Executive Director's Corner

We have a full year planned to serve you!

WOW! Each year your MTC Officers and Board of Directors strive to make every event and function bigger and more exciting than the last, we were successful doing that even when we could not meet face to face due to the entire COVID mess. Hopefully masks and social distancing are a thing of the past as your MTC Officers, and Board are hard at work to address all your needs.

We are starting the year with a new President, Brandon Sands, of MNCPPC. If you haven’t met Brandon yet, make sure to go back and check out his President’s message on page 6. On March 3, Brandon and two (2) other Board Members represented the MTC at the Taste of Maryland when people from all the varied Agricultural disciplines in Maryland have a chance to meet and hobnob with the Governor, his Department Heads, and many Maryland Legislators. It was a great time to meet and network for your industry.

We were also asked to assist the University in their final evaluations of the last four (4) candidates to fill the big shoes of Dr. Pete Dernoeden our Turfgrass Pathologist for over 35 years. The final selection was made with a unanimous decision by the University Selection Committee. Our new Turfgrass Plant Pathologist is Dr.Fereshteh Shahoveisi. She will officially start May 1 but she is already making contacts. See her appointment announcement on page 11 or see the official announcement on our web page at www.MDTurfCouncil.org.

Right after Dr. Shahoveisi arrives, the Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA) is bringing back the “Shields Golf Tournament” on Friday, May 13, 2022, after being shut down for two (2) years due to COVID. All new this year after many years at Glen Dale Golf Course, the Tournament is moving to the University of Maryland Golf Course with a bull roast at the College Park American Legion immediately after. Registration is only $130.00 per person and Hole Sponsorships are just $300. Here is your chance to support the IAA. More details can be found on page 10.

May 31 is the deadline to apply for the Jim Claxton Memorial Scholarship offered by the Turfgrass Producers of Maryland (association of Sod Farmers & Suppliers). Jim was a good friend to everyone in the industry and a strong believer in education. Eligibility requirements and official application can be found on pages 12 & 13.

Next the MTC will be offering a “Procrastinators Fertilizer and Pesticide Applicator Recertification Class” VIRTUALLY on June 24, 2022. If you have not completed your required CEU’s this may well be your LAST CHANCE. If your license expires on June 30, 2022 and you have not completed your CEU’s you will have to go though the entire exam process to get your license back so sign up today. If you also need CEU’s from DC, DE, VA, WV, or PA, we will also apply for these CEU’s, but we must apply 30 day in advance so do not delay getting your application back to the MTC office. An application for the Procrastinators Class was mailed to everyone with your dues renewals. Feel free to make additional copies or contact the MTC Office for assistance. Class is Free for MTC Members or $75 for Non-Members.

Once you are all set with sufficient CEU’s for July 2021 to June 2022 fiscal year, you can attend the MTC’s “Early Bird Fertilizer and Pesticide Applicator Recertification Class” LIVE on Wednesday, August 17, 2022 at the Talbot Agricultural and Educational Center” in Easton, MD. Just like above, if you also need CEU’s from DC, DE, VA, WV, or PA, we will also apply for these CEU’s, but we must apply 30 day in advance. So when you get the application please do not delay getting your application back to the MTC office. Feel free to contact the MTC Office if you have any questions. Class is again Free for MTC Members or $75 for Non-Members.

Lastly, we will complete the year with another outstanding MTC Annual Winter Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show on Tuesday, December 13. Once again, we will be the guest of Turf Valley Resort & Golf Course in Ellicott City, MD. Watch for specific details as we get closer. Yes, we have another beautiful “Quilt for Research” to raffle off at the Conference.

As you can see, we have a full year planned to serve you, our members, so please feel free to contact us if we can ever assist you or your Turfgrass Organization.

Vernon W. Cooper

Maryland Turfgrass Council, Exec. Dir.