The State Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Issues Research and Evaluation Group (SFIREG) was in West Tennessee from June 5-7 to tour farms and discuss pesticide issues relevant to U.S. Farmers. As part of their conference, they spent the morning of June 6th on TPI President Bob McCurdy’s sod farm in Dyer, TN where Bob McCurdy and Casey Reynolds, PhD shared information about the sod farming industry. You can read more about this event by clicking the link below. Thanks to Kim Brown, Extension specialist at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) and lead organizer of the event for organizing this tour.

The National Turfgrass Federation is seeking help with two proposals for current and upcoming Farm Bill discussions. Those proposals include seeking new potential research avenues under the current farm bill’s High Priority Research & Extension section.  NTF got turf language in the 2018 bill (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) which defines its research priorities under the National Turfgrass Research Initiative.  Traditionally, AFRI awards have been allocated almost exclusively to traditional row crop/food and fiber agriculture.  NTF believes the National Turfgrass Research Initiative (NTRI) would open opportunities for more turfgrass research which addresses critical needs.  Among those would include environmental protection, consumer health and athlete safety, solutions for sustainable turfgrass cultivars and management systems, and increased innovative techniques to address these and future issues.  NTRI’s proposed annual authorized funding level would not exceed $20,000,000 per fiscal year, and matching funds and performance reviews would be part of this proposal as directed by Congress.

The second initiative is a Turfgrass Economic Value Statistics Study. It would be national in scope and conducted once every five years by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).   NTF proposes a TurfgrassEconomic Value and Utilization survey to be conducted every five years by USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS).  Comprehensive data would be collected to provide detailed analysis of total acreage (residential, commercial, recreational, governmental, and other areas); also, commercial and retail-related employment, equipment sales, and other economic items.  National and regional economic impacts would also be covered.  Both of these proposals could enhance and showcase the value of the natural grass industry to legislators, policy-makers, and the general public.

For enactment of these two proposals, NTF is focused on the following Members: leadership on both House and Senate Agriculture Committees (Reps. Glenn Thompson, R-PA and Rep. David Scott, D-GA; and, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-MI and Sen. John Boozman, R-AR).  Additional Members include House Reps. Frank Lucas (R-OK), Jim Baird (R-IN), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Kat Cammack (R-FL), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), and Andy Harris (R-MD) and Senators. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and both of Iowa’s Republican Members Charles Grassley and Joni Ernst. If you have any connections with these representatives or their offices and would like to be involved, please reach out directly at CReynolds@TurfgrassSod.org or (847) 737-1846.

he U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that commodity and specialty crop producers impacted by natural disaster events in 2020 and 2021 will soon begin receiving emergency relief payments totaling approximately $6 billion through the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) new Emergency Relief Program (ERP) to offset crop yield and value losses.

“For over two years, farmers and ranchers across the country have been hard hit by an ongoing pandemic coupled with more frequent and catastrophic natural disasters,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “As the agriculture industry deals with new challenges and stressors, we at USDA look for opportunities to inject financial support back into the rural economy through direct payments to producers who bear the brunt of circumstances beyond their control. These emergency relief payments will help offset the significant crop losses due to major weather events in 2020 and 2021 and help ensure farming operations are viable this crop year, into the next growing season and beyond.”

Click Read More below to learn more about this and other USDA programs.

On April 28^th, 2022 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its Interim Review Decision on several pesticides as part of its periodic review of pesticide registrations. One active ingredient that is of key interest to sod producers is oxadiazon, a pre-emergence herbicide labeled for use on many weed species of annual grasses, primarily crabgrass and goosegrass.

TPI has been working with EPA on this registration review since at least August of 2021 when the Proposed Interim Registration Review Decision was posted to the EPA’s public document in the U.S. Federal Register. As a result, TPI and nine individual sod producers from the states of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas submitted comments for EPA’s consideration on oxadiazon’s importance in sod farms and the potential impacts of this registration review decision on those who use it.

Most of the proposed changes to the oxadiazon label revolve around rate reductions, limitations on liquid applications, post-application irrigation, and others. A summary of the EPA’s recommendations from the Interim Registration Review are as follows:

For Sod Farms

• Oxadiazon will be classified as a Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP)
• A yearly maximum application rate of 6.0 lbs ai/acre/year for all use sites, reduced from a previous maximum of 8.0 lbs ai/acre.
• A single maximum application rate of 3.0 lbs ai/acre, reduced from a previous maximum of 4.0 lbs ai/acre.
• Up to two liquid applications per year of oxadiazon
• A 60-day re-treatment interval is required between applications
• A 10-foot vegetative buffer is required between treated areas and surface water
• Thorough post-application irrigation is required as soon as possible on the same day of application

For other Turf Sites (golf courses, parks, athletic fields)

• Oxadiazon will be classified as a Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP)
• A yearly maximum application rate of 6.0 lbs ai/acre/year for all use sites
• A single maximum application rate of 3.0 lbs ai/acre, reduced from a previous maximum of 4.0 lbs ai/acre.
• Limit of one liquid application per year at a max rate of 3 lbs ai/acre
• Golf courses only – Restrict treatment of up to 30% of golf course managed turf with a required 10-ft vegetative surface water buffer
• Golf courses only – Allow up to two granular applications at 4lbs ai/A in areas of heavy weed pressure only
• Prohibit Mechanically Pressurized Handgun (MPHG) on all sites except golf course turf
• Restrict liquid backpack applications in turf to spot treatments only (1,000 sq ft or less)

One particular comment worth noting is that continued registration on non-agricultural, non-golf turf sites (athletic fields, parks, institutional turf, etc.) will currently be allowed until a pending review of new required studies are complete regarding the transfer of residue under these new labeling requirements.

