GCSAA provides well-defined career paths for those seeking to be recognized at the highest level of their profession. Whether you are a superintendent, assistant, or equipment manager GCSAA has certificate and certification programs designed for you. These programs have been developed by members, academia and industry with guidance from professional psychometricians. Start your journey today.https://www.gcsaa.org/education/certifications-exams
OTF & Ohio State Turfgrass Science Team Summer Field Day is Tuesday, August 2!
Get the latest information from OSU’s Turf Team for managing healthy turfgrass and test out new tools and technology to make your program more efficient. Choose from the Golf Track or High Cut Turf Track.
9:00 am – 9:30 am Opening Remarks from the Dean, OTF President, HCS Chair
9:30 am - 10:00 am ABW Update Dr. Dave Shetlar, OSU An update on new populations in ABW in Central Ohio. Also, we will discuss a review of preventative options and curative control. ODA Category 8 10:00 am -10:30 am Turfgrass Weed Management Issues 2022 Dr. Dave Gardner, OSU The most important weed issues in turfgrass (grassy and broadleaf) encountered in 2022 will be discussed, including recommendations for control. New and upcoming herbicides as well as strategies for use of existing products will be discussed along with suggestions for optimal application timing. ODA Category 8 10:30 am – 10:40 am Find your station location.
Golf
High cut
10:40 am - 10:55 am Dr. Doug Karcher – Wetting agents
11:00 am - 11:15 am Dr. Ed Nangle – Biostimulants
11:20 am - 11:35 am Dr. Nicholas Narog - DCD Amended Urea/Nitrogen
11:40 am - 11:55 am Dr. Dominic Petrella – Rolling and Fungicides
10:40 am - 10:55 amDr. Dominic Petrella – Shade and fine fescues
11:00 am - 11:15 am Pam Sherratt – Grass ID
11:20 am - 11:35 amDr. Dave Gardner – Herbicide Plot Update
11:40 am - 11:55 amDr. Karl Danneberger – Certificate Programs
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Disease Research and Product Update Todd Hicks, OSU This talk will provide an update on turf disease research our program is conducting for the 2022 field season combined with a product update on new or recently released chemistry. ODA Category 8 12.30 pm – 1:15 pm Vendor Showcase with Lunch
1:15 pm – 1:45 pm Landscape Insect and Mite Update Dr. Dave Shetlar, OSU Spring-saturated soils followed by drought can be really stressful for landscape plants and borers often take advantage of this stress. We’ll cover some of the most important borers as well as the warm-season mite issues with suggestions for using preventive and curative control products. ODA Category 6a 1:45 pm – 2:15 pm Controlling Weeds in Landscape Beds Dr. Dave Gardner, OSU In order to successfully combat weeds in landscape beds, it is important to be able to identify the weeds and know their life cycle. Based on this information, you can then determine if herbicidal control options are practical, including selection of the proper herbicide and the most appropriate application timing. Proper cultural practices and their contribution to weed control in landscape beds will also be discussed. ODA Category 6c
May 03, 2022 | Angela Hartmann
National program has raised nearly $2.5 million since 2012
Lawrence, Kan. (May 3, 2022) -- The 2022 Rounds 4 Research fundraising program to support turfgrass studies, administered by the GCSAA Foundation sold 1,361 rounds of golf and yielded more than $482,000 in its April 25-May 1 online auction, making it the most successful in the program’s history and an increase of $129,000 over 2021. The GCSAA Foundation is the philanthropic organization of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).
The top bid was $10,100 for the Dormie Network one-year membership to six private clubs.
"Thanks to generous donors and bidders who care about supporting the game they love and for making this year’s Rounds 4 Research auction our most successful yet," said Rhett Evans, GCSAA chief executive officer. "Golf is more popular than ever, and it is wonderful to see golfers and the industry come together to ensure its future.”
The national campaign is presented in partnership with the The Toro Co. Several multi-course operators have also joined the effort to support research, including ClubCorp, Dormie Network, Founders Group International, GreatLIFE KC, KemperSports, Marriott Golf, the PGA Tour TPC network of courses and Troon Golf.
