TURF INDUSTRY NEWS


Australia’s TurfBreed Adds Native Turf Variety to Portfolio TurfBreed announced in early July its purchase of the well- known native turf variety, OZ TUFF®. Discovered in 2001 by turf breeder Robert Morrow, OZ TUFF® is an exceptional native green couch from Childers in Queensland. It was immediately identified as a superior plant growing among common green couch. TurfBreed Managing Director Steve Burt said that OZ TUFF® offers an excellent native couch alterative to common couches currently grown. OZ TUFF® was ranked number one for wear tolerance and recovery following studies conducted by the former Redlands Turf Research team for wear tolerance (Roche et. al, 2012). Te variety has demonstrated improved wear tolerance compared to other turf species like blue couch, kikuyu and other green couch varieties. In terms of suitability, it meets all categories such as residential, commercial/industrial, parks and sports fields. Studies have shown the variety grows on a wide variety of soil types and can be watered with poorer quality water. Studies conducted by the Queensland Government also found that OZ TUFF® continued growing at salinity levels of 30 dS/m—where sea water is 54 dS/m (Poulter et al. 2010). Australian Sports Turf Consultants also conducted studies to determine if growing ryegrass within its dense thatch layer was possible and was proved successful. TurfBreed is a turf genetics management business, and partners with many professional turf growers. For more details or information, contact Steve Burt, at sburt@ turfbreed.com.au or phone 0419 007 398.


Updates on WOTUS Status Te Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule was implemented in 2015 by the Obama administration. Te rule gives expansive power to the federal government to regulate development and commerce that happens around bodies of water in the U.S. Although the law loosely refers to “navigable waters,” it has been used to justify regulatory action around small, temporary bodies of water. Most farming activities were thought to be exempted, but the rule has been used to stop some activities that were normal agricultural practices before the rule and steep fines have been leveled against some. Te Trump administration announced on June 27, 2017, that it would begin repealing the Obama-era rule, promising to “return power to the states and provide regulatory certainty to our nation’s farmers and businesses,” Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt said at the time. Te Trump administration delayed the rule’s implementation until 2020, but environmental groups have filed lawsuits to put the rule back in effect. On June 12, 2018, a federal judge granted preliminary injunctions to 11 more states (Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Kentucky) against WOTUS. Tey join the 13 other states (North Dakota, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, South Dakota and Wyoming) a federal judge in North Dakota had exempted from the rule in 2015 shortly after it was finalized. Twenty states opposed to the Waters of the United States rule


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are pushing the EPA to finish reviewing and rescinding the rule quickly. On July 12, EPA published the notice Definition of “Waters of the United States” Recodification of Preexisting Rule. Te link is: https://www.federalregister.gov/ documents/2018/07/12/2018-14679/definition-of-waters-of-the- united-states-recodification-of-preexisting-rule. Te purpose of the supplemental notice is to ‘clarify, supplement and give interested parties an opportunity to comment on certain important considerations and reasons for the agencies' proposal.’ Te notice strengthens the documentary record against certain legal challenges and also strengthens the rationale supporting the Agencies’ repeal proposal. Public comment was due by mid- August. NALP anticipates a new definition of WOTUS in late 2018. NALP will be providing comments in support of EPA’s further clarification and will be working with industry groups and EPA once a new definition of WOTUS is published. Tis information was compiled from NALP’s online government affairs brief, Te Advocate, and EPA publications. Te Latest on Chlorpyrifos On June 13, 2018, Hawaii became the first state to ban chlorpyrifos when Gov. David Ige signed legislation passed by state lawmakers. Te law takes effect in January. Te state may issue exemptions for three years to allow agriculture businesses time to adjust. On July 30, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation released its comprehensive risk assessment of chlorpyrifos. Per that document, a scientific panel has recommended chlorpyrifos be listed as a toxic air contaminant (TAC). As defined in California, a TAC is “an air pollutant which may cause or contribute to an increase in mortality or an increase in serious illness, or which may pose a present or potential hazard to human health.” Both the EPA and its critics say science is on their side in the debate over whether the agricultural insecticide should be banned. Chlorpyrifos is among the world’s most widely used pesticides. It’s commonly sprayed on citrus fruits, apples and other crops, including turfgrass on sod farms. Look for much more discussion on chlorpyrifos. Some of the common or trade names include: Brodan, Detmol UA, Dowco 179, Dursban, Eradex, Lorsban, Piridane, and Stipend. On August 9, a federal appeals court ordered EPA to bar its use within 60 days.


GCSAA Assumes Leadership Role for First Green GCSAA has officially assumed leadership for First Green, with a new logo and website, http://www.thefirstgreen.org/, to promote the program centered on golf courses as environmental “learning labs” for students in middle school to 12th grade. First Green provides hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education at golf courses. Studies fall within the focus of schools’ environmental science and horticulture curriculums. Founded in 1997, First Green is the only STEM education and environmental outreach program that uses golf courses as learning labs. Each field trip averages 75 students who learn about golf and the environment. For most students, these “outdoor classrooms” represent their first exposure to a golf course.


TPI Turf News September/October 20 2018


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