5 minute read
Turf Education Day program
September 15, 2021
Registration 7:15 AM - 8:15 AM
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
8:15 AM - 8:30 AM Alsdorf Auditorium
Shane Griffith, Weedman, Turf Committee Chair
ILCA ADVOCACY UPDATE
Alsdorf Auditorium From Grass to Grassroots
8:30 AM - 8:45 AM
ILCA Executive Director Scott Grams will provide a brief update on state and local political issues that impact the lawn care industry. With Speaker Michael Madigan retiring, the General Assembly is playing by a new set of rules. Peer into the regulatory process the ILCA employs to protect the industry and understand your vital roles as licensed applicators and practitioners.
OPENING KEYNOTE SESSION
8:45 AM - 9:30 AM Alsdorf Auditorium
Sponsored by
Avoiding Herbicide Injury to Your Turf
Aaron Patton, PhD, Purdue University
Let’s admit it, we have all injured turf unintentionally at some point with our herbicide application. Learn from the mistakes of others and prevent future errors but understanding the common pitfalls most applicators and companies make. This presentation covers either principles to avoiding herbicide injury. Through a combination of research studies and real-world case studies, this presentation will discuss herbicide rate, cultivar sensitivity, temperature effects, mode of action, herbicide fate, adjuvants, water movement, and the human factor. Learning these principles can prevent your next mistake.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS — 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Linneaus Room IDA Regulatory Update
Brad Beaver, Illinois Department of Agriculture
Join Brad as he provides an update on the Department Pesticide Programs. He will also address changes to the licensing and certification system, online options for training and testing, and COVID restrictions. Finally, Brad will provide updates on pesticide misuse including issues with posting and notifications.
Pullman Room C20 Soil Builder Improves the Health of Turf, Trees and Woody Ornamentals by Improving Their Soil
Dr. John Lloyd, Precision Organics
This session will review the importance of porous, healthy, living soil, and the impact soil has on the health and appearance of turf, trees and woody ornamentals surviving in the urban environment. We will review how C20 Soil Builder works, the value to your customers, and how C20 can be used by industry professionals to achieve their goals and/impact their bottom line.
Alsdorf Auditorium Automation in the Green Industry
Logan Fahey, Robin Auto Pilot
During our session we will dive into the technology helping to evolve the green industry. Specifically, we will cover how robotics are helping landscapers to solve labor demands, reduce costs and improve their environmental footprint. This will include an overview of both residential and commercial units and how they are managed remotely through fleet software.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS — 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM Linneaus Room Management Strategies of Billbugs, Chinch Bugs and Information on Annual Bluegrass Weevil
Chris Williamson, PhD, PBI Gordon
Attendees will be learn the biology (i.e., behavior, life cycle, ecology, damage symptoms, etc.) and appropriate management strategies of Billbugs, Chinch Bugs and Annual Bluegrass Weevil (ABW). After attending this seminar, turfgrass managers will be equipped with the information to accurately identify billbugs, chinch bugs and Annual Bluegrass Weevils, including potential hosts (turfgrass species), damage symptoms and effective management approaches.
Pullman Room Supply Chain Issues in Turf
Rusty Stachlewitz, Advanced Turf Solutions
This talk will discuss procurement issues within the Green Industry, focusing on Fertilizers, Seed and Plant Protectants. During the last 18 months there have been many factors that have affected product availability. You will learn why things are getting more expensive and what you can expect as we head into the future.
Sponsored by
Alsdorf Auditorium Air-8 Liquid Aeration University Study Results and Discussion
Sponsored by
John Perry, Greene County Fertilizer
In 2020, Greene County Fertilizer Company completed year one of a two year study to evaluate Air-8 in comparison to mechanical aeration. In this session John Perry will present data from the trial, give pro’s and cons to both methods, describe the differences in liquid aeration products and include the benefits to your customers and their lawns.
Lunch McGinley Pavilion — 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
1:00 PM - 1:50 PM Alsdorf Auditorium
Sponsored by
Pigments and Biostimulants – Can You Incorporate Them Into a Homeowner Program?
Dr. Ed Nangle, Ohio State University
Two sets of products that offer an opportunity in an ever evolving market where knowing what they do or how they can help in drought or in a more organic or naturalized home lawn may be of benefit. The benefits of applying a pigment vary but in a dormant lawn offer an instant low environmental impact green color while offering homeowners without irrigation and opportunity to retain a greener lawn in the heat of summer. Biostimulants have many impacts on the plant and in a marketplace where homeowners are developing greater focus on what goes on their lawns – these natural occurring products may offer alternatives to many of our synthetic products – at a price!
BREAKOUT SESSIONS — 2:00 PM - 2:50 PM Pullman Room Soil Amendments: What? Why? How?
Sponsored by
John Gruneisen, Foliar Pak
With soil amendments increasing in interest and popularity, it’s important to really understand why we are interested or choosing to use these tools. In this presentation we’ll explore what they are. We’ll look at the actual multiple reasons growers decide to implement the amendments. Lastly, we’ll explore how the products actually accomplish the solutions we seek.
Alsdorf Auditorium How Efficient is Your Operation
Sarah Cummings, Savatree
Learn how to challenge your mindset on how efficiently your business operates. An efficient operation pays off in profitability, safety, and success; positively impacting your customers and employees. We will discuss simple Lean Six Sigma tools to take the first steps, and how to sustain those results.
Linneaus Room Why are these weeds in Lawns so difficult to control now? Sponsored by Craig Shepherd, Advanced Turf Solutions
Over the past 10 years we witnessed a shift in Broadleaf & Grassy weed populations in Turfgrass. There are more weeds present and those weeds seem nearly impossible to control. We will examine different active ingredients & application techniques that will help with control of every weed we face in the Chicagoland Region.