“We are proud to join other management companies and individual courses in being a part of this important effort for the good of the game,” said David Nicholls, senior vice president of science and agronomy for Troon Golf. “Rounds 4 Research benefits everyone who cares about golf because it is making sure that the game will be here for many years to come.”
The program has raised nearly $2.5 million since launching in 2012. For more information about Rounds 4 Research, visit rounds4research.com.
Consistent with predictions following the oral argument (see below), the U.S. Supreme Court in a 5-4 opinion allowed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services vaccine mandate for health care workers to go into effect, but blocked the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s vaccine-or-test mandate by a 6-3 vote. The court’s decisions mean that health care workers at facilities and at suppliers covered by the CMS regulation must be fully vaccinated or receive an approved medical or religious exemption by Feb. 28, 2022.
Court relies on congressional authority to protect patient health and safety to uphold the CMS mandate
In its opinion allowing the CMS vaccine mandate to go into effect, the court noted that CMS has broad powers to condition facilities’ participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs on “requirements as [CMS] finds necessary in the interest of the health and safety of individuals who are furnished services in the institution.” The court held that CMS reasonably concluded that a COVID-19 vaccine mandate was necessary to protect patient health and safety because “COVID-19 is a highly contagious, dangerous — and especially for Medicare and Medicaid patients — deadly disease.”
The court rejected the challengers’ arguments that the statute “authorizes [CMS] to impose no more than a list of bureaucratic rules regarding the technical administration of Medicare and Medicaid.” The court cited with approval CMS’ “longstanding practice” of using its statutory authority to regulate “the safe and effective provision of healthcare, not simply sound accounting.” For example, CMS regulations govern how long after admission a patient must be examined, and by whom; the procurement and transplant of solid organs; tasks that can be delegated by a physician to an advanced-practice provider; and the control of infectious diseases within a facility. Not only that, but CMS routinely regulates the qualifications and duties of health care professionals, justifying these regulations by its power to protect patient safety. Requiring a COVID-19 vaccine for health care workers, the court held, is ultimately no different.
The court recognized that the CMS vaccine mandate “goes further than what [CMS] has done in the past to implement infection control” but also that CMS “has never had to address an infection problem of this scale and scope before.” And the court noted that vaccine requirements are common in the health care setting and that “healthcare workers and public-health organizations overwhelmingly support” the CMS mandate, which “suggests that a vaccination requirement under these circumstances is a straightforward and predictable example of the ‘health and safety’ regulations that Congress has authorized [CMS] to impose.”
Finally, the court rejected the challengers’ claims that the CMS mandate was unlawfully issued without public participation and did not adequately consider alternatives or the available evidence. As for public participation, the court held that the impending winter flu season was sufficient good cause to dispense with advance notice and comment. And as for alternatives and evidence, the court held that CMS’ decisions were “within a zone of reasonableness” and should not be second-guessed by the courts. The court therefore stayed the preliminary injunctions imposed by the Missouri and Louisiana district courts blocking the CMS mandate.
The court’s decision confirms what we saw coming out of oral argument. First, the median justices made the difference. The court’s unsigned majority opinion was joined by Justice Breyer, Justice Sotomayor and Justice Kagan — and two of the three median justices Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Kavanaugh. Second, the court saw the CMS regulation as tailored to the threat COVID poses in the health care setting, whereas the OSHA rule was too indiscriminate in regulating all workplaces with 100+ employees. Third, the court understood that the long history of CMS infection-control regulations made the vaccine mandate an incremental step, not a sweeping new assertion of authority. And finally, the court cited the health care community’s strong support for vaccinating health care workers, making it clear CMS was properly exercising its powers to protect patients.
Court relies on major-questions doctrine to block OSHA vaccine-or-test mandate
As we also predicted from oral argument, however, the court saw the OSHA mandate as going too far. The court’s unsigned majority opinion was joined by all three median justices as well as Justices Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch.
