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TPI Releases Weed, Insect, & Disease Control For Turfgrass Producers

TPI members will see a brand new resource hitting their mailboxes soon. The 2020 TPI Weed, Insect, and Disease Control for Turfgrass Producers is a newly finished book that was mailed to TPI members on June 4th. The first edition contains over 110 pages of information on herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides registered for use in turfgrass production in over 30 countries. This book was authored by turfgrass faculty members at four universities and colleges in the United States and Canada and includes information relevant for use in Australia, Canada, the European Union, and the United States. It is FREE to TPI members with additional copies available for purchase for $25 each or 5 for $100.

Information included in this book includes:

Product selection, rates, application timing, etc.
Mode of Action resistance management
U.S. and international use of herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and plant growth regulators
Sprayer calibration and interpreting product labels
Photos of common insects and diseases in turfgrass production
And more…

Interested in receiving this FREE book and other TPI member benefits? Click here to learn more! https://www.turfgrasssod.org/join-tpi/

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8 Actions We Can Take Now – COVID-19

Here are 8 great “Actions We Can Take Now” to implement at your farm (and in daily life) to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.

Courtesy of Past President Jimmy Fox.

Enforce Social Distancing.
The virus can be spread more than six feet, simply by breathing. If you sneeze or cough, that distance can be 26 feet! We need to truly limit exposure.
Have a face mask policy in place at work, and at home for anyone going into public areas.
Face masks stop the person who has the virus (and doesn’t know it yet) from spreading it to others. We must all act as though we have it and protect each other! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhNo_IOPOtU
Sanitize all public surfaces, multiple times per day.
Door knobs, bathrooms, counters, tables, doorways …any surface that people touch…sanitize!
Washing hands.
Warm water and soap…done! Hand sanitizer, even better. You touch any foreign object that others also touch, sanitize!
Keep your mouth clean and rinsed.
Keep your mouth clean, it is the first potential area of entry for the virus.
If you have influence with anyone in congress, emphasize the importance of working through the guest worker visas.
Our farmers (H2A visas) and our customers (H2B visas) are all struggling for labor. Farmers are falling behind on planting and harvesting.
Look for ways to expand the “essential business” list.
If a business can operate with safe practices, and appropriate “social distancing” we need to encourage state governments to keep them open.
Stay positive and proactive.
It is easy to get depressed or have a negative attitude. One of the best things we can do as leaders is to stay positive, look for the good in others, and say something positive to those around us. Our attitude is the most contagious thing we can control, let’s use it.

TPI and Coronavirus: Shared Solutions for Farms

Date: March 23^rd, 2020

Subject: Coronavirus Impacts and Resources

Dear fellow sod producers and industry professionals,

The current coronavirus pandemic has impacted our daily lives in ways that just weeks or even days ago may have seemed incomprehensible. I am sure that the health and well-being of your families, employees, and farms are at the top of your mind. As we navigate our way through this uncharted territory the TPI Board of Trustees and Staff are diligently working to provide as much support and resources as we can to turfgrass seed and sod producers worldwide.

Facebook Group for “TPI and Coronavirus: Shared Solutions”

Log onto Facebook to see solutions like those included below and to share your own successes. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2260051950968694/about/

Provide customers more options for remote sales and pickups that reduce physical interaction
Reduce shared items (trucks, phones, computers, etc.) among employees and/or dedicate specific items to each employee where possible
Reduce or eliminate shared items such as time clocks or paper logs that multiple employees may have to touch daily
Provide EPA approved disinfectant/sanitizer in as many areas as possible
Locks sales offices and post signs to let customers know you are still open and taking orders
Post English and Spanish COVID-19 posters in the workplace (see Helpful Resources below)
Provide reporting procedures for employees to comfortably report health, known or anonymous
Check out the Facebook Group page “TPI and Coronavirus: Shared Solutions” for more tips

Helpful Resources

Covid-19: How to Protect Yourself

Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19

EPA List of Approved COVID-19 Disinfectants

Printable Posters and Brochures for the Workplace, English and Spanish

American Farm Bureau: Impacts of COVID-19 on Agriculture

USDA Coronavirus Resources

US Department of Labor Coronavirus Resources

Small Business Guidance (US SBA)

CARES Act Information

Call to Action

TPI is working hard to make sure that our voice is heard by elected officials and policymakers during these difficult times. Please contact your secretary of agriculture, elected officials, Farm Bureau, and others to let them know that your farms are part of the agricultural community and need to be included in important farm exemptions. Please reach out to TPI’s board of trustees and staff if we can help.

Sincerely,

Hank Kerfoot

TPI 2020 President

Swampy Brown Map sums up September in the Eastern US

Original article published by Angel Fritz, October 2, 2018

If you’re in the eastern United States you won’t be shocked by this article summarizing weather during the month of September. The seemingly never-ending patter of hot, humid days and nights have wreaked havoc on cool-season grasses. For the original article from the Washington Post click the link below.

A Night to Remember with Jim Novak

When my wife Kathy and I were informed months ago that the TPI Board wanted to throw a goodbye/thank you dinner to acknowledge my retirement I was somewhat apprehensive. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would the food be good? Would anyone care to sit with us? Would I have to chip-in for our portion of the meal?

