SHARED MEMORIES AND GREAT ADVICE
By Gerry Brouwer, Wayne Torson, Ben Copeland, Sr. and Rob Davey
Members share some favorite memories of their involvement with the America Sod Producers Association (ASPA), (the name of the association when it was formed on July 11, 1967), and Turfgrass Producers International (TPI), (as it was renamed in 1994 to better reflect the international scope of the association).
Some memories center on organizational issues and development as the association—and the turfgrass industry— grew and matured. Some memories highlight the networking strengths of the association as relationships developed and members grew personally and professionally through those relationships. Some memories focus on specific moments— sometimes humorous; sometimes poignant; sometimes inspirational—that capture the heart of the association—and why it is such an important part of so many lives.
Gerry Brouwer Brouwer Sod Farms Keswick, Ontario, Canada
Editor’s Note: Brouwer Sod Farms was the Host Farm for the ASPA Summer Convention and Field Day held in Toronto, Canada, July 10-12, 1972–the first to be held outside the United States. Gerry Brouwer was elected to the ASPA Board during the annual meeting at that Convention, becoming the first international member to serve on the Board.
Gerry reports, “I was new to the ASPA Board in 1972, the year Jack Kidwell, Kidwell Turf Farm, Culpepper, VA, was first elected president. Tere was a great debate during the early 1970s between the old guard and the new. Ben Warren, one of the founders of ASPA and its first president in 1967, believed that a sod grower that installed sod was a landscaper and not a ‘pure’ sod grower and—as such—was not eligible for ASPA membership. Tat was the old guard stance. Jack Kidwell ’s viewpoint was that if you were a sod grower, you could also install sod and still be a ‘real’ sod grower—and therefore entitled to be an ASPA member. Tat was the stance of the new guard. Te discussion did become a bit heated at times. But, in the end, it was settled that if you grew sod, you were a sod grower, whether you installed sod or not.
I was secretary of ASPA for 1973-1974 and chair of the membership committee. During that period, the U.S. politicians and the Canadian politicians did not see eye- to-eye and the relationship between the two countries was a bit rocky. During the ASPA annual meeting at the 1973 Summer Convention and Field Day in Denver, CO, I gave the secretary’s report. I closed my presentation with, ‘Let the politicians fight; let us unite,’ and I got a standing ovation.
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I was in the elevator with a group of the sod growers going to a function during one of the ASPA meetings. Tey told me that we could have charged them a lot more for our harvester than we did and they still would have purchased it. So I said, ‘Well, it’s not too late to pay me now.’ I’m still waiting for the check.”
Brouwer Sod Farms was Field Day Host for ASPA’s 1972 Summer Convention and Field Day, the first held outside the U.S. Gerry Brouwer is second from the right.
Gerry Brouwer shared a letter issued to ASPA members by ASPA President Jack Kidwell on October 26, 1973, which reported:
“ASPA has achieved tremendous success!!! Te [U.S.] Department of Labor has ruled that sod production and sod installation is an agriculture enterprise. Tis is of great significance for it will be much easier for members to meet their [U.S. Office of Safety and Health Administration] OSHA obligations because they will not be required to grapple with all the non-agriculture OSHA regulations. It is significant that the opinion from the Department indicates that sod installation is exempt only if it is also tied in with a sod production operation. Sod installation by itself if not performed jointly in production of sod could possibly be interpreted as being part of a landscaping operation which includes principally construction activities and thus the OSHA regulations would be covered under construction restrictions.
Te declaration of sod production-sod installation as being an agriculture enterprise will provide considerable relief and this ruling alone should prove to you and others in the field that ASPA is an organization which is worthy of the most reasonable dues investment which is involved.
Tis ruling ‘didn’t just happen.’ Your officers, board and a number of members plus the outstanding talents of attorney Bill Harding produced the successful ruling by the Department of Labor. Briefs, conferences with key people and departments within the federal government, personal contact … all these brought the results for which ASPA has been working so vigorously.”
TPI Turf News January/February 2017
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