U.S. Sod Producers, be on the lookout for this postcard in your mailbox:


Please contact USDA at the contact information in ADDRESSES above, or at (202) 302-1139, as provided in the recent announcement. You can also contact the TPI office at 800-405-8873 or info@TurfgrassSod.org for further assistance, and we’ll be happy to help out. You can read the full details of this recent announcement at the link below.


USDA Notice of Upcoming Referenda


https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/research- promotion/program-referenda


We’ve been out on the road for five years now talking about this proposed program, but perhaps now is a good time to do a quick recap of some of the key points. Tere are 22 Research and Promotion Programs for other agricultural products, and they raise approximately $1 billion annually to fund research and promotion for their industries. Te proposed Natural Grass Sod Checkoff program is estimated to raise $12 million or more annually to fund research and promotion of natural grass.


TPI Turf News January/February 2025


Tese funds would be raised by an assessment of 1/10th of one penny per square foot of sod sold and would be submitted quarterly to a sod checkoff board. One of the questions I have often received while traveling is “Can I pass this cost along to my customer?” Te short answer is yes, sod producers can pass this assessment on to their customers by adding it to their invoices if desired. Te Golf Course Superintendents Association (GCSAA), Sports Field Management Association (SFMA), National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), and many other green industry groups have come out in support of this program and have said they will help educate our industry’s customers (landscapers, sports field managers, etc.) on the need to fund this program. After all, any research and promotion programs with the stated objective of promoting natural grass is likely going to benefit those industries who rely on natural grass.


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