STMA IN ACTION
The proposed U . S . Sod Checkoff program would be the newest addition , and would “ Bring Grass to Life ” by telling the story of natural grass and the many benefits it brings to parks , sports fields , golf courses , lawns and other urban greenspaces . In this way , it would do exactly what checkoffs are designed to do for all agricultural commodities , which is to increase consumer demand , raise awareness , fund important scientific and market research , and educate policy makers and the public on the value of natural grass .
Dr . Casey Reynolds , executive director of Turfgrass Producers International ( TPI ), has been a powerful voice behind the effort , rallying the industry around the many benefits of an industrywide checkoff .
“ The sod checkoff will benefit every aspect of the green industry by increasing the visibility and value of natural grass ,” said Reynolds . “ It can do this by not only driving preference for natural grass sod with both consumers and customers , but also by uniting the U . S . sod industry to protect and even grow market share in the face of threats from misinformation , building codes that seek to reduce our market , grass bans , and products that compete for our space .”
Just a snapshot of the many things you can do by uniting an industry through a checkoff include :
Funding research and marketing efforts to drive consumer preference for natural grass in sports fields , urban greenspace , lawns and other sites .
Funding market and scientific research to better understand consumers , improve farming techniques , create new products and technologies , document the many ecosystem services of urban greenspace , and more .
Educate regulators and lawmakers on the value of keeping natural grass a key part of urban ecosystems in parks , sports fields , golf courses , lawns and other areas .
The proposed assessment rate of 1 / 10 of one penny per square foot of sod sold in the United States places the current estimate of the U . S . Sod Checkoff ’ s budget at approximately $ 14 million annually . If passed by a
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