new jersey turfgrass association Clippings & Green World njta Winter 2004 Vol. 53 EXPO 2003 Thanks To Our Many Trade Show Exhibitors, Attendees & Outstanding Education Programs, Expo 2003 Was Highly Successful! 2 3 3 5 6 7 7 8 10 12 14 22 23 15 17 Table of Contents Clippings President's Message NJ Turfgrass Expo Update On The Horizon: Looking To Get Involved With The NJTA? Evergreen Foundation Survey: Homeowners Don't Want Government On Their Home Turf Buy-A-Brick Application A Tip Of The Hat To Brian Feldman Dr. Bruce Clarke Receives Distinguished Service Award Thoughts On Expo 2003 NJTA Patrons Expo 2003 Pictorial Review NJTA Salutes The Expo 2003 Exhibitors Plant & Pest Advisory Calendar of Events Green World Mowing Management As It Affects Turf Quality Dealing With A Political Hot Issue - Pesticides! Winter 2004 Vol. 52 CLIPPINGS/GREEN WORLD is published 4 times a year. New Jersey Turfgrass Association PO Box 340 Milltown NJ 08850-0340 Phone: 732-821-7134, 856-853-5973 Fax: 732-821-8157 www.njturfgrass.org President’s Message By Marie Pompei, NJTA President As I begin my second term as NJTA President, I'd like to thank all that participated in our Turf Expo in Atlantic City in December. Our attendance was up considerably which is a real testament to the high quality education program that was available and the dedication of our membership to New Jersey's turfgrass industry. The snowstorm the weekend before was perfectly timed for our benefit also, thanks to "Mother Nature"! Our conference attracted attendees from up and down the coast, Maine to Florida, and Marie Pompei NJTA President as far west as California. The solid reputation of Rutgers Turfgrass Research Program is growing and gaining much deserved respect across the country. NJTA would also like to acknowledge and thank TruGreen ChemLawn for registering 53 employees at Expo who utilized our education program as part of their ongoing technical training. Thanks also go to BASF for combining NJTA Expo and their company meetings. We plan to continue to offer our members an atmosphere for education, networking and business at Expo 2004, December 7-9, 2004. Contact Dr. Dick Caton, NJTA Executive Director at 856-853-5973 for more information on combining Expo 2004 with your company meetings. Have you purchased your brick yet for the Geiger Center's new patio? Don't miss the chance to memorialize your company, organization or self while supporting turfgrass research at Rutgers. The very attractive and functional patio will be the site of many future turfgrass functions, field days and outdoor classroom activities. Be a part of Rutgers turfgrass history and fill out the "Buy A Brick" form included in this issue of Clippings (see page 6). Plans are underway for this spring's annual Rutgers Turfgrass Research GOlf Classic which is the main fundraising event of the New Jersey Turfgrass Foundation. This year's outing is planned for Monday, May 10 at Blue Heron Pines Golf Club in Cologne, NJ, just outside of Atlantic City. Steve Chirip's committee promises us a great event at our exciting new venue, which was the site for the 2003 USGA Amateur Public Links Tournament. Look for your invitation in the mail and join us for a memorable day of golf. Can't make it? Not a golfer? Sponsorship is another way of showing your support of Rutger's Turfgrass Program. Wishing all of you a successful 2004, full of peace, good health and prosperity. Sincerely, Marie Pompei www.njturfgrass.org SFMANJ participation at Expo continues to grow. Here are some comments from their President. NJ Turfgrass Expo Update By Eleanora Murfitt-Hermann • Reprinted From Sports Field Managers Association Update, January /February 2004, Vol. 4, No. 1 The athletic field education session was another great success this year. "Synthetic Surfaces for Athletic Fields" was the hot topic as Dr. Andrew McNitt, Penn State University; Fred Stengel, Bergen Catholic High School; Dr. Henry Indyk, TurfCon GSI Consultants; and George Toma, NFL Field Consultant; filled the room with the pros and cons, humorous stories, innovative ideas and just the facts. What did I learn? If I could afford it, one of my fields would by synthetic. In my opinion, with multi-use, over-played fields, dual seasons and high expectations of the users, synthetic turf is the answer to playing all day, everyday. At the full-day session we elected new Board Directors, gave a $1000 student scholarship to Michael D'Ascanio, a Rutgers University Turfgrass student and long time member of SFMANJ, and drew names for our Company Spotlight for this issue. Alas, Wilfred MacDonald won the second year in a row. They graciously declined and we drew SFMANJ members attending the Expo athletic field Thursday session at 35+. Over 107 people overall filled the room. The trade show was as always the highlight of my day. Besides receiving cool handouts to bring back to the staff I found a plethora of information about the latest products and equipment. Thanks to everyone who stopped at the SFMANJ booth to say hi and renew their memberships. And most of all thank you all for supporting this chapter throughout the last 4 years. With your help, we have been able to bring you great educational programming and information concerning your athletic fields. We've just begun! ■ On The Horizon Looking To Get More Involved In NJTA? Chris Carson, Vice President & Nominating Committee Chairman, is accepting nominations for NJTA Board Members for positions that will open December 2004. Interested candidates can contact: Chris @ 908-232-3621 THE GRASS IS GREENER at Meadowland Ford Trucks ALWAYS 250 NEW & USED TRUCKS IN STOCK! Explorers • Excursions • Escapes • Windstars & much morel http://www.meadowlandford.com email: sales@meadowlandford.com 330 COUNTY AVENUE, AT SECAUCUS ROAD SECAUCUS NJ Opp. Motor Vehicle Inspection Station 201-617-0700 Ford Trucks STERLING Trucks A Few “Hard Core” Facts The Toro ProCore Aerator 648 ■ Just One Toro Procore 648 can do all your greens in one day. ■ Wheels set within the 48” wide coring head so that wheels don’t run over cores making clean up easier and faster. ■ Designed for Maximum Productivity delivers a true 4” hole. ■ Variable hole spacing and speedier aeration with its wider coring head. ■ 50 - 300% more productive than any other machine out there. Toro Count on it. We’ll let you be the Judge. Suppliers of Commercial Turf & irrigation Equipment Storr Tractor Company 3191 Route 22 • Somerville, New Jersey 08876 Serving the Industry Since 1945 908-722-9830 Evergreen Foundation Survey: Homeowners Don’t Want Government On Their Home Turf Reprinted From The Florida Turf Digest, November/December 2003, Vol. 20 No.6 A majority of American homeowners do not want any additional government regulation of their yard- maintenance practices, according to a national survey sponsored by the Evergreen Foundation. But there is much work to be done in educating many consumers about many aspects of our industry, including water use, fertilizer, equipment, and weed, disease and insect control products. Surveys were completed in early October by 61 adult Americans who owned single-family homes, condominiums or town homes. Those responding to the survey also ranked regulation of pesticides and fertilizers last among important government concerns including economic development, transportation, health care, human services, zoning and maintaining public spaces. “Although most homeowners (54%) don't want more regulation of their yard-care practices, we learned that many consumers don't understand that our industry already operates under a vast system of regulatory oversight on a federal and state level," said Den Gardner, executive director of the Evergreen Foundation. "We need to educate consumers that the protections already offered by our current system work well. Regulating the industry even further still is on the minds of many consumers." According to Dale Amstutz, president of the Evergreen Foundation board of directors, "Through education, we can make consumers less vulnerable to messages from people who want to restrict or even ban parts of the Green Industry." The survey was conducted by the Evergreen Foundation to help the group develop a national consumer marketing plan to promote the benefits of well- maintained lawns, landscapes and other green spaces, as well as promote those in the green industry who supply products and services to consumers. A national alliance, the Evergreen Foundation's mission is to raise the awareness of the environmental, economic and lifestyle benefits of landscapes. It currently has more than 20 major end-user associations and suppliers as contributors. Its purpose is to use the resources and influence of a national green industry alliance to create a national marketing campaign to consumers throughout the U.S. The effort will promote healthy landscapes and green spaces using public relations, public affairs, advertising and other tactics to tell the positive story of the environmental, economic and lifestyle values of well-maintained green spaces, including lawns and landscapes, sports turf, golf courses, trees, etc. The EF will take a proactive approach in dealing with the ever-alarming concerns regarding the future of the green industry related to the products and services used to create these well-maintained green spaces. The EF