Association News

Source: www.TurfMagazine.com

NOFA Holds Accreditation Course

The Northeast Organic Farming Association held its 10th annual five-day accreditation course in organic land care in Newburyport, Mass. Topics covered included site analysis and design, rain gardens, composting, soil biology and ecology, mulches, lawn alternatives, pest management, disease control, planting and plant care, organic lawns, water conservation and management, invasive plants and client relations. Speakers included Michael Nadeau, Heather Crawford, John Howell, Paul Wagner, Ann McGovern, Rose Hiskes, Cheryl Smith, Dr. Sam Telford III, Curtis Dragon, Fred Newcombe, Marie Stella, Chip Osborne, Frank Koll, Javier Gil, Bryan Connolly and Frank Crandall. For more information about the NOFA Organic Land Care Program, visit www.organiclandcare.net.

NTEA Unveils New Logo, Names President

The National Truck Equipment Association unveiled a new logo. Now visible on www.ntea.com, the logo uses the acronym NTEA, the tagline “The Association for the Work Truck Industry” and a simple graphic. The previous logo was created in 1979.

Steven Sill, president of Aspen Equipment Co., Bloomington, Minn., was installed as the 47th president of the NTEA at The Work Truck Show 2011. Sill accepted the gavel from immediate past president Allen Birmingham. Also serving on the 2011-2012 board are first vice president Frank Livas, second vice president Shawn Jacobs, third vice president and treasurer Bobby Horton and NTEA executive director and secretary Jim Carney. Distributor trustees include Steve Hayes, Adam Keane, Jeffrey Messer and Terry Wieseler; manufacturer trustees are Brett Collins, Mark Woody and Dave Zelis.

Company Requires PGMS in Hiring

The J.M. Smucker Co. in Orrville, Ohio, has become the first top 100 company to include the Professional Grounds Management Society and its Certified Grounds Manager designation in its landscape bidding process. As part of the requirement to be recognized as a qualified landscape installer for the company’s “Campus Landscape Master Plan,” which is being overseen by Domokur Architects, applicants must be a member in good standing of either PLANET, the American Nursery & Landscape Association or PGMS.

Survey Shows Outdoor Living Trends

Homeowners want function, efficiency and fire pits in their outdoor space, according to the 2011 American Society of Landscape Architects Residential Trends Survey. The survey asked residential landscape architecture professionals to rate the expected popularity of dozens of different outdoor living and landscape features for this year. More information on residential landscape architecture can be found at www.asla.org/residentialinfo.