TifEagle production protocols for sprig and sod fields
1. Growers will participate in their home state certification program and TifEagle will be marketed only as Certified sod or Certified sprigs. The production standards for TifEagle may be more stringent than a producer's home state certification standards, but the process should not adversely impact conscientious producers of genetically pure turfgrass. Sod and sprigs from fields, which do not have current approved Certification status, will not be eligible for harvest. A field or portion of a field may have Certification status. 2. The Georgia Seed Development Commission (GSDC) will work cooperatively with each state Certification agency to assure that the TifEagle in the market place will have uniform genetic quality across all production areas. 3. Certification field inspections, tag or certificate supplies and other certification activities will be coordinated by the home state agency. The producer will be responsible for regular or extra Certification costs. The producer will be responsible for coordinating Certification activities with the home state Certification agency. 4. The Certification agency and GSDC acting on behalf of the USDA/ARS and University of Georgia Research Foundation will have the final authority on suitability of TifEagle sod and sprigs for harvest and sale. The Certification tags will be issued by the home state Certification agency. 5. The bill of laden for each truckload or other shipping unit of TifEagle will include a Blue Certification tag or Certificate. 6. The following production standards (item 7) will be the minimum requirements for TifEagle unless the home state certification agency has more stringent standards. In that event, the Certification agency standards will have precedence. 7. General and Field Standards: a. A field or portion of field may be approved for harvest of Certified sod or sprigs. b. Foundation turf will be the vegetative increase of Breeder's turf. Breeder TifEagle will be maintained by a representative of the USDA/ARS and university of Georgia Research Foundation. Foundation TifEagle will be maintained by GSDC. c. For the purposes of these TifEagle production standards, offtype plants will be defined as any stolon or rhizome producing species propagated by sod or sprigs. Common and hybrid bermudagrass, centipede, zoysia, buffalo grass and bahia grass are typical, but not all the examples of offtype species. Noxious/objectionable weeds are defined by state seed law and are specific by state. General weeds are all plant species not defined as offtypes or noxious/objectionable weeds. d. Foundation turf planted on a producer's farm will not be eligible for expansion. e. Certified turf will be the sod or sprigs harvested from fields planted with Foundation turf. There will be no restrictions on the planting rate of Foundation turf. f. TifEagle fields will be identified by appropriate signs and field numbers. The field labels will be noted on a map showing the location of TifEagle fields and the identification of other grass varieties in production on the farm. g. Fields will be eligible for certification for five years from date of planting after which time the TifEagle must be destroyed and replanted if further production and sales are desired. h. Foundation TifEagle will be planted on fumigated ground. i. After establishment, fields will be inspected 3 times each year (spring, summer, fall). j. Isolation requirements will include a barrier (ex. driveway) or a 6' offtype free border around the perimeter of each field. k. Offtype and weedy plants in TifEagle production fields. aa. Fields with no more than one offtype plant per five acres will have full certification status. The offtypes found will be eradicated. bb. If during inspection more than one (1) offtype plant, but no more than five (5) are found per five acres the production may be marketed, with a reinspection scheduled within 4 weeks. All offtype plants must be mechanically or chemically eradicated. If appropriate progress has not been made to eliminate offtype plants, the field will be rejected for Certification and harvest denied. The field can regain certification status if the offtypes are eradicated to a level no more than one per five acres by the end of the current growing season.
cc. If more than five offtype plants are found per
five acres, the field will be rejected and harvest
denied. dd. Noxious/objectionable weeds will be controlled in TifEagle fields. General annual grasses and broadleaf weeds will not exceed one plant per 10 square feet. ee. If field does not meet Certification standards within 12 months after identification of offtypes or weed contamination, the field will be permanently rejected for Certification and destruction will be required according to Article 11.5 of the License Agreement. Certification tags and certificates will be audited annually by the Certification agency. GSDC and/or Certification will make random and on-request quality inspections of TifEagle turf installations. TAKE ME BACK TO TIFEAGLE GROWERS HOME PAGE
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