believes a minimum of $1-2 million is needed in the first year of the program to do the national marketing campaign. A wide range of funding plans are in development now to get contributions from end-users and suppliers of products and services to the Green Industry and consumers. A timetable and plan has been developed to carry through the next 12 months. Preliminary Findings of Evergreen Survey • Regarding property values and real estate: • More than 90% agreed that having well-maintained lawns improves property values; • 74% agreed when buying a house, the lawns and landscapes of neighbors are important; and; • 73% said when buying a house, the lawn is an important consideration. • 86% said a nice lawn is a positive reflection of the homeowner. • More than half understood that well-maintained green spaces prevent soil erosion and improve air quality. • Nine of ten respondents said they care about the environment. • 70% said spending money on landscaping is a smart investment. • 69% answered affirmatively that, "It is important to me that my neighbors take care of their lawns." • When asked, "How important is it to you and your family that the following green spaces are well- maintained?" homeowners prioritized: parks (93%), home landscape (90%), neighbors' landscapes (79%), commercial buildings (69%), boulevards (67%), athletic fields (65%), and golf courses (48%). • Given a list of issues to prioritize for local governments, regulation of pesticides and fertilizers ranked last among economic development, transportation, health care, human services, zoning and maintaining public spaces. continued on page 7 BUY-A-BRICK APPLICATION RUTGERS Center For Turfgrass Science New Jersey Turfgrass Association • The Buy-A-Brick project is an opportunity for you to leave a lasting imprint of your support for the Ralph Geiger Turfgrass Education Center by purchasing a paving brick engraved with your name or the name of your club or organization. Your engraved brick(s) will be used to pave the patio area outside the Geiger Building and support the construction. • For a limited time, a personalized brick can be yours for the donation amount of $100 per brick. Each brick may include a maximum of three lines of (13) characters (including spaces). To order your brick(s), complete the form below and mail it with your check (made payable to: “New Jersey Turfgrass Foundation”) to: NJTA, P.O. Box 340, Milltown, NJ 08850-0340 Each brick ordered may include a maximum of three (3) lines of engraving. Each line may include thirteen (13) characters (including spaces). Please complete the box below with exactly the lettering or message you desire on your brick(s). You may photocopy this form to place additional brick orders. Thank you for your support! (Please print clearly) Thank You! Your contribution is tax deductible. All proceeds benefit the Turfgrass Education Center. Please mail “Buy-A-Brick” order form with donation of $100 per brick to: NEW JERSEY TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 340 • Milltown, NJ 08850-0340 (Please print clearly) Name___________________________________________ Affiliation________________________________________ Address_________________________________________ City ____________________________________________ State__________________Zip_______________________ Business Phone__________________________________ Fax_____________________________________________ Total Amount Enclosed $100 (per brick)____________ □ My check is enclosed (payable to “New Jersey Turfgrass Foundation) □ I wish to be invoiced. □ I wish to pay by credit card. (Please contact the NJTA at 732-821-7134) Evergreen Foundation Survey continued from page 5 • More than half of homeowners say that: • They love their yards and don't want any restrictions; • Using pesticides and fertilizers is smart because they keep lawns healthy; and • Lawn-care products are generally safe. • When given a list of lawn pests, homeowners by a wide margin expressed concern about weeds (75%) with between 20% and 32% of respondents concerned about grubs, disease, ticks or moles. • 43% agreed with the statement, "Lawn and landscape care is a chore I wish I didn't have to do." • Of the respondents, 27% have a professional lawn care service and 26% have an in-ground watering system (predominantly in the Western US). Gardner said to find out if homeowners are ready to invest in their yards, respondents were asked, "If you were given a $5,000 check for home improvement, how would you most likely spend it?" "Just over half said they'd spend it on indoor remodeling, 28% said they'd upgrade their home's exterior and only 12% said they'd upgrade their lawn and landscape. That one question shows we need to educate consumers about the value of landscaping." The degree of error for the online survey is estimated at plus or minus 4%. Editor's Note: The survey was conducted by NFO Worldgroup, a global research firm known for its command of online surveys. ■ A Tip Of The Hat To Brian Feldman! Brian Feldman, NJTA Board Member, and TruGreen & ChemLawn sponsored 53 members of their organization to attend Expo 2003! ■ Awards To Rutgers Staff Just Keep On Coming! Dr. Bruce Clarke Receives Distinguished Service Award By Bruce Peeples, CGCS • Reprinted From The Greenerside, November/December 2003, Vol. 27, No. 6 When we speak of the three words that make up this honor - Distinguished, Service and Award, the name Dr. Bruce Clarke immediately comes to mind. Dr. Clarke received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Cook College in Forest Management in 1977. His Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from Rutgers University was awarded in 1982. He has been the Director of the Center for Turfgrass Science at Cook College since 1993. Also, Dr. Clarke is a professor within the two year turf program, graduate and undergraduate courses at Cook College. He is a research scientist whose work with turfgrass diseases, in particular summer patch and anthracnose, has helped golf courses and golf course superintendents not only within the United States but throughout the world as well. Dr. Clarke is a NJ Turfgrass Association Hall of Fame award winner as well as a John Reid Lifetime Achievement award winner of the Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents. He has authored numerous articles in professional publications and published two highly acclaimed books on turfgrass pathology. He is a highly-sought after speaker for educational seminars and conferences throughout the industry. We are very fortunate to have Dr. Bruce Clarke so close to us here in New Jersey. Serving on the Board of the GCSANJ has allowed many of us to get to know Dr. Clarke and we are better off for the experience. Almost every month, Dr. Clarke takes two to three hours out of a very busy schedule and listens patiently to, at times, lengthy discussions, without ever complaining. When called upon, he insists on doing what's best for the GCSANJ, not what may be easiest for Dr. Clarke. He is a tireless promoter, not of himself but for his many students, for Rutgers University, and for golf course superintendents in New Jersey. Dr. Clarke is a huge supporter of the turfgrass industry and a true friend to many of us. We are proud to present Dr. Bruce Clarke the 2003 GCSANJ Distinguished Service Award! Bruce Peeples, CGCS, vice-president of the GCSANJ, presented Dr. Clarke his award at the Fall Seminar held at the Fiddlers Elbow ■ Country Club. Each year NJTA member Frank Koslowski gives a comprehensive review of his thoughts and evaluation of Expo. We thought you would enjoy reading the entire text.... Thoughts On Expo 2003 "Happy New Year!" Are you ready for the Expo?... a week long parr-ty...?" NJTA Expo was the place to be in 2003, and I was there,...along with a large group of wonderful people, turfgrass professionals, educators, tradesmen, etc., and it was just simply fantastic!!! Every new year brings the winter seminars and trade meetings, and there's the turf field days, and the golf tournaments, they are all there, but nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to the NJTA Expo week, which is the "top shelf event" of the entire year, created and orchestrated to perfection by you and your wonderful, dedicated Expo staff! Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you, a fine group of professional individuals who work so hard, endless hours all year to make the NJTA Expo a huge success. When I received my registration packet back in October, right away I noticed some changes in the format, and was quite excited about these changes! Dr. Indyk and Joe Bianco always tell me that "change is good", so I was looking forward to seeing them unfold before me in person. Expo Monday was pretty much the same, but on Tuesday, you had four different sessions at 9 o'clockish, "Hazardous Tree ID, Golf Course Mechanics, USGA Meeting and Turfgrass Management! Wednesday's schedule was pretty much the same, but on Thursday, there was no trade show scheduled for 8 to 1, but instead, 10 to 12:30 P.M.. I liked that time slot instantly, and wonder how well that was received by other members? For the record, I personally like two hour sessions over 2 1/2 hrs, except for the General Session, so I thought Thursday's 8 to 10 A.M. Lawn & Landscape and Golf & Fine Turf was a good idea! However, after the Grand Reception and the Lobby Bar,...9 to 11 sounds a lot better than 8 to 10!! And if the afternoon session is 1 to 3 instead of 12:30 to 2:30 that would be alright too. I like Thursday still being a complete "educational day", instead of a "let's pack up and get ready to leave, Expo's over"day. To me, Thursday late afternoon and night is a time to "savor the flavor" of the Expo week. However, you and your Expo staff and other people associated with Expo week and it's preparation probably cannot wait to get out of there and go home! You guys must be physically and mentally exhausted after all that time consuming work effort involved to pull off such a great event, which you always seem to do! I also like the new "Show Program" opening sideways or up & down, however you want to call it. It seemed larger this way, easier to read and advertise special events. When I saw George Toma's and Mike Veeck's pictures on page 4, and a new band "Lavender on page 6 for the Grand Reception, I said to myself, "Dick Caton has done it again, just when you think you cannot improve the Expo and more than the great event it already is, - he goes out and improves it some more!!" And knowing Dr. Caton, I should not be surprised. I am so happy that Gail and I personally know Dr. Richard G. Caton as a close friend and dedicated turfgrass professional! I have run out of the amount of pluses++, to put next to your "A" for these Expo conventions!!! As I said earlier, Expo '03 was "the place to be", and I "be there"! Super great! Tuesday's first sessions was "Turfgrass Management, Dr. Murphy, Dr. Kopenhofer and Dr. Hart. What a way to start an Expo session with these three big guys! It's like having three clean-up batters all coming to the plate and hitting at the same time!!! And in the Tiara Ballroom, not "A" or "B", but the whole room!! Which was very good, because it drew a huge group of attendees! Dr. James Murphy had a very good hand-out, the kind you could take home, along with a fine slide presentation of the equipment used in turf renovation. Dr. Kopenhofer followed with his great slide selection which always makes his presentation so easy to follow, especially indicating that most insecticides are very effective as long as the "timing is right." Good talk! And Dr. Steve Hart ended the session with his presentation on weeds. Dr. Hart also had very good slides and he delivers his topic very thoroughly and professionally, he really knows his stuff!! These three educators formed a great start to the Expo week, "A+, A+, A+ for each one of them! One little "extra" note , I don't see those little Expo evaluation cards being handed out anymore. That's good! They seemed bothersome, not only in filling them out, which really wasn't a good evaluation in part because of their size and content, but also painstaking process of handing them out and then re-collecting them after the session was over. Personally, I don't think they were ever a really true grading evaluation tool. Like I said earlier, "change is good", so instead of attending the "Core Essentials" session, I really don't need the credits, I just strolled around the registration Thoughts On Expo 2003 - continued from page 8 floor for awhile on the second floor of the Taj Mahal, and then had a great lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe! After lunch, I attended the session "Trees and Shrubs". Jerry Schoonmaker had lots, and I mean lots of great slides on shrubs and their pests,"most plants survive because it's their natural habitat, it's been there for years!" Jerry was followed by Pat Cullina, "Avoid Pests through Selection". He had some good slides, but was a wee bit too technical, made the presentation somewhat slow, kind of hard to follow, he even ended ten minutes earlier than scheduled. After the trade show Grand Opening, free snacks and beverages, it was time to call it a day. And before you know it, here we are Wednesday, at the General Session, Ballroom C. Another "extra" note: the "Early Bird Session" should end at 8:30, that would give everyone a whole thirty minutes to clear out, get organized and re-group to come back. There is always a lot of talking, gatherings, noise, commotion in slide projector set-ups, all that makes the 9 A.M. start of the General Session so difficult to get underway. Also this is always a big session, 2 1/2 hours and attended by a lot of people, so chairs are somewhat of a luxury. I know there are some empty seats down in front, but it always ends up with a lot of people standing in the back, or sitting down along the sides of the partitioning wall. Maybe we need to have more chairs on hand.? Keynote speaker, Mike Veeck was fantastic! His message, "trying things is essential in any business.." is so true! ...and his talk certainly illustrated that. Some of his experiences were so amusing, and at the same time indicative of his main theme, "trying things!" Brad Park followed with Sports Turf,...gravel mixes, sand mixes, percentages, etc. Steve Hart and Bill Meyer added a little more to the Herbicide Development and Breeding for Disease Resistance & short talks... Jim Baird followed with "Statistics," was a bit like math class, but interesting, because of things like "70% chance of rain, but somewhere, 30% chance of no rain", so where the hell is it going to rain? He said there are "lies, damn lies, & then statistics... 12 to 4 P.M. brought the trade show again, meetings with friends and exhibitors, and lunch. The trade show seemed more "open" this year, roomier, easy to walk and navigate through. It still is a great way to spend the allotted time between meetings in such a friendly, professional atmosphere! Wednesday afternoon's 4-6 Lawn & Landscape was next on my Expo schedule. The location: the Emerald Room! Since becoming a member of NJTA in 1987, I have attended twelve straight Expos at the Taj Mahal, and have never been to the Emerald Room!!! I didn't even know where it was!! While leaving the convention registration floor, I always walked past those "Emerald & Topaz" signs, but I never ventured through those doors! This was my first time ever! And not to be too negative, bit too crowded, chairs too close, like sardines in a can, ceiling kind of low, lights very close, if you sat under one, you would actually start to sweat!! Is there a dimmer for these lights? Some people actually changed seats, because they chose not to sit under the "hot-spot" light! First up was Pat Cullina, "Native Trees & Shrubs". This time, Pat's presentation was much better than Tuesday's. Good slides, interesting amount of different slides showing plant selection for our areas here in New Jersey. Dr. David Drake followed with "Geese Control". This was another very interesting talk about the Canada geese, the problems they cause, and their control... good talk. Joe Heckman followed with "Soil Test Analysis", again, another good presentation on soils, and what is their optimum levels, and how that level changes over time. And some recommendations need to be judged individually to see what is really needed on a specific turf site - good, good presentation. continued on page 10 • L-93, PUTTER AND SOUTHSHORE Creeping Bentgrass • JAMESTOWN II Chewing Fescue • AWARD, FREEDOM II, TOTAL ECLIPSE, LIBERATOR AND NuGLADE Kentucky Bluegrass • ACCENT, CADDIESHACK AND TOP GUN Perennial Ryegrass Ask for our variety and preformulated product catalog for a full listing of our varieties. JacKLIN Seed Simplot FROM GREAT SEED GOOD FORTUNE GROWS Contact Jacklin Seed: Marie Pompei Northeast Technical Agronomist, CPAg Toll Free: (908) 806-8850 Charlie Pisano Northeast Sales Manager Mobile: (732) 492-9329 www.jacklin.com • grass@jacklin.com Thoughts On Expo 2003 - continued from page 9 Last up was Rich Buckley, "What is IPM?". Sometimes Rich is entertaining and humorous when he is out of his element, plant disease, and discussing something closely related in to his field. He spices up his talk with some novel injections, which makes his presentations very good! Good talk, Rich." After the Lawn & Landscape Session it was back up to the room, suit & tie, and let's get ready for the Grand Reception! This event is what we have waited for all year! The pressure is off, the atmosphere is relaxed... NJTA members, families, friends... it doesn't get any better than this!!! A new band, "Lavender" graced the stage! And I thought they were great!!! No one band member stole the spotlight, each one sang different songs, different styles and tastes, songs we know and can sing and swing to. I hope the other members enjoyed their selection of songs and their performance as much as I did! Bring them back for next year!! And as always, the Grand Reception always has great food and drink, lots and lots of food and desserts... to die for... a good time for everyone. What a great time this event provides for all the NJTA members. The Grand Reception gives you the opportunity to kick back and relax, eat, drink, and mingle (which I do) with everyone present. Some people come in, have something to eat, and then leave, so be it. It is their choice. However, to stay, and take in this event is so fantastic, with it's NJTA Patrons... Clippings / Green World continues our "Patron Listing". Please consider including your name, company or golf club name to what we hope will be an extensive list of supporters