Invoking the major-questions doctrine, the court stated that it “expect[s] Congress to speak clearly when authorizing an agency to exercise powers of vast economic and political significance.” And it held that OSHA’s vaccine-or-test mandate was a major question because it is “a significant encroachment into the lives—and the health—of a vast number of employees.” The Court further emphasized that this kind of OSHA mandate was unprecedented: “It is telling that OSHA, in its half century of existence, has never before adopted a broad public health regulation of this kind—addressing a threat that is untethered, in any causal sense, from the workplace. This lack of historical precedent, coupled with the breadth of authority that the Secretary now claims, is a telling indication that the mandate extends beyond the agency’s legitimate reach.”
The court then considered whether the Occupational Safety and Health Act “plainly authorizes” OSHA’s vaccine-or-test mandate, and held that it does not. The court viewed the Act as limited to “workplace safety standards, not broad public health measures.” To the court, although COVID-19 as a risk in many workplaces, it is not an “occupational hazard in most.” Allowing OSHA to regulate that “universal” risk of COVID, the court believed, “would significantly expand OSHA’s regulatory authority without clear congressional authorization.”
The court did emphasize, however, that a more-limited vaccine-or-test mandate might pass muster. It stated that where COVID-19 “poses a special danger because of the particular features of an employee’s job or workplace, target regulations are plainly permissible.” OSHA, for instance, can “regulate risks associated with working in particularly crowded or cramped environments.” What OSHA cannot regulate, the court held, is “the everyday risk of contracting COVID-19 that all face.” The court therefore reimposed a nationwide stay blocking the OSHA vaccine-or-test mandate.
What’s next?
Technically, all the court did today was decide whether the mandates will go into effect while the courts of appeals consider the challenges to them. But at this point, the writing is on the wall: The court has five votes to uphold a CMS vaccine mandate and six votes to vacate an economy-wide OSHA vaccine-or-test mandate. So while the cases return to the courts of appeals for further proceedings, it is very unlikely that the courts of appeals will reach a conclusion different than the Supreme Court’s on the stay applications.
In fact, shortly after the Court released its decision, the White House issued a statement saying:
As a result of the Court’s decision, it is now up to States and individual employers to determine whether to make their workplaces as safe as possible for employees, and whether their businesses will be safe for consumers during this pandemic by requiring employees to take the simple and effective step of getting vaccinated. The Court has ruled that my administration cannot use the authority granted to it by Congress to require this measure, but that does not stop me from using my voice as President to advocate for employers to do the right thing to protect Americans’ health and economy. I call on business leaders to immediately join those who have already stepped up – including one third of Fortune 100 companies – and institute vaccination requirements to protect their workers, customers, and communities.
Given the Supreme Court’s rulings today and that statement, expect CMS to finalize the vaccine mandate in essentially the same form as the interim final rule. But any attempt to finalize an OSHA vaccine-or-test mandate similar to the emergency temporary standard enjoined today seems likely to be blocked, as the White House seems to have recognized.
67 delegates representing 72 chapters meet in person at GCSAA Headquarters and the Kansas City Airport Marriott
After a virtual session in 2020, delegates from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America met in-person during a two-day event at GCSAA Headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., as well as the KCI Airport Marriott Hotel October 21-22, 2021.
The annual event brings delegates together from GCSAA’s 98 chapters to discuss initiatives, provide insight on moving the association forward, and to begin discussions on electing board members and officers at the February 2022 annual meeting.
Highlights of the meeting included a new delegates orientation session at GCSAA headquarters. New delegates were given an overview of expectations for the event, toured headquarters and heard from department leaders how GCSAA is moving the association forward.
Members also heard from President Mark Jordan, CGCS, and CEO Rhett Evans. Both discussed GCSAA’s influence in the world of golf, facing difficult times during a global pandemic, and the importance of the delegates to lead outward. GCSAA continues to showcase the organization and its members as the global leaders in golf course management. A member dues discussion also took place. GCSAA follows a dues adjustment process created in 2006 from input and approval from chapter delegates. The process is tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and equates to smaller and more frequent adjustments in dues rather than infrequent, but larger adjustments. This year’s proposal is the following:
The GCSAA Board of Directors will consider delegate feedback as they discuss the proposal. Delegates are encouraged to communicate the proposed dues adjustment with their membership and provide chapter feedback to GCSAA.
The delegates offered their thoughts on a variety of industry issues during breakout sessions. Questions on labor, professional development and best management practices were of focus.
