Sod producer members in four states represented in advocacy outreach.
Turfgrass Producers International sent 11 letters of support on behalf of U.S. sod producers representing four states requesting permanent registration for the herbicide MSMA in sod production.
TPI gathered letters from sod producers in Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, all states where MSMA is an important tool for managing difficult perennial weeds. TPI will continue to work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on MSMA registration as well as other important products in use in sod production and share any updates. Connecting sod producers directly to policymakers is a major part of TPI’s advocacy efforts.
“Sod producers know the tools they need to effectively grow quality natural grass,” says TPI Executive Director Casey Reynolds, PhD. “Connecting our members directly to policymakers is a major part of our advocacy work.”
MSMA remains an important post-emergence herbicide for sod producers managing grasses and sedges in warm-season turfgrass systems, particularly when pre-emergence herbicide programs break down during mid- to late-summer conditions. As a result, it plays a critical role in maintaining sod quality and marketability. Many uses of MSMA were cancelled by the EPA in 2009, and its use in sod production is still currently registered as conditional. Those are additional rights of way, parks and athletic fields, residential and commercial lawn care by professional applicators. TPI is also seeking its reregistration in Florida.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Casey Reynolds, PhD at (919) 907-8238 or [email protected].