so that this periodical can continue to grow! RATES: $50.00 per year - 4 issues • John Barlok - Finch Services, Inc. • Shaun Barry - Bayer ES • Fred Blaicher - Finch Services, Inc. • Bryan Bolehala - Cleary Chemical • Steve Chirip - Grass Roots, Inc. • Dr. Henry Indyk - Turfcon Professional Turfgrass Consultant • Ken Kubik - Grass Roots, Inc. • Leon's Sod Farms • The Scotts Company • Barbara Vydro - Bloomfield Cemetery Co. ■ warmth and friendship of the NJTA "family", it's just too good to pass up! The two and a half hours go by so quickly, that I can see why this party "travels" to the Lobby Bar. And with the new band this year, it was really, really nice - no loud music, but gentle, soft songs that most of us can relate to (not to mention your great song performance Dr. Caton and also that fellow who sang the "Christmas Song".) Good stuff!! Like I said earlier, golf tournaments and field days are cool, but the Grand Reception is the "top-shelf" event of the year! It just doesn't get any better than this... unless you've already got something else up under your sleeve Dr. Caton for next year's Expo?!? I know your mind doesn't rest, when it comes to the NJTA Expo! You get an "A+" too for the Grand Reception! Thursday always comes quickly for the Lawn & Landscape sessions. At the Grand Reception I told Dr. Indyk that I would meet him for breakfast at the Bombay Cafe. My first session was at eight, and his Sports Field Managers session was at eight-thirty. However, neither one of us made it to breakfast together! Happens to the best of us! But even though we didn't get together, I did talk to Dr. Indyk and Ms. Murfitt at the Grand Reception and others in Sports Turf Managing, and agreed that "change is good"... thus later on Thursday, I attended the Sports Field Managers Session rather than the General Turf Session, that I had planned! But before that, was the 8-10 Lawn & Landscape Session. Dr. Steve Hart started it with the "10 Most Difficult Weeds", and if you gave Steeve a two-hour period, he would have no problem filling that time frame! He is so professional! But he did finish 10 minutes over his allotted time, 8:40. Next, was "Specialty Products for Turf" presented by Dave Wasnicky of Lesco. He had some good slides concerning safety issues, and a good talk. He was followed by Jerry Schoonmaker of Lawn Doctor, "Are you your shrubs biggest problem?" He had some very good slides showing different problems with shrubs, too much mulch, girdling roots, mechanical damage, salt damage, overall, a very good presentation. Last up was Rick Buckley, "Top 5 Insect Problems". Another "extra" note: I have said this before, if you pass out the pesticide credit forms during the last speaker, everyone takes a break from the talk and starts filling out the forms, fumbling through their wallets, so they can get out quickly when the session is over. But to be honest, I really don't know of a better way to distribute these credit forms??? Before, after, during... Rich gave a good talk on insect problems, saying sometimes grub damage was not as severe as the animals attracted to the grubs (skunks, crows) and the damage they do to the turf. Thoughts On Expo 2003 - continued from page 10 After this session, it was one more last "hurrah" for the Expo Trade Show, 10-12:30, some coffee and danish, the show's almost over. I wonder how this time frame was liked by other members and the exhibitors?! Then, thanks to "change is good", I went to the Sports Field Managers Session. George Toma started it with Super Bowl preparations, great talk. It is amazing what goes into a Super Bowl behind the scenes, turf-care, half-time show, pre-game show... great talk George. Next was Dr. Andrew McNitt on "Top Dressing", again a very interesting talk about soil mixes, Penn State football fields, and top dressing high school fields. Kevin Meredith followed with "Meeting the Challenges of SFM". Great talk on challenges, internal and external. I like where he said he is "intimate with his fields"... that's good... it applies to us LCO's. We shouldn't just "mow & run", but treat each parcel of turf like it's our own. To meet the challenge he said "read, read, read professional magazines and attend seminars. It is all up to us... another good talk. And then, that's it, Dr. Caton, session's over, Expo's over... see you next year. And then, a few hours later, I walk past the Convention Registration on the second floor, and it is all closed up naturally. But only 48 hours ago, it was bustling with enthusiasm, friendship, warmth, such a good feeling, and now it is all gone, so sad, so year-ending. But what a great Expo it was! A pluses, pluses, pluses!!! And all the credit is yours, Doc Caton and your Expo staff. Without all your efforts, this event could not happen. The Taj Mahal Casino-Resort provides the building and rooms, but you, Dr. Caton, and you Expo staff "create" the NJTA Expo to be the "Main Event of the Year!" Thank you so much for a great educational, inspiring and fantastic week! NJTA Expo was "the place to be in 2003", but with great confidence, I can say "New Jersey Turf Expo... let's do it once more in 2004!" Yours truly, Frank Koslowski, Member since 1987 ■ Congratulations Bob Dickison! NJTA is proud of Bob "Red" Dickison, who is a past president of NJTA, a distinguished member of the Board of Directors and Expo General Chair. Bob was the recipient of the inaugural 2003 Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management School's Award for Professional Excellence. Bob has been the Golf Course Superintendent at Upper Montclair Country Club for 34 years during which time he prepared the golf course for many professional golf tournaments. Congratulations Bob! ■ Sports Field Managers Association of New Jersey’s Annual Spring Field Day WHERE: WHEN: COST: Drum Point Sports Complex, Brick NJ April 20, 8 am - 3 pm Members $35, Non-Members $45 Box lunch included • Door prizes • No vendor booths For more information or a registration form call 908-730-7770 or email us at hq@sfmanj.org "When It's Built It's Too Late." This day promises more than education. Come see a beautiful newly built 60-acre facility in different phases of construction. This is a wonderful park with the same construction problems we face everyday. Learn from Ken Mathis, Parks Director, how to avoid some of these problems, learn how to build a successful facility. You have the opportunity to see the final changes needed before opening day. The facility includes 4 softball, 12 soccer and 2 football fields including the beginnings of a skateboard park and bike trail. We will show you how the maintenance building was constructed, how Ken worked with the engineer to get what he wanted. While you are there check out the pesticide storage area. See how to install an internal soil drainage system to combat drainage problems on athletic fields, in between the tour stops at each field to see how the irrigation system and well works while learning to solve daily problems (Every field is irrigated). We will explain some construction problems and how to develop a playing surface with the existing turf; each field is in a different stage of development. Find out how Ken amended his soil and see the difference between the fields and common areas. Check out the weeds; learn how to distinguish one from the other and out how to get rid of them. Stop by the skinned infields, see the problems and learn how to correct them. We will show you how to analyze the mix and compare it to the ASTM standards as we whip the field into playable quality. Stick around afterwards for door prizes and questions. ■ NEW JERSEY TURFGRASS & LANDSCAPE EXPO Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, Atlantic City NJ NJTA President Marie Pompei presents the Environmental Stewarship Award to (left to right): Mickey Stachowski, Pete Haran and Glenn Miller for their outstanding work representing the Alliance for Water Conservation during the critical drought of 2002. , Jim Snow (left) of the United States Golf Association accepts the New Jersey Turfgrass Association’s Hall of Fame Award from NJTA Vice President Chris Carson. George Toma, NFL Super Bowl Field Preparation Consultant with representatives of Pennington Seed who sponsored his visit to Expo. The Golf Course Superintendents Association of New Jersey provided a welcomed “oasis” for members with tired feet to relax and chat with fellow members NJTA Board member Pedro Perdomo (left) sampling the excellent food served at the Grand Reception. Keynote Speaker Mike Veeck gave a truly enjoyable and inspiring speech. Chris Zelley (left) presents the Recognition Award to J. Casey Parker of Lacey Twp. for the municipality’s commitment to provide safe athletic fields for all activities. George Toma, NFL Super Bowl Field Preparation Consultant, addresses the crowd at the General Session. Some of the folks at the Grand Reception enjoying the fine dance music of the band, “Lavender.” NJTA Salutes The Expo 2003 Exhibitors! They Have Earned Our Support & Loyalty! A T Sales Aer-Core, Inc. Alliance For Environmental Concerns Amazoy Farms The Andersons Aquatrols Atlantic Irrigation Specialists Barton Supply BASF Bayer, ES Bio-Plex Green Ridge Organic Bobcat of North Jersey C&S Turf Care Equipment Carroll Engineering Central Irrigation Cherry Valley Tractor Sales Classic