Wednesday’s town hall session allowed delegates the chance to ask questions of the GCSAA Board. The interactive session focused on processes with the annual meeting and allowed further discussion on items discussed during the two-day event. Candidate breakout sessions concluded activities. The delegates were awarded ample time to interact and ask questions of the candidates. Those running for the GCSAA Board in 2022 are:
As Dykstra and Weston are at the end of their director terms, there will be two (2), 2-year director terms up for election. Both Barker and White are in the middle of their two-year director term and will remain on the board as a director if not elected Secretary/Treasurer. The membership will also elect a one-year director seat to fill the vacancy left by the winner of the Secretary/Treasurer race.
GCSAA’s Annual Meeting will take place Thursday, February 10 from 8-10 a.m. at the San Diego Convention Center.
04/30/2019
Contact Information:
EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking an important step in the agency’s review of glyphosate. As part of this action, EPA continues to find that there are no risks to public health when glyphosate is used in accordance with its current label and that glyphosate is not a carcinogen. The agency’s scientific findings on human health risk are consistent with the conclusions of science reviews by many other countries and other federal agencies. While the agency did not identify public health risks in the 2017 human health risk assessment, the 2017 ecological assessment did identify ecological risks. To address these risks, EPA is proposing management measures to help farmers target pesticide sprays on the intended pest, protect pollinators, and reduce the problem of weeds becoming resistant to glyphosate.
“EPA has found no risks to public health from the current registered uses of glyphosate,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Today’s proposed action includes new management measures that will help farmers use glyphosate in the most effective and efficient way possible, including pollinator protections. We look forward to input from farmers and other stakeholders to ensure that the draft management measures are workable, realistic, and effective.”
“If we are going to feed 10 billion people by 2050, we are going to need all the tools at our disposal, which includes the use the glyphosate,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said. “USDA applauds EPA’s proposed registration decision as it is science-based and consistent with the findings of other regulatory authorities that glyphosate does not pose a carcinogenic hazard to humans.”
Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in U.S. agriculture and has been studied for decades. Glyphosate is used on more than 100 food crops, including glyphosate-resistant corn, soybean, cotton, canola and sugar beet. Non-agricultural uses include residential areas, aquatic areas, forests, rights of way, ornamentals and turf.
Once the Federal Register notice publishes, the public will be able to submit comments on EPA’s proposed decision at www.regulations.gov in docket # EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0361. Public comments will be due 60 days after the date of publication in Federal Register. EPA’s responses to the comments received on the draft ecological and human health risk assessments and the benefits assessment will be in the docket.
For more information about glyphosate, including today’s proposed interim decision and supporting documents, visit: https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/glyphosate.
The glyphosate draft risk assessments and supporting documents can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/draft-human-health-and-ecological-risk-assessments-glyphosate.
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Discover.
by Government Affairs Team | Mar 11, 2019
Last August, a state court jury in San Francisco decided Roundup caused a Vallejo, California man’s non-Hodgkin lymphoma and awarded him $289 million in punitive damages. The award was later reduced to $78 million and Monsanto has appealed.
So far, GCSAAPAC has made several, bipartisan donations to Members of Congress who have impacted golf. $500 was contributed to Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), who is the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee which has jurisdiction over water and pesticide issues. $500 was also contributed to Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), who has supported a number of our positions on environmental issues and represents GCSAA headquarters in Lawrence, Kansas. $500 was contributed to Congressman Kevin Yoder (R-KS-3) as part of a larger event attended by GSCAA superintendents and staff at Shadow Glen Golf Club in Olathe, Kansas. Finally, $500 was contributed to Senator John Barrasso, the Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
Learn more here
The GCSAA Podcast features relevant association and industry content that includes educational information, updates on GCSAA programs and services, reports from industry events, human interest stories and interviews with some of the biggest names in golf course management.
Whether you listen out on the course, during your daily commute, or while catching a work out, make the GCSAA Podcast a permanent addition to your podcast playlist.
GCSAA Podcast
Gov. John Kasich wants to crackdown on phosphorous run off that feeds Lake Erie algal blooms
Read more Kasich on phosphorous
