Association News

Source: www.TurfMagazine.com

Harper’s ATM 162

Harper Receives AE50 Award

The American Society for Agricultural & Biological Engineering presented Harper Industries with an AE50 Award for exceptional design innovation for Harper’s ATM (All-Terrain Mower) 162. Other companies honored at ASABE’s national conference include John Deere, Case New Holland and Agco.

The Kansas Department of Transportation was involved in designing the mower and assisted with testing of early prototypes.

NOFA Course Sees Record Attendance

The Northeast Organic Farming Association Organic Land Care Program experienced record-breaking attendance at its fourth annual Organic Lawn & Turf Course, with 195 professionals receiving education in organic turfgrass management. The course is open to all landscape professionals and municipal workers. It was held in Dartmouth, Mass.; Manchester, Conn.; and Hillsborough, N.J. This winter, NOFA will offer its comprehensive five-day organic land care accreditation course in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey.

NYSTA Mourns Smith

Stephen Smith, a leader in the turfgrass industry, has passed away. He served on the board of the New York State Turfgrass Association and was elected president for two terms. He founded many of the association’s programs, including the first Poa Annual Golf Tournament and the matching funds program at Cornell University that led the way for the New York Turfgrass Foundation. Smith was recognized in 2000 for his achievements and commitment to the industry with NYSTA’s most prestigious award, the Citation of Merit. He worked for many years in irrigation sales and as a golf course superintendent, and was a past president of the Hudson Valley GCSA.

CGKA & CICA Announce Plans for 2009 Conference

The Connecticut Grounds Keepers Association and the Connecticut Irrigation Contractors Association will co-host the 2009 Connecticut Turf & Landscape Conference, which will be held January 28-29, 2009, at the Connecticut Conference Center at Adriaen’s Landing in Hartford, Conn. The event consists of Education Day (a series of full-day seminars), a trade show and one-hour seminars. Many of the seminars are eligible for various continuing education credits. Admittance to the trade show floor is free.

For more information, contact Dick Tice at 203-699-9912 or rtice@snet.net.

News from Landscape Ontario

Landscape Ontario is working to create the first nationwide postconsumer horticultural plastics recycling program in the world. Targeted items include plastic garden pots, trays, tags, irrigation pipes and greenhouse poly. The partnership will include recycling companies, pot manufacturers, garden centers, nurseries and growers. Pots, trays and tags would be collected directly from consumers at centers across Canada.

McRae Anderson was the keynote speaker during the Interiorscape Conference and Anne Obarski and Roy Prevost were the featured speakers at the 2008 Garden Centre Symposium the day before the 9th Annual Garden & Florist Expo. Anderson spoke about “Raising the Bar of Interiorscape Design” and “Green Plants for Green Buildings.” Obarski presented on various topics, including “Making Your Nursery Business Contagious” and “Retail Nursery Business is Show Business.” Prevost’s speeches included “Prosper Alongside Big Box Retail” and “Retaining and Motivating Employees.”