Upon arriving at Morton’s Steakhouse promptly at 6:30 as requested, Kathy and I advised the hostess that we were there for the TPI function. She had no idea what we were talking about. We said, “Perhaps it’s under the name Reynolds? (Sandy or Casey),” she said, “No, we don’t have anything under TPI or Reynolds.” We were somewhat concerned that we might be at the wrong Morton’s Steakhouse, there are six in the Chicagoland area and I am noted for often getting lost. Kathy then asked, “Could it be under Turfgrass Producers International?” The hostess responded, “Oh, you mean the turfgrass people!”

We were then led through several dining areas, down a dimly lit hallway, made a few turns and finally arrived at a room filled with many familiar faces. Greetings were exchanged. And after some friendly conversation everyone scampered off to a table for dinner. The meal was delightful and so too was the conversation. After everyone finished eating Sandy Reynolds began what could be described as a poor man’s roast and I was to be the roastee!

Sandy was joined by Geri Hannah in recalling some humorous stories regarding a few of my misadventures over the years at TPI and everyone had a laugh including yours truly.

Sandy had a half dozen blown-up head shots of me, all of which depicted a seemingly troubled soul, and had placed them on ping-pong paddles. She waved each photo and proceeded to describe my expression in each photo; it went something like this: “This is the not so happy Jim. This is the grumpy Jim. This is Jim when he’s in a good mood, I know it’s hard to tell the good mood Jim from the grumpy Jim, but that’s Jim.”

After Sandy and Geri did their tag-team comedy routine, Linda Bradley advised everyone that I visit the old TPI office once a week to check the building and run the water. She then presented me with a few gifts from the board. They included a toilet plunger, a roll of bathroom tissue, a toilet scrub brush, a can of air freshener and a pair of yellow latex gloves. It can’t get much better than that after twelve years of dedicated service.

Following Linda’s presentation, Jimmy Fox got a bit more serious as he kindly acknowledged my contribution to TPI, the board and its members during my career. His thoughtful remarks, the recognition extended to me, and the response from those in attendance was deeply moving. Jimmy also presented me with a personal gift from the Board to show their appreciation for my years of service.

At the close of the evening I shared a few light-hearted and personal stories and expressed my sincere gratitude to everyone for their thoughtfulness and told them how much I appreciated the opportunity to say goodbye to everyone in such a warm setting.

After Kathy and I left the restaurant we sat in the car for a while, we looked at one another and agreed, we’re going to miss working with such wonderful people. It truly was a night to remember.

TPI Sec-Treasurer Eric Heuver and TPI President Linda Bradley taking turns toasting Jim Novak

Turfgrass Producers help out after Southern US Hurricanes

One of the farms that experienced temporary flooding was Doguet’s Diamond D Ranch Turf Farm in Nome, TX. Owner Mike Doguet is a brother to member David Doguet of Bladerunner Farms and Doguet Ventures. While much of the farm was under water, his warehouse facility was high and dry. Mike reports that his local veterinarian called and asked if the facility could be used as a staging area for hay and other livestock and pet foods. Even though Mike and family had to be rescued from their home by boat, the house itself did not flood, and he lost over 300 round bales of hay himself, he said, “Sure, anything we can do to help.” With the assistance of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service they set up a distribution system to accept donated hay and feedstuffs and disseminate it throughout the affected area. Mike reports that donations poured in from all over the country. In one afternoon alone, over 500 round bales were delivered from the supply point. Mike’s son-in-law, Matt Willey, reported, “There were trucks lined up all along the road. We had an assembly line inside the warehouse getting dog and cat food unloaded.” The supply yard was still in operation the second week of October, but was winding down.

Keith Wittig, Central Turf Farms owner, is a TPI Board of Trustees member, reported an average of four to five feet of water over his entire farm. Some areas had as much as six to eight feet and some with as little as two feet. The entire area not only had to deal with the rain falling (about 25 inches), but the amount of rainfall caused the Colorado River to flood, adding to the deluge. The major flooding occurred three to four days after the

hurricane. The rain water was being absorbed into the soil but with what wasn’t running off, the river flooding was too much.

Almost all of Wittig’s employees were affected. There was a great community effort to help. All employees were back to work by the first part of October. Wittig also wanted to make it known that he was very appreciative of the TPI members’ outreach. On Saturday, September 2, TPI Associate Executive Director Karen Cooper, who lives in New Braunfels, TX, delivered 221 pounds of chicken, 20 bags of potato chips, 350 paper plates, napkins, and plastic-ware to provide meals to over 200 first responders in the Wharton area. Wittig says, “We have been really blessed. People brought food. Calls from all over the country offered trucks, generators, anything that we might need or use.”

In addition to Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma hit Florida on September 10th, and after roaring through West and Central Florida it started breaking down as it traveled North and affected parts of Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina before officially dissipating September 16. Central Florida turf farms received the brunt of the damage. Gary Bradshaw, our Field Day host last February at SMR Farms, reports that they fared far better than some just a county away. Some of the homes on the property also suffered roof damage. Bradshaw says, “We were really blessed, many people had it far worse.”

Betsy McGill is executive director of the Turfgrass Producers of Florida. She also reports that the damage across the state was sporadic. She said that there are two farms with potential total damage. She adds, “There is going to be a lot of wait and see. Lost production and harvest time was very significant.” Damages are still being tallied, but totals to sod producers will be in the millions of dollars. There will be a definite impact on supply and on timing.