After traveling the country for the last five years speaking to producers, there were also several requested changes that commonly came up in discussions with producers that have now been adopted into the current proposal. One of which is a guaranteed allocation of funds to be used in the state in which it is generated. As a result of these requests, up to 50 percent of the funds generated in a state would be used to fund research or promotion in that state. Just like the national checkoff, sod producers would be in charge of it. Tese funds would be administered through state producer boards, which are referred to in the checkoff language as Qualified Organizations. Qualified Organization means any organization that has the primary purpose of representing Natural Grass Sod Producers, has Natural Grass Sod Producers as members, and has a board of directors comprised of a majority of Natural Grass Sod Producers.
Another point that was added at the request of many in the industry is that the three states with the highest volume of Natural Grass Sod production, as determined on an annual basis by the Secretary, shall have at least one natural grass sod producer to serve as a representative on the board in their respective Region. Tis structure is now incorporated into the proposed checkoff board formation.
The voting period is January 13, 2025, through February 11, 2025.
Te full details of the proposed program are available online for anyone to view and can be found through the link provided earlier in this article. Table 1 lays out the key milestones and steps that we’ve gone through over the last five years or so, and there is no doubt that the referendum is the most important of all of them. After all, this proposal is designed to be written by producers, voted on by producers, and if passed, led by producers.
If you are a natural grass sod producer and would like to request a ballot, please do so through the process described earlier in this article. As we head into the referendum, I am here to serve as a resource for anyone with questions on the program, how to vote, or anything else. Please do not hesitate to contact our office at 800-405-8873 if I can help, and I’ll be happy to visit with you.
Table 1 - Current And Remaining Steps to a Proposed U.S. Sod Industry Research And Promotion Program, Aka Checkoff
Steps Completed Initial Discussions with USDA-AMS (2017-18) Met with American Farm Bureau (2019) Formation Committee (2020) Draft Proposal to USDA-AMS (2021) Updated Language to USDA-AMS (2022) Public Comment Period Opened (Oct 2023) Public Comment Period Closed (Dec 2023) Results of Public Comment Period (2024) Notification of Voting Period (12/10/2024)
Steps Remaining Voting Period Opens (1/13/2025) Voting Period Closes (2/11/2025) Notification of Results (TBD)
If Voting Results Positive, proceed to below: Board Member Nominations (TBD) Board Formed (TBD) Checkoff Begins (TBD)
Casey Reynolds, PhD, is executive director of Turfgrass Producers International. 48 TPI Turf News January/February 2025 25
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