Education: A Key Factor in Our Success

Finally, it’s fall, my favorite time of the year encompassing all of my favorite seasons that we will experience over the next few months: football season, hunting season, and the holiday season. These are all at the top of my list and things that I look forward to each and every year. With the start of this season we have finally started to experience the crisp cool mornings, pleasant daytime temperatures, and less humidity each day that has already put me in a better mood than the day-to-day grind of hot temperatures, high humidity, and no rain that we endured over the past few months.

With the end of the growing season upon us, we now turn our attention to fall pre-emergent herbicide applications for our winter annual weeds including annual bluegrass (poa annua). This winter weed is one of the most problematic weeds that turfgrass managers across our state have to deal with year in and year out. With that in mind, we have invited Dr. Beck Grubbs from Texas A&M to speak at our annual ATA Conference and Trade Show in January. His presentation will provide a broad overview of annual bluegrass (Poa annua) management programs and the risk of herbicide resistance. Dr. Grubbs will also introduce attendees to the USDA-SCRI Poa research project, a multi-state research initiative being led by Texas A&M with 15 participating research institutions.

Education is a key factor in all our success, and as an ATA Board Member and while serving as President, my goal for anything the ATA does is to provide you with pertinent & timely information that you can immediately put to use the next day in your job. Something that will either make you more money, save you money, answer/solve a problem that you are experiencing or share an idea that might make you more efficient. If you missed out on any of our events this past year, (Conference & Trade Show, Field Day, Turf Talk) please make plans to attend in 2020. You will find more information about our Annual Conference & Trade Show in this issue. You can also stay connected to our social media platforms on Facebook & Twitter for more announcements in the coming months. We will always provide relevant content in our Arkansas Turfgrass Magazine for scheduled and upcoming events.

I can’t encourage you enough to take a minute and apply for the statewide ATA awards. We have several categories that you can submit a nomination for. This is a way to get yourself and/or your company recognized for all the hard work you have done throughout the year. The deadline is approaching soon, and I would like to award you one of our state’s highest distinctions as being one of the ATA award recipients!!!

Lastly, if you are like me and this season of the year is your favorite as well, I wish your football team much success, I hope you kill a big enough one to mount on your wall or you get your limit each morning you go out, but most of all I want to wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year and look forward to visiting with you at the ATA Conference and Trade Show in Hot Springs in January 2020.

Kyle Sanders, ATA President

Kyle Sanders, ATA President