NEWS:

• Goodbye Jack Dunn
  Monday March 31st will be the end of the Jack Dunn Era. Jack is retiring after 15 years of dedicated service to Tennessee Crop Improvement, Tennessee Foundation Seeds, Tennessee Advanced Genetics, and UniSouth Genetics. We are sad to see him go and wish him the best. We hope he has a relaxing, stress free, and fun retirement.

• As of August 1, 2005 Tennessee Crop Improvement Association hired Matthew Young as Head Field Inspector. Matthew is a recent graduate of University of Tennessee at Martin with a B.S. in Agricultural Business.
  
  
• There seems to be some confusion or misrepresentation about "certified" turfgrass. There are 2 totally different types of certification in Tennessee. One is certified as turfgrass by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. The second is "Blue-Tag Certified turfgrass" and is certified by the Tennessee Crop Improvement Association as pure to variety. The Southeast has experienced increased demand for high quality turfgrass in recent years, primarily due to the expansion of the golf course industry and the desire for rapid establishment of uniform turf for athletic fields and landscapes. In an effort to assure the quality of turfgrass obtained, contract specifications commonly include the requirement for Certified sod or sprigs.However, there is some confusion about just what Certified turf is. Much of this confusion relates to the fact that there are two different inspection programs for turfgrasses in Tennessee that use the term, “certification.”
  Within TDA Plant Certification reside the nursery, greenhouse, and plant dealer certification programs which involve a staff of plant inspectors who work with industries to (1) ensure the continued movement of healthy, pest-free plant material in interstate and international trade, and (2) monitor the phytosanitary condition of plant material coming into the state. Some of the pests of major concern include gypsy moths, imported fire ants, Japanese beetles and boll weevils which threaten Tennessee's forests, nurseries and major crops. A renewed apiary initiative is engaging battle with Varroa and tracheal mites which are currently decimating the honeybee population in the state. This program is not concerned with the genetic identity or purity of the grass and the Nursery Certificate Tag may not be used as evidence of certification to satisfy contract specifications for Certified turf.
  Blue Tag Turfgrass Certification is a program of voluntary participation whose purpose is to promote the genetic identity and purity of the turf and freedom from most noxious or objectionable weeds. Certified sod and sprigs are produced in accordance with Tennessee's Vegetatively Propagated Turfgrass Standards and have been frequently inspected by TCIA staff to ensure compliance with these standards. A Tennessee Blue Tag Certified Grass certificate showing such information as variety name, lot number, field identification and quantity of grass must be signed by the producer and accompany each shipment of Certified grass. This certificate is what differentiates Blue Tag Certified turf in the market place!!
  It should be noted that it is unlawful in Tennessee to represent reproductive material as Certified unless it has been inspected, approved and labeled in accordance with the Tennessee Turfgrass Certification Standards. The use of Nursery Certificate Tags to imply Blue Tag Certification is a violation of Tennessee law, as is shipment without the Tennessee Blue Tag Certified Grass certificate.
  The staff of TCIA stand ready to assist producers with any complaints regarding Tennessee Blue Tag Certified grass that is properly labeled.
  
• UniSouth Genetics has officially launched it's own website. If you have been surfing here to get your USG variety information, it is now available along with other important information at www.usgseed.com. We will continue to carry USG variety information that is pertinent to the Tennessee region. Other information included who carries all varieties across all USG member states along with variety yield results and company information.

• The 2005 soybean variety information has now been updated. The list now includes all USG licensees in all USG states. Please click on the soybean picture above or click here to view the 2005 available certified and USG varieties.
  

• 2004 soybean test results are piling in. You can click here to view the University of Tennessee's 2004 Soybean trial results. You may also click here to see the results from disease test conducted at the Milan Experiment Station.

• The wheat description and turfgrass pages have been updated. You can click on the wheat picture at the top or click here to choose the right variety of wheat seed to plant this fall. There are 6 new varieties this year. USG 3592 and USG 3706 available from UniSouth Genetics, Inc. Benton is a new variety available from AgriPro. Vigoro has a new variety with V9410. Pioneer has released 26R15 to the public, and a new certified variety released by Virginia Tech is available as McCormick.
  

• UniSouth Genetics, Inc.'s early group V variety USG 5002T has been named the USDA's early group V check to go along with the USG 5601T.
  
• University of Tennessee's soybean release USG 5601T has been named the USDA's check variety for all of their uniform soybean variety testing.

• TCIA now has a trained organic inspector on staff. He was trained and certified by IOIA in August 2001. Please call the TCIA office or e-mail for any information on becoming a certified organic producer. A certifying agent will be the one to grant you certification. Please link to Quality Certification Services (QCS) to obtain an application.