Golf/George Ley Cleary Chemical Conrad Fafard, Inc. Cutlip Golf Design Cypress Turf Farms D.A.F. Services Deer Stopper Goose Stopper John Deere Landscapes John Deere Equipment Ditch Witch of Midatlantic Divot Communications Dixie Chopper Dow Agrosciences Dryjet /Advanced Agro Tech Earthworks - MA Earthworks Natural Organic - PA East Coast Seed & Sod Egypt Farms Eastern Organic Resources Farm-Rite, Inc. Fertl-Soil Field Turf Finch Services / E.T. Equipment Fisher & Son Golf Course Superintendents Association of NJ Golf Cars, Inc. Golf Cart Services GrassRoots Grigg Brothers HARCO Helena Chemical Hustler Equipment Hydroseeding Pro Irrigation Association of New Jersey IVI Golf Jade Run Sod & Seed Jersey Turf, Inc. JPL Capital, LLC Kirby Agri Koonz Sprinkler Supply K-Rain Manufacturing Landtek Group Lawn & Golf Supply Lebanon Turf Products Lee Rain, Inc. LESCO Lido-Chem, Inc. Lofts / Pennington Seed MacDonald & Son Maser Consulting Meadowland Ford / Sterling Truck Sales Middleton & Company Moyer & Son National Fence Systems National Seed NJ Department of Agriculture NJ Golf Course Mechanics Association NJ Landscape Contractors Association NJ School Buildings & Grounds Association Northeast Golf Co. Northern Nurseries Novazymes Biologicals Ocean County Utilities Authority Prima Green Supreme Plant Food Company PlantStar / Carbtrol Precision Work, Inc. Princeton Hydro Pumpkin Hollow Farms R. F. Morse RBA Group Real Green Systems Reed & Perrine Rodio Tractor Sales Roots, Inc. Rutgers Alumni Association Rutgers Continuing Education Rutgers Cooperative Extension Salsco, Inc. George Schofield Seeton Turf Warehouse, LLC Shearon Golf Simplot Partners SJAP - Natural Link South Jersey Electric Vehicles Sports Field Managers Association of NJ Sprinturf Standard Golf Storr Tractor Syngenta Terre Company Tru-Turf Equipment Tuckerton Turf Farms, Inc. United Horticultural Products US Silica Venture Vehicles / Turf Products Corp. Wildred MacDonald Wolbert & Master Alert To Expo Exhibitors! In response to concerns about the time of Expo 2004, the Expo Committee has been able to move the show dates back a week. Please take note of the new dates! Expo 2004 December 7,8 & 9, 2004 Mowing Management As It Affects Turf Quality Dealing With A Political Hot Issue - Pesticides! njta Green World applied turfgrass research, from Rutgers the State University, and the New Jersey Turfgrass Association Dr. Murphy offers important and timely tips for developing your mowing strategies. Spring will soon arrive and mowing will begin. Mowing Management As It Affects Turf Quality By Dr. James A. Murphy, Extension Specialist in Turfgrass Management, Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 59 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520 There are four basic cultural keys to maintaining a healthy vigorous turf for use as a sports playing surface. These include the (i) use of adapted turfgrass species, (ii) maintenance of soil quality (health), (iii) practice of sound mowing principles, and (iv) proper use of irrigation. Other supplementary practices may be useful in sports turf management; however, neglect or mismanagement in the any of the four basic keys above will make it difficult to produce a quality playing surface. This article describes important principles of mowing turfgrass. Mowing Height The lowest mowing height possible for a turf is a function of a number of factors including the turfgrass species and variety, mowing frequency, environmental conditions, and available management resources. Tall fescue is a species with good tolerance to heat, drought and some pests. Tall is best mowed at height of 2 inches or more. At lower heights, tall fescue will thin out over time and become infested with weeds. Perennial ryegrass is an excellent species for overseeding and has good to excellent wear tolerance. Perennial ryegrass can be mowed as low as 1/2 inch; however, it will require regular irrigation and pesticides with mowing at heights less than 2 inches. Kentucky bluegrass has excellent divot strength and recuperative capacity. Certain varieties can tolerate mowing as low as 1/2 inch. As with perennial ryegrass, lower mowing requires greater management inputs to maintain turf. Management intensity of Kentucky bluegrass is highly dependent on the variety. The budget and labor constraints of many school and municipal operations will typically not allow mowing lower than 2 to 2 1/2 inches for a majority of fields. In some cases specialized mowing, for a limited time, is possible for high priority playing fields. Increasing mowing frequency will often improve turf and playing quality without lower mowing height. Mowing at the low end of species tolerance range will stimulate shoot growth, increase tillering/shoot density, and encourage a finer leaf texture. These desirable effects are useful for better playing conditions. Unfortunately, some detrimental effects can be produced at low mowing heights including increased leaf succulence, reduced carbohydrate (food) reserves, and decreased root, stolon, and rhizome growth. Mowing Frequency Mowing frequency is determined by the 1/3rd rule, which refers to the concept that no more than 1/3rd of the height of the turf canopy is cut in a single mowing. For example, a turf mowed at 2 inches should be no more than 3 inches high when it is mowed (1 inch is cut off the 3 inch high turf, 1/3rd). Lower mowing requires greater mowing frequency because shoot growth is stimulated as the height is lowered. Thus, more frequent mowing is needed to keep up with the greater growth and avoid scalping of the turf. Some examples of minimum mowing frequencies include mowing three times per at a 1 1/2 inch or less, two times per week at 2 inches, and once a week at 3 inches. continued on page 16 Mowing Managements As It Affects Turf Quality - continued from page 15 Infrequent mowing at low heights results in scalping and long-term decline of turf quality. Increasing mowing frequency without lowering the mowing height is one immediate adjustment in a mowing program that can quickly improve turf and playing quality. Mowing more often than the minimum required (less than 1/3rd) has the advantage that is less stressful to the turf compared to lowering the mowing height to achieve better quality. More frequent mowing results in less leaf tissue being removed in a single mowing and allows the turf to better adapt to the height of cut compared to a less frequent mowing program. Spring Mowing Strategies As spring temperatures and moisture conditions become more favorable for growth winter dormancy begins to break in turf and green-up develops as new shoots emerge. Rapid shoot growth and minimal environmental stresses at this time of year can lull turf managers into a secure mind-set that problems will be minimal. It is critical at this time to use proper mowing frequency and cutting heights along with very modest to minimal nitrogen fertilization to maintain good root growth. Peak shoot growth will occur at temperatures of 60 to 75°F during the spring. Furthermore, roots are extending deeper into the profile during spring. Carbohydrates are depleted rapidly during peak growth, thus timely mowing is critical to avoid removing no more than 1 / 3 of the leaf tissue, which further strain the carbohydrate supply of the turfgrass plants. Excessive defoliation (scalping) will cause of cessation of root growth and possibly dieback. Additionally, recovery from scalping will be much slower than a manager might expect due to the low carbohydrate supply. Turf with low vigor and density in the spring will allow weeds such as crabgrass and goosegrass to invade. An unfortunate scenario in the spring involves wet (rainy) weather that interrupts the mowing schedule. Shoot growth becomes excessive and it is difficult to maintain the turf at the desired height. It is best to return to original mowing height over a series of mowings, decreasing the cutting height with each successive mowing. For example, if conditions result in a 5 inch turf height and the desired mowing height is 2 inches, the next mowing should be at 3.5 inches followed by a mowing at 2.5 inches and finally mowing at the desired 2 inches. If feasible, it is also helpful to increase the mowing frequency during the time that the turf height is being reduced. Summer Mowing Strategies Mowing frequency can often decrease during the slower shoot growth period of summer caused by high temperature and drought stresses. For example, if mowing twice a week is needed in spring, it may be feasible to reduce mowing to once every 7 to 10 days. It is also important to stop mowing when the turf is wilting (severe drought). Mowing traffic over wilted turf will severely damage plant tissues and should be avoided. Fields under an intensive low mowing program will require a more frequent supply of water either through rainfall or irrigation. Lower mowing develops a shallower root system, which limits the supply of water from the soil. Increasing the mowing height on out-of-play fields during summer will improve tolerance to heat and drought stress. It is important, however, for a turf manager to anticipate how much time will be required to return to the desired lower height. Depending on the change in height, it is likely to require weeks for the turf to readjust to lower mowing height. Lowering the