Turfgrass Regulations: What You Need to Know
Whether you are an established grower or someone just starting out in the industry, there are Texas Department of Agriculture regulations you need to know if you are a Texas turfgrass grower.
Turfgrass is regulated under TDA’s Plant Quality and Seed Quality programs. If you are growing turfgrass for distribution and sale, you are required to have a Nursery/Floral license, and you may be required to have a phytosanitary certificate if you ship products in and out of the state. For those selling turfgrass seed, there are “truth in labeling” and licensing requirements under TDA’s Seed Quality Programs. And if you choose to grow certified seed or plants, you must meet Texas Seed and Plant Certification Standards.
To help prevent the spread of pests and disease, TDA issues a phytosanitary certificate for each shipment of turfgrass that is exported to pest-free areas or other states.
Phytosanitary certificates are routinely issued for quarantined pests and diseases such as imported fire ants, Japanese beetles, Ozonium root rot, burrowing nematodes and reniform nematodes, to name a few.
TDA is dedicated to the production and use of high quality seeds and plant propagating materials of superior plant germplasm and varieties by establishing genetic standards and uniform certification procedures. Certification of turfgrass for genetic identity is a voluntary program designed to market quality products that have been observed and inspected throughout the growing process. The harvested seed or sprigs grown under this process are labeled with an official certification label issued by TDA. This label helps promote consumer confidence and assures the purchaser that the product meets the standards of genetic identity and production adopted by TDA.
The authority to approve growers and eligible varieties for certification is placed upon the State Seed and Plant Board. TDA interviews applicants about their knowledge of producing seed or plants and the requirements for maintaining seed or plants for the certification generations desired. TDA forwards its findings to SSPB. SSPB evaluates the merits of the eligible variety for its origin and the breeding procedure used in its development, as well as the description of the plant or seed that distinguishes it from other varieties. This includes special characteristics of the plant or seed, evidence of performance supporting the identity of the variety, geographic adaptation statements and procedures for maintaining seed stock.
While SSPB is evaluating the ability of the grower and the variety, TDA accepts applications for fields used to grow the certified variety and inspects for objectionable weed and perennial grasses. After the initial inspection, two additional inspections must be made approximately six weeks apart before planting. The department will conduct inspections throughout the growing season to determine whether the variety is meeting the standards for that particular variety. As turf is harvested from an approved field, a certification label is attached to the pallet to complete the certification process.
Texas Seed Quality regulations also apply to the turfgrass seed sold in Texas or either imported into or exported from the state. If the seed is exported to a different country, that country’s certification and quarantine requirements must be satisfied by issuing a seed certification label or a federal phytosanitary certificate. The label must comply with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development seed scheme, and a federal phytosanitary certificate issued by TDA or the U.S. Department of Agriculture must accompany each shipment.
In addition to a certification label, another important label any product grown in Texas can display is one from TDA’s GO TEXAN marketing program. Since 1999 Texas consumers have been looking for the GO TEXAN logo – a glowing brand in the shape of Texas – to know that the product they are buying was raised or produced in the Lone Star State.
GO TEXAN is a highly
successful marketing campaign, and any Texas turfgrass grower who would
like to become a member can contact Richard De Los Santos, head of TDA’s
Horticulture and Forestry Marketing, at (512) 463-7472 or
richard.delossantos@agr.state.tx.us.
If you would like to apply for a Nursery/Floral license or
need to export turfgrass to other states, contact the Awinash Bhatkar,
TDA’s coordinator for Plant Quality Programs, at (512) 463-5025. If you
would like to know more about TDA regulations involving turfgrass
certification, contact Bob Tarrant, the coordinator for the Seed
Certification Program, at (979) 542-3691.