI website at www.TurfGrassSod.org.

FOR SALE: 2018 Progressive TDR26 roller mower. Bought new in November 2018. Comes with parts package including belts, new spare spindle, new spare roller.

Lightly used, like new mower. Asking $35,000 or OBO. Please call 205-965-5245 for more information.

The classified ad section is the first place many TPI members look when they receive the most recent issue of Turf News magazine and the most viewed area on the TPI website.

FOR SALE: 2019 Northwest tiller, 14 ft. wide. Heavy duty dual drive reverse tiller. Low hours, asking $49,000.

Please call Glen Gusta at 204-268-5130.

All classified ads are posted to the TPI website within 24 hours of approval and featured in the next issue of Turf News!

FOR SALE: 2013 Auto Stack II small roll harvester with dual auto steer, pallet lifter. This unit was purchased new in 2013. Currently has 3700 hours, used daily. Well maintained, newer tires, new conveyor belt, rebuilt accumulator tray, many extra parts. Very clean, asking $150,000.

For more information please call Jay Savage at 413-773-0590.

FOR SALE – PRICE REDUCED: 2015 Brouwer Robomax 24" harvester with only 2164 hours. Clean Midwest machine!

Used daily, excellent condition, new machine arriving in December. Located in Hampton, MN. Asking $165,000.

Please contact Craig at 651-463-2302.

FOR SALE: 3- Brouwer hydraulic 3-point hitch, big roll attachment for laying 2' big rolls. Like new. Asking $250/ each.

Please contact Glennon Keeven at keevenbrothers@ yahoo.com or 636-240-4900.

HELP WANTED: Looking to hire an Assistant Farm Manager for a large sod farm near Calhoun, GA. Farming experience or education is required. Salary range from $40k - $70k/year.

Email resume to kerri@ngturf.com or call Kerri at 470481-0034 with any questions.

TPI Member: FREE Non-Member: $50 Rates are determined in one-inch vertical increments.

Please estimate approximately 65 words per inch.

Photos are limited to the website and no more than two photographs per ad.

View full details at www.TurfGrassSod.org/classifieds Deadline: 30-days prior to Turf News issue date (e.g., July/August Turf News issue, ad is due by June 1).

Upload your classified ad at: www.TurfGrassSod.org/classifieds or send to Geri Hannah via... email: ghannah@TurfGrassSod.org fax: 847-649-5678 mail: Turfgrass Producers International 444 E. Roosevelt Road #346 | Lombard, IL 60148 U.S.A All classified ads are subject to review; TPI does not endorse any ad and reserves the right to edit or decline any ad.

62

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

AD INDEX FOR MAY/JUNE TURF NEWS MAGAZINE Advanced Equipment …………………………...………...…. 33, 61

Progressive Turf Equipment, Inc. ….……..…………………….… 3

Brouwer Kesmac …….…………………………..….………… 21, 61

R&R Products, Inc. ……….……………..……………………….. 31

Cameron Financial ……………………..………………………… 61

Summit Seed – Profile Products ………………………………… 47

Columbia River Seed …………………..……………..…………… 5

TAMANET (USA) …………………….………………………... 25

FireFly Automatix ……………………………..………….……… 57

The Lawn Institute ……………………….………………………. 61

Jonathan Green & Sons, Inc. …………….……………………… 41

Trebro Manufacturing, Inc. ……………………………………… 27

KWMI …………………………………………………..……. 39, 61

Trilo …………………………………..……………………………. 61

Landmark Turf & Native Seed ……….…….. Outside Back Cover

Turf Logistics ………………………..……………………………. 37

Magnum ……………………………...… Inside Front Cover, 50-51

Turf Tick Products BV ……………………...…. Inside Back Cover

Mountain View Seeds …………..………………………………. 35

Turfgrass Producers International ………..….…………....... 55, 61

Pennington Seed …………………………..……………………… 29

WELCOME NEW & RETURNING MEMBERS Don Daringer Sod Father 6757 Ridge Road Lincoln, NE 68512 402-430-8595 ddaringer@neb.rr.com

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

Steve Atwood Landscaping-Plus 2702 Ravine Road Kalamazoo, MI 49004 269-344-6727 satwood@landscaping-plus.com

Bill Adams Fosters Sod Farm 7000 Black Warrior Rd. Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 205-614-0198 wca227@gmail.com

63

TURF INDUSTRY CALENDAR Editor’s note: Due to the coronavirus outbreak many events around the world have been CANCELLED or postponed. The following information was up to date as of April 10, 2021. Please check the websites listed for the most current information as you do your planning.

2021 MAY

NOVEMBER

May 23-25 - Rescheduled from August 30-September 1, 2020 TurfBreed Conference Marcoola, Queensland, Australia https://www.ivvy.com.au/event/TGC20

JULY July 19-20 Lawn Solutions Australia Conference Coolangetta, Gold Coast, Australia simon@lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au/

November 2-3 UAC Georgia Sod Producers Field Day and 74th Annual Southeastern Turfgrass Conference Tifton, GA https://urbanagcouncil.com/sod-producers-field-day/ November 14-17 Southeast Regional Sports Turf Conference & Trade Show Myrtle Beach, SC https://sesportsturf.org

DECEMBER

July 27-28 Rutgers Turfgrass Research Field Days New Brunswick, NJ https://njta.wildapricot.org/

December 7-9 New Jersey Green Expo Atlantic City, NJ https://njta.wildapricot.org

AUGUST

FUTURE EVENTS 2022

August 16 Rutgers Turfgrass Research Golf Classic Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club Bedminster, NJ https://njta.wildapricot.org/

Feb 14-17 TPI 2022 International Education Conference & Field Day San Diego, CA https://www.TurfGrassSod.org/events/

SEPTEMBER

JULY

September 26-28 - Postponed to June 18-20, 2023 demopark 2021 Turf Show with Golf and Sports Turf Eisenach, Germany https://demopark.de/en/

July 10-15 - Rescheduled from July 11-16, 2021 ITRC 14th International Turfgrass Research Conference Copenhagen, Denmark https://itrc2022.org/

OCTOBER October 20 NC Sod Producers Field Day Laurinburg, NC https://ncsod.org/events/ October 20-22 GIE+EXPO Louisville, KY https://www.gie-expo.com/

If you are planning an industry event of interest to our readers please send the information to: creynolds@TurfGrassSod.org and put “Industry Calendar” in the subject line.

64

TPI Turf News May/June 2021

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