FEATURE
U.S. SOD CHECKOFF IS STRIVING TO
“BRING GRASS TO LIFE”
S
od 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. “The sod checkoff will benefit every producer and farm by increasing visibility and value of sod that includes driving preference for natural grass sod with both consumers and customers, and 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 even competitors like artificial turf and others that compete for our space,” said Reynolds.
24 • MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS • FALL 2021
How Would a Sod Checkoff Impact You? Checkoff programs are industry-funded initiatives that help improve the market position of agricultural products. A sod checkoff would help showcase the value of natural grass in several ways, including the following: • The checkoff can help fight against regulations like grass bans, fertilizer bans, invasive species lists, building codes, etc. • Marketing can help combat competitive products in the marketplace. • Research can help gain insights into generational attitudes toward lawns, which are currently shifting in the wrong direction, and consumer messaging can educate consumers on the benefits of natural grass. • Scientific research on ecosystem services can change the narrative around lawns and other green spaces and showcase the value that natural grass brings to urban and suburban areas.
