Two TurfZone podcasts were recently released. The Arkansas Turfgrass Association released its latest podcast on how the U.S. Sod Checkoff is Striving to “Bring Grass to Life.” Meanwhile, the Tennessee Turfgrass Association posted “Turfgrass is a Family Legacy for Tom Samples Professional of the Year Recipient Bob McCurdy.” Details on the podcasts are as follows:
Arkansas Turfgrass Association
Sod producers in the U.S. have been discussing the benefits of creating a sod checkoff since 1996, but only in recent years has there been more intentional discussion around how the industry can begin that process.
The goal of any checkoff program is to increase product demand and/or expand markets. For the sod industry specifically, the checkoff program will seek to Bring Grass to Life and increase value and profitability per square foot. This can include programs that will increase preference for sod, promote sod to consumers nationally and conduct research to educate and inform industry regulators and politicians.
Dr. Casey Reynolds, TPI Executive Director, has been a powerful voice behind the effort, rallying the industry around the benefits of an industry-wide checkoff. To listen to this podcast, click here.
Tennessee Turfgrass Association
If you want to visit Dyer, Tennessee, you’ll have to be going there on purpose. It’s not really on the way to anywhere, and for most people it’s not exactly a destination. But for the McCurdy family, it’s both the starting and end points of a journey built on a legacy of faith, community, and honest work.
Located in Dyer, McCurdy Sod Farms is a turfgrass island in the sea of row crops on the flat, fertile landscape of northwest Tennessee. The McCurdy family has called this area home for generations, and their impact has gone far beyond the land and soil they cultivate. Bob McCurdy, the 2022 recipient of the Tom Samples Professional of the Year award, is the senior partner of the farm and a stalwart leader in both Dyer, Tennessee and the turfgrass community.
Bob McCurdy’s influence in the sod production segment has certainly been immense, but it’s the impression he’s made across the industry that has allowed him to be a true leader and example for turfgrass professionals of all stripes. To listen to this podcast, click here.