State Extension Specialists from Across the U.S. Meet With TPI Public Relations Working Group
David R Chalmers, State Extension Turfgrass Specialist
TPI invited State Turfgrass Extension Specialists to Las Vegas on Saturday April 23, 2005 to meet and visit with the TPI Public Relations Working Group. TPI has an interest in better understanding how each Land-Grant University interacts with their County Extension Agents and Extension clientele. Those State Turf Specialists who joined me in accepting TPI’s invitation included: Dr. Clint Waltz (University of Georgia), Dr. David Yan (Auburn University), Dr. Laurie Trenholm (University of Forida), Dr. Gwen Stahnke (University of Washinton), Dr. John Stier (University of Wisconsin), Dr. Ali Harivandi (University of California) and Dr. Bill Hlubik (Rutgers University). The TPI committee included four sod producers from Michigan, New York, South Carolina and Texas), Dr. Mike Kenna from the United States Golf Association and Kirk Hunter the TPI Executive Director. The day-long meeting was chaired by David Doguet of Texas.
The overall agenda centered on TPI’s desire to better understand the role of state Extension programs and to discuss how we can better understand one another and work together where we might have a common interest to do so. Each state specialist was allowed 10 minutes to provide an overview of extension activities and staffing and those issues that impact each state turf program. Discussions included various perspectives on such topics as:
- Variety recommendations
- Legislative and other regulatory issues facing turf industry
- County Extension Agents and their involvement and training in turf
- Information dissemination
- Different types of training and workshops held
- Role of websites in each state program
- Sod producer field days
- The fact that water quantity and water quality (protection of resources) will have tremendous impact on the industry
- Working with turf associations
- How sod has positioned itself as a part of agriculture in each state
- Nutrient management ordinances driving the need for Extension training for applicator certification (issues with excessive phosphorus and nitrates)
- Promotion of Bets Management Practices
- How best to reach the home consumer clientele with outreach/education
- How state funding has changed and how it presents challenges for extension programs to generate grant funds to drive the extension education programs.
- Invasive species and that turf is considered invasive by some organizations of prominence.
- Where consumers and professionals obtain their turf information
- Surveys and increased public awareness of benefits of turf are still needed
- The need to be able to measure program outcomes
- The importance of educating Master Gardeners to assist in County Extension Agent programs
The TPI committee members and turf specialists then spent the rest of the day discussing issues of common interest. We both learned quite a bit about each other and it proved to be a productive and rewarding meeting. The meeting minutes summary has listed 82 key points that were unique. These points could be addressed in various ways to benefit the public’s perception of turfgrass, the use of turf and sod in the landscape and turfgrass Extension outreach activities. It is my understanding that these items will be brought before the TPI Board of Directors for their consideration.
The daylong meeting adjourned meeting and those who participated appreciated the Turfgrass Producers International effort to better understand the role of Extension in the Land-Grant University system. I was very impressed with TPI as an organization and hope to work with them in the future. They certainly are looking out for the interests of every sod producer. If TPT members are not yet members I would hope you would consider joining TPI. Their website is http://www.turfgrasssod.org