mowing height too quickly will reduce the vigor and density of the turf, and ultimately, the durability and playability will be compromised. Late Summer & Early Autumn Mowing Strategies Late summer and early autumn is a good time to lower mowing heights. Although shoot growth is more vigorous during this period, it is not as aggressive as spring and therefore the mowing frequency will not be as high. Mowing can be performed rather infrequently as autumn progresses without detriment to the turf. Environmental stresses are typically lower at this spring, which improves vigor of the turf at lower mowing heights. The increase in shoot density caused by lower mowing is enhanced in autumn because the turfgrass plants are also tillering more aggressively in response to the shorter daylengths of autumn. This increase in turf density with lower mowing will be enhanced when combined will a late season nitrogen fertilization program. Base Mowing on Quality Demands and Resources Intensive mowing management is expensive and, therefore, the facility must have budget and labor to be properly implemented. The mowing program should be based on an understanding of the playing quality expectations as well as available resources. Mowing heights for sports that involve the roll of a ball (i.e., soccer, baseball, softball, field hockey) should be between 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches. Sports that have a greater demand for stability and footing (i.e., football and lacrosse) are best mowed at heights between 1 1/2 and 3 inches. Mowing heights at the higher end of these ranges is strongly suggested when operational resources and manpower are limited. This is a very critical issue and we must all be vigilant and politically proactive or we shall be confronted with regulatory standards that could threaten our livelihoods! Dealing With A Political Hot Issue - Pesticides! By Steve Griffin, NYSTA Board Member; President, Saratoga Sod Farm • Reprinted from TurfNews - January/February 2004 Environmental activists are often highly focused, highly visible and highly vocal. Hanging their cause on emotional issues like "for the good of motherhood" helps blind the news media, hence the general public and politicians to questioning the lack of scientific facts (education). However, as TPI Member Steve Griffen demonstrates in this article, it's never too late to un-do or at least reduce the damage, if everyone works together. As an agricultural producer and member of the green industry in New York state, our company and industry face many regulatory challenges every year. Some are related to increased development pressure (i.e, private property rights, land planning/zoning issues, accepted agricultural practices, etc.). Others are budgetary, designed to increase revenues to balance inflated budgets (i.e. tax increases and increased fees). Finally, some are thrust upon us by special interest groups who believe their cause is so righteous that they will use any means necessary to obtain their ultimate goal. This article deals with the last threat. In our state, there are many "environmental" advocacy groups whose ultimate goal is to eliminate the use of pesticides. They are very vocal, very well funded, very organized and have gained much influence in the political process. Many of these activists are well-intentioned people who are convinced their involvement will lead to a better world for their children and future generations. As you can see, we are up against a formidable force. As business owners and agricultural producers our thought process is distinctly different than the average environmentalist. To generalize, they use emotion and tend to over simplify the solution to environmental problems. On the other hand, we tend to focus on scientific facts, economic impacts and how new rules could impact the environment, both now and in the future. We have a much better understanding of the benefits of the proper use of technology, such as pesticides, and how they impact crop quality and yields. We also have sound understanding of the dangers of pesticide exposure, and the importance of proper protective equipment, sprayer calibration and maintenance, and application. Although industry and environmentalists have very divergent views about pesticides, we do have common goals. I think it is safe to say that most turf producers and green industry professionals want their products and services to have a positive impact on this planet aesthetically, functionally and environmentally, and we also want to leave this world a better place for our children and future generations. Now here's the hard part: How do we deal with such politically hot issues where public perception is so slanted against chemical pesticides? Let me give you the story of one pesticide issued here in New York state and hopefully you will learn as much as I did from our successes and failures. 48 Hour Pesticide Neighbor Notification Law 1987 - A law passed and regulations were written requiring commercial pesticide applicators to have signed contracts with every customer and to post signs ever 12 ft. around the perimeter of a treated area 48 hours prior to each application. The 40 pages of proposed regulations instigated a legal battle between the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and the applicator industry. The law applied only to commercial applicators on non-agricultural facilities. The green industry reacted by forming the New York State Pesticide Coalition (NYSPC), a group comprised of the New York State Turfgrass Association (NYSTA), Long Island Arboricultural Association, NYS Arborists, NYS Green Council, NYS Lawncare Association, NYS Nursery/Landscape Association, NYS Professional Applicators Coalition and the Professional Lawncare Association of America. The newly formed NYSPC agreed on a unified plan of action that included: 1) Discussions with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) about proper interpretation of regulations with hopes of helping applicators effectively deal with running their businesses under the new regulations. 2) Hiring an environmental lawyer and, after much discussion and deliberation, entering into a lawsuit against the DEC. This action solidified the coalition and required a serious financial commitment by all members. The basis for the suit was the fact that DEC did not follow the state's environmental Quality Review Act by not filing an Environmental Impact Statement. NYSPC believed that prior notification would make the practice of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) almost impossible and therefore cause applicators to revert to blanket application programs and increased pesticide usage. NYSTA also communicated with New York Farm Bureau (NYFB) and knew their lobbyists were monitoring the situation. Environmental groups frequently divide and continued on page 18 Political Hot Issue - Pesticides! - continued from page 17 conquer. In other words, they get a law on the books targeting one industry group, then expand the legislation to include other users. At this point, the law did not impact turfgrass sod producers directly. The New York Statement Department of Agriculture defines agricultural activities, and turfgrass sod production comes under the agricultural definition. This is extremely important in New York because agricultural businesses receive special benefits (agricultural districts law, property tax relief, sales tax relief, agricultural employer status and wage laws, DOT registrations, etc.), as well as protection under the Right to Farm Law from nuisance suits related to common agricultural practices (i.e., manure spreading, early-late day equipment operation). Also, as an agricultural producer in New York, you would rather work with the Department of Agriculture and Markets because their mission is to keep agriculture vital and growing. Other state agencies are generally more concerned with enforcement. 1989 - DEC conceded on the “Approximate Date" for application and allowed customers to waive the right to have specific dates delineated. This was a huge break for applicators, enabling them to be more flexible with application dates. 1989 - NYS Supreme Court declared the notification regulations null and void. DEC appealed the decision. 1990 - NYS Supreme Court Appellate Division reaffirmed the Court's earlier decision. This decision was a major victory for NYSPC. However, the biggest factor in the lawsuit was DEC's failure to meet a regulation promulgation extension deadline by one day. The victory did not repeal the law itself. The law was still in effect, but the 40 pages of onerous regulations were null and void. 19991 - The New York State Turfgrass Association (NYSTA) joined the NYS Council of Agricultural Organizations (CAO), which consists of approximately 25 agricultural organizations throughout New York state that are involved in production, marketing and processing of agricultural products. The CAO develops an annual policy book based on unanimous member approval. NYSTA believes that building coalitions is of the utmost importance and the CAO helps NYSTA align with groups that have the same objectives. 1992 - NYSTA discovered some downstate Assemblymen were interested in pesticide notification issues. NYSTA contacted other associations and wrote letters to legislators. NYSTA communicated this concern to other NYSPC organizations. 