TPI will continue to work with EPA to provide public comment on these recommended changes in the Interim Review Decision for oxadiazon. A Federal Register Notice has announced the availability of the oxadiazon Interim Decision, and a final registration review decision for oxadiazon will only be made after EPA completes additional requirements.

As always, we seek and welcome input from sod producers on these and other regulatory affairs. Last but certainly not least, thanks to those sod producersand representatives of other industries who logged onto provide public comment on this important product. Thanks also to EPA staff for working with our industry on this and addressing many of our needs in this decision.

EPA Proposes changes to Oxadiazon label in Sod Farms and other sites

The EPA has posted a Proposed Interim Decision for oxadiazon and TPI is working on behalf of sod farms to provide much needed feedback on the impacts to our industry. With significant changes to the oxadiazon label proposed, EPA needs to hear your expert opinions on the proposed mitigations in order to maintain the utility of this tool for weed control in sod farms. We would greatly appreciate your feedback to our questions below and your willingness to submit comments to EPA by November 3rd. The industry is currently seeking an extension but have yet to confirm whether or not it will be granted.

Summary of EPA Identified Issues with Oxadiazon and Proposed Mitigations 

Proposed pattern and rate reductions for all liquid and granular formulations

• Use on turfgrass will be limited to golf course fairways and sod farms only
• Yearly maximum use rate to be reduced from 8 lb ail/A to 6 lb ai/A
• The single maximum application rate reduced from 4 lb ai/A to 3 lb ai/A
• Applications are limited to 2 per year – spring and fall
• Liquid applications will be limited to 1 per year
• There must be a 120-day retreatment interval between applications
• Applications to sports fields is prohibited, included at planting/new construction

Key Impacts on Sod Farmers

“Flexibility in use and timing is one of the key items we need to address with EPA”, says Dr. Casey Reynolds of TPI. Sod farms don’t always follow the typical timing of golf courses, athletic fields, and other sites. Many of those sites will apply oxadiazon at the same time each spring to prevent summer annual weeds, but in sod farms it is often applied after harvest and at new plantings throughout the year. Another item that needs to be addressed is new construction and sprigging of athletic fields. If sod farmers who also install natural grass sprigs or sod on newly constructed athletic fields lose oxadiazon in these scenarios, then it will almost certainly have a significant impact on those projects.

“We have not lost sight of the fact that we will retain oxadiazon as a key tool for weed control in sod production and need to share that with the EPA as well”, says Dr. Reynolds. “We have been working with other key industry partners and the EPA on this important topic and will continue to work on this on behalf of all sod farmers.”

Instructions for Providing Comments to EPA 

We would greatly appreciate direct submission of comments by sod farmers to EPA on refining the use patterns and rates for sod farms. The public comment docket is located at Oxadiazon Public Comment Docket or at the “Comment Here” link below. Once you have entered into the portal, click the blue box in the top left corner titled “Comment”

All comments must include Docket# EPA-HQ-OPP-2014-0782.

Please reach out to Dr. Casey Reynolds at CReynolds@TurfgrassSod.org or 847-737-1846 for more information or for assistance with providing public comment.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is updating the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) for contract producers of eligible livestock and poultry and producers of specialty crops and other sales-based commodities. CFAP 2, which assists producers who faced market disruptions in 2020 due to COVID-19, is part of USDA’s broader Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. Additionally, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has set an Oct. 12 deadline for all eligible producers to apply for or modify applications for CFAP 2.

Reps. Cuellar (S-TX), Joyce (R-OH) and a bipartisan group of lawmakers just introduced the “H-2B Returning Worker Exception Act,” which would create a permanent H-2B returning worker cap exemption and include some program efficiency and integrity measures. AmericanHort and the H-2B Workforce Coalition have been working with the bill sponsors to create a common sense permanent solution to the H-2B cap issue.

Click Read More below to learn more.

The USDA announced on March 24th that they will be re-opening and expanding pandemic assistance programs to provide Covid-19 relief to producers. This announcement included 4 parts with the following focus:

1. Investing $6 billion to expand help and assistance to more producers
2. Adding $500 million of new funds to existing programs
3. Carrying out payments under CFAP 1, CFAP 2, and CFAP AA
4. Re-opening the CFAP 2 sign-up period to improve access and outreach to underserved producers

This announcement also provides further clarity on when farmers who applied for CFAP 2 assistance by the February 26th deadline will begin to receive payments. The USDA will be finalizing routine decisions and minor formula adjustments on current and past applications and begin processing payments for certain applications that were filed as part of CFAP assistance, including those filed by turfgrass sod farmers. They will also re-open CFAP 2 for a new sign-up period for at least 60 days beginning April 5th, 2021.

As always, TPI will work with the Farm Service Agency to provide and updates and clarity to turfgrass sod farmers and we are always here to help if you have questions. You can also contact your local FSA office, visit www.farmers.gov, or click Read More below for additional information.