FACT: The Ontario turfgrass industry maintained 390,000 acres of turfgrass in 2007 while generating $2.6 Billion in revenue to the economy. The industry also provided 33,000 full time jobs while spending an additional $1.75 Billion on operating and equipment expenditures.

The Ontario Turfgrass Research Foundation has released a detailed report of the economic size of the Ontario turfgrass industry. This commissioned study measures the scale and the breadth of the industry both in physical terms (acreage, employment) as well as in economic terms (gross revenue, expenditures on operating and equipment). The Ontario turgrass industry consists of diverse segments, such as golf courses, municipal parks, sod farms, lawn care companies and sports fields. Surveyed industry professionals and selected turfgrass industry segments, along with other data sources, provided an in depth analysis of the value of Ontario turfgrass industry. The results of this study emphasize the importance of the turfgrass industry to the economy of Ontario.

"This well researched study provides a defensible and conservative measure of the Ontario turfgrass segment" -as reviewed by an economist at the George Morris Centre

Click on the following link for a brief summary Highlights of Economic Profile of the Ontario Turfgrass Industry.pdf   

For a copy of the full report, click on Economic Profile of Ontario Turfgrass Industry.pdf

A study has been completed by Dr. Tom Hsiang, University of Guelph, to compile reports on fungicidal control of snow molds from published sources (Fungicide and Nematicide Tests), University Reports, the GTI Annual Reports, and testing at various research institutes. The end product is a table of ratings for different fungicides tested against gray or pink snow mold diseases, including registered products, non-registered products and experimental chemicals.

See Table: Efficacy Table of snow mold fungicides registered in Canada.pdf

OTRF CELEBRATES 30th ANNIVERSARY AT THE NATIONAL GOLF CLUB of CANADA

GTI Soccer Fields Guelph Soccer and the GTI have teamed up for a pilot project.Youth soccer players gain extra playing fields while researchers gather on site data.  Research on the  pitches will look at cultural practices to maintain a weed free pitch with minimal water use when faced with the challenges of high use.