1997 - Assembly bill A6459-C passed the Assembly, requiring notification to all adjacent property owners 48 hours prior to all pesticide applications. This bill version included all pesticide applicators - lawn care, golf courses, cemeteries, farmers and homeowners. Senate bill S3889-B was introduced as a companion to the Assembly bill, with some differences. NYSTA and Farm Bureau worked with the Senate Majority Leader to prevent the bill from making the legislative session agenda. The impact of this Assembly bill on turfgrass sod growers would have been extensive. In my particular case, I have five separate farms that compromise my sod acreage. I would have 52 different neighbors to supply with written notice 48 hours prior to any application (if I were applying to every farm). If the weather conditions were inappropriate, I would have to re-notify each of these neighbors of another date at least 48 hours ahead. TEXTRON TURF CARE AND SPECIALTY PRODUCTS 19 Central Boulevard South Hackensack, NJ 07606 Sales: (888)-831-0891 Parts: (888)-831-0911 Service: (888)-831-0919 www.wilfredmacdonald.com It’s Time To Take A Closer Look At Your Turf Management Program. AQUATROLS; A Comprehensive Line of Water Management Tools Use on high maintenance areas to promote and preserve turf uniformity. Also great for overseeding and turf “transition".* This soil surfactant provides rapid recovery of turf under water-related stress such as localized dry spots and wet spots.* This injectable surfactant reduces the occurrence of hot spots and wet spots on large turf areas while using less water and energy. * Also available in spreadable, water dispersible granular format. Contact your distributor for details. Distributed By: grass roots Phone (973) 361-5943 • Fax (973) 366-0616 Political Hot Issue - Pesticides! - continued from page 18 We use IPM on our farm and spray only when certain thresholds are met for insect and disease problems. These onerous regulations would force us to change our management strategy from scouting and timely applications to a more preventative approach. In addition, it alarms our neighbors and puts us on the defensive. We do our best to communicate with our neighbors. They understand that we are trained, certified applicators. They know we practice IPM and use chemicals only when absolutely necessary in targeted locutions. Non-target application (drift) is already illegal. 1998 - Although the Senate bill did not pass in the previous session, prior notifi­ cation legislation was again introduced. NYSTA members showed grassroots support by communicating with legislators and helping to secure funds. NYSPC's attorney sent a letter to Assemblyman DiPaoli opposing the Assembly legislation. The letter emphasized the fact that any concern about neighbors coming onto treated proper was already covered by Environmental Conservation Law Article 33, Title 10, which requires sign posting for commercial lawn applications to warn persons coming onto treated property from adjoining properties. The coalition also urged that a pesticide registry be enacted in lieu of the required off-premises notification put forth in the Assembly bill. No notification law was enacted. Once again, the bill did not reach the floor for a vote. 1999 - Senate bill S.2543-C passed the Senate after receiving a Message of Necessity from the Governor. The bill required 48-hour notice to neighbors of a property that is to be sprayed with pesticides when the pesticide is applied to vegetation under five ft. tall and within 15 ft. of the property line. The Assembly passed bill A.1461 that contained much broader language and was supported by the environmental community. The passage of this Assembly bill was viewed as a crisis and it brought NYSPC back together. The group developed an action plan that included increased communication with legislators, and continued support of the alternative pesticide registry instead of passage of a companion notification bill. The mere cost of complying with the proposed law could cause the cost of lawn care to become unaffordable. Fines of $5,000 for first violations and $10,000 for subsequent offenses were also included in the legislation. Members were also urged to attend NYSTA's annual conference in November to increase awareness and understanding of these issues, and to become more effective, active participants in the public arena. 2000 - NYSTA Board of Directors prioritized legislative issues by deciding that a special event was needed. As a result, NYSTA held its first annual Turfgrass Advocacy Day in February at the State Capital in Albany. The purpose of this event was to review issues and advocacy strategies that promote the interests of the turfgrass industry an meet directly with legislators to voice concerns. The four points emphasized to legislators by stakeholders during this event were: 1) Notification for commercial lawn applicators is already regulated under Environmental Law Article 33, Title 10, which requires sign posting to notify persons coming onto properties from off-premises locations. continued on page 20 PROVEN PERFORMANCE WITH Adams Earth Organic Soil Amendment Green-T AND Liquid Fertilizers some formulations include: • 0-0-25 w/Sulfur • 12-3-12 50% SRN & Micros •20-3-3 20% SRN & Iron • 18-3-6 50% SRN & Micros • Sugar Cal 10% • 20-0-0 50% SRN PLANT FOOD COMPANY, INC. The Liquid Fertilizer Experts 38 Hightstown-Cranbury Station Rd. • Cranbury, NJ 08512 Toll Free: (800) 562-1291 • Fax: (609) 443-8038 E-Mail: pfc@plantfoodco.com Visit our Website @ www.plantfoodco.com 3336 BEEN THERE, DONE THAT... and STILL GOING STRONG Continuous field testing shows that 3336 remains strong today and will continue to be effective well into the future. 3336 fungicide provides broad spectrum systemic control of major turf diseases year after year, time after time. It has excellent handling and delivery characteristics that insure total release in your application equipment. Formulated three ways for your convenience: • 3336 F, a flowable; • 3336 WP, a wettable powder in water soluble bags; and • 3336 G and GC, granulars 3336 lets you do what’s needed to get the job done. CLEARY www.clearychemical.com 178 Ridge Road, Dayton, NJ 800-524-1662, 732-274-0894 fax The Cleary logo and 3336 are trademarks of Cleary Chemical Corporation fisher son company, inc. 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MAIN STREET • TENNENT NJ 07763 Your Partners For Total Control CLEARY 800-222-1065 ext. 5 Chris Zelley • Chuck Reynolds Keith Haines • Greg Mendina Political Hot Issue - Pesticides! - continued from page 19 2) Certified commercial applicators and registered businesses are already prohibited from contaminating abutting property pursuant to 6 NYCRR Sections 329.2 (a) and 325.1 (1). 3) This notification bill would adversely impact IPM techniques and will force applicators to go back to outdated covered spray techniques, treating the entire property to avoid having to re-notify neighbors if further spot treatments are necessary. 4) Pre-notification is costly to the business performing the work as well as to the customer. The increased cost will increase the probability that homeowners will do the work themselves, or have it done by others who are uncertified / unregistered, thus increasing the risk of misapplication and over application due to lack of training. During Advocacy Day and in subsequent meetings, NYSTA expresses its concerns to the Senate Majority Leader's staff. The Senate Majority Leader is very pro-business and has enacted much legislation favorable to agriculture. However, 2000 was an election year and the downstate senator who sponsored the bill truly believed he needed the legislation signed into law in order to get re-elected. The majority leader needed this particular senator's support to remain in power as majority leader. Both NYSTA and NYFB continued to lobby, trying to get concessions/exemptions and continued to push the voluntary pesticide registry as an alternative. The Pesticide Neighbor Notification Law (Bill S8223, Chapter 285 of the laws of 2000) was signed into law by Governor Patiaki on August 21, 2000. The law amended Title 10 of Article 33 of the Environmental Conservation Law (adopted by Chapter 559 of the Laws of 1987) relating to the commercial and residential lawn application of pesticides. While the enactment of this law was a disappointment, we did have some victories. Agriculture, cemeteries and golf courses were exempted. The law was adopted as a county opt-in, meaning county governments had to adopt the law individually in order for it to take effect. As of now, only six of 62 counties throughout New York state have adopted the law. Unfortunately, politics prevailed in this instance. It was a lesson that perception is often more important than reality or scientific facts. This time-line and description of events surrounding the passage of 48 Hour Pesticide Neighbor Notification Law here in New York is an illustration of what can happen. After reading this article, hopefully you will take a minute to reflect on what is happening around you and take the initiative to become informed and involved in your industry and in the political arena. While politics may be foreign to you, it is going to become increasingly important to keep abreast of what your legislators are doing, before it is too late. The sooner you become involved at any level, the better. Political Hot Issue - Pesticides! - continued from page 20 What Worked, What Didn't I think it is important, however, to note what we did wrong and what we did right in our fight. The biggest thing we did wrong, in my opinion, was that we didn't react soon enough and were not pro-active early on. In retrospect, we should have gone to the down state assemblymen with the voluntary pesticide registry in 1993. This may have created a much less harmful outcome for the industry. The best thing we did was to form coalitions with other industry groups that were working towards the same goal. NYFB in our state is way ahead of the curve compared to green industry associations. They have had full-time lobbyists for at least 30 years and the membership is very active in policy execution. My father is a past president of NYFB, and my wife and I were co-chairs of the state Young Farmer and Rancher Committed, so I was very eager to strengthen the coalition between NYSTA and NYFB. There is definitely strength in numbers and in the game of politics, numbers definitely talk, both in terms of people (constituents) and dollars. We also worked to lobby from the ground up, seeking a grassroots, member- supported effort, which is very effective. As a result of that effort, NYSTA's annual Turfgrass Advocacy Day was born. This annual lobby day, in its 5th year, has grown in numbers and legislative recognition each year and has proven to be a very effective tool in our efforts to continue to be pro-active and involved. The other positive action was the fact we provided an alternative to the proposed legislation we were trying to defeat, instead of just voicing opposition with no viable option. As a result of this experience, some additional positives have emerged. The New York Alliance for Environmental Concerns (NYAFEC) evolved from the former Pesticide Coalition. Their goal is to unite the individual efforts of various New York-based green industry organizations to better coordinate activities and education lawmakers, policy makers, and the public. In October of 2002, NYAFEC hired Chris Revere, a professional lobbyist, to organize the group's legislative and regulatory issues and to stay pro-active and promote industry positions. The member organizations believe this was a positive move, especially in light of the fact in 2002, New York lawmakers looked at over 80 pesticide related pieces of legislation. Also, the New York State Turfgrass Industry Survey is in the pipeline, with results expected sometime in late 2004. This survey is the result of years of combined efforts between NYSTA, the New York State Department and Agriculture and Markets and the National Agricultural Statistics Service to compile statistical information on the depth and breadth of the turfgrass industry throughout New York state. We believe the survey results will provide strong numbers and industry facts that will give vital support to our lobbying efforts in Albany. TPI is laying some good groundwork by working on best management practices for turfgrass sod growers. We know that as stewards of the land we are the original environmentalists. We just need to let people know all of the good things we do as farmers and conservationists. Green Industry Guide To Opt-ln The following suggested steps were excerpted from a NYSTA communication developed to help green industry participants take advantage of the “Opt-ln” condition to thwart implementation of the “48-Hour Notification Bill” in their respective counties - these could also serve as guidelines to prevent such a bill before it becomes law in other areas. 1) Identify County (or appropriate) Representatives Inform your customers about impending law and how it can impact them, the environment and business. a. Survey your customers if they want the law (NYSTA members’ surveys resulted in overwhelmingly against the impending law) - such surveys 2) presented to appropriate legislators can have significant impact, especially when an alternative is offered. b. Contact the news media (column in local paper, radio or TV gardening talk show, letter to the editor) with information why the law will not work and why science-based alternative will. c. Spread the word about the law’s potential impact on apartment managers, exterminators, your vendors, arborists, landscapers, etc. 3) Consider hiring a public relations firm - compare the cost of a good PR firm with increased cost (or loss) of business. 4) Gather facts about pesticides from your county health department and state department of environmental conservation similar agency. a. Be prepared to demonstrate there are only a small number of individuals concerned. b. Gather information about the industry advancements in technology and education (safety) of workers and the general public. c. Describe how compliance to such a law would inhibit further training for employees - and how companies would have to spend more on regulation compliance than on education. 5. Contact county (or appropriate) representatives, but first develop a list of key points to be made professionally and courteously by: phone, letter (develop samples for use on company letterheads), in person. Ideally, visit your representatives with several individuals from all parts of the industry to present ■ your case. Please be advised of the availability of the Plant & Pest Advisory... PLANT & PEST ADVISORY A Seasonal Management Newsletter Available In Five Editions: • Vegetable Crops • Fruit • Landscape, Nursery & Turf • Cranberry • Organic Farming 2004 SEASON ✓ Stay informed of insect and disease advisories ✓ Get the latest information on your crop and region ✓ Reduce costs through IPM and more effective use of pesticides ✓ Learn effective cultural practices ✓ and the latest results of New Jersey crop research Improve storage/handling procedures. Learn new marketing techniques and opportunities Be informed of upcoming meetings, seminars and trainings The Plant & Pest Advisory is a cooperative effort between New Jersey county agents, research specialists, growers, landscapers and the agricul­ tural services industry. 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Checks Payable To: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Mail Payment To: Rutgers Snyder Research & Extension Farm Plant & Pest Advisory 140 Locust Grove Road Pittstown, NJ 08867 For Office Use Calendar of Events 2004 March 9 March 16 March 19 March 23 March 7-14 COOK COLLEGE / RUTGERS UNIVERSITY Contact: 732-932-9711 New Brunswick, NJ The Importance of Understanding Athletic Field Soil The Importance of Understanding Athletic Field Turfgrass Applied Innovative Techniques In Pruning Ornamental Trees & Shrubs Understanding Athletic Field Construction Procedures PHILADELPHIA FLOWER SHOW Pennsylvania Convention Center 12 & Arch Streets Philadelphia, PA SPRINGFEST FLOWER & GARDEN SHOW March 12 -16 Sussex County Fairgrounds, NJ April 16 May 3-14 May 10 July 27 - 30 NEW YORK STATE TURF & LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION Contact: 914-993-9455 Hands-On Training North White Plains, NJ COMMITTEE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF ARBORICULTURE Contact: John Perry, 732-833-0500 Arboriculture I - Basic Tree Climbing Course Jackson, NJ RUTGERS TURFGRASS RESEARCH GOLF CLASSIC Contact: Dick Caton, 856-853-5973 Blue Heron Pines Golf Club Cologne, NJ TURFGRASS PRODUCERS INTERNATIONAL Contact: 800-405-8873 TPI Summer Convention & Field Days Harrisburg/Hershey, PA NJ SHADE TREE FOUNDATION Contact: Bill Porter, 732-246-3120 October 29 - 31 79th Annual Meeting Cherry Hill, NJ GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY Contact: 1-866-GCSANJ1 November 3-5 First Annual Three Day Seminar & Team Golf Championship Crystal Springs Golf Resort Sussex County; Hamburg, New Jersey Garden State Golf Magazine & Divot Communication Proudly Support New Jersey Turfgrass Association Official Magazine of Jersey Turfgrass Association For Advertising Information Contact Us - 800-639-1941 www.playnortheastgolf.com 2004 Turfgrass Expo First Class Mail U.S. Postage PAID Bellmawr, NJ Permit #58 new jersey turfgrass association Clippings & Green World njta PO Box 340 • Milltown, NJ 08850 (732) 821-7134 fax (732) 821-8157 www.njturfgrass.org Board of Directors Marie Pompei, President Chris Carson, Vice President, Expo Education Chairman Barbara Vydro, Treasurer Michael Oleykowski, Secretary Steve P Chirip, Immediate Past President Robert A. Dickison, Expo General Chairman John Buechner, Director Diane Leon, Director Brian Feldman, Director William F. Koonz, Jr., Director Louis S. Makrancy, Director Howard Perdun, Director Pedro Perdomo, Director Thom Ritchie, Director Chris Zelley, Director Dr. Bruce Clarke, Advisor Dr. James Murphy, Advisor Dr. Richard Caton, Executive Director Bea Devine, Executive Secretary Plant Star PlantStar inc. CARBTROL corp Advanced Washwater Recycle System Engineered System Provides: Designed To Integrate: Zero Pollutant Discharge Best Available Technology High Reliability & Low Maintenance Vehicle Wash • Fueling • Chemical Mixing For Reuse of All Waters Let us show you how INTEGRATED CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT can work for you! PlantStar 706-769-9210