St. Johns County Staff Attend Florida Turfgrass Association Conference

• 3 October 2025
• Category: Agriculture SJC News
• Tags: 2025

From September 30 through October 2, 2025, staff from the St. Johns County Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (OIA) and Parks and Recreation Department attended the 72nd annual Florida Turfgrass Association (FTGA) Conference and Trade Show at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala.

Founded in 1953, FTGA provides education, research support, and networking opportunities to professionals across the turfgrass industry. The association focuses on advancing industry standards, supporting emerging research, and fostering student development in turfgrass-related fields.

This year, Prissy Fletcher, agricultural grant and policy analyst with OIA, served as moderator for the Urban Fertilizer and Sod Management educational workshops. The sessions featured subject-matter experts presenting the latest research in turfgrass science, along with best management practices for sports fields, residential lawns, sod farms, and more. A key benefit for participants was the opportunity to earn Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for pesticide and fertilizer licensing.

David Canon, superintendent of Parks Maintenance, attended the conference with members of his team. Canon shared that they visited the FTGA Field Day in Citra, where they evaluated turf research trials in person. He noted that “these trials demonstrated advanced strategies for optimizing turf establishment, density, and wear tolerance — key concerns for municipal parks managing heavily used sports fields.”

During the Sod Management workshop, Dr. Kevin Kenworthy, professor of plant breeding and genetics in the University of Florida Agronomy Department, shared updates on his latest turf breeding projects. When asked about the purpose of conducting on-farm trials, Dr. Kenworthy explained that it “helps the growers to get direct observations of grasses they might consider for expansion.”

One of his ongoing projects is taking place at Tater Farms in Hastings. The farm, which originally produced potatoes before expanding into turfgrass and later citrus, has become an exemplary collaborator due to its strong production practices. Dr. Kenworthy praised the operation.

“Tater Farms has been a constant source of support for my program for over two decades,” Dr. Kenworthy said. “As one of the state’s largest and most influential growers, our collaborative efforts extend beyond their farm.”

Although the agricultural community may be small, its members rely on one another for support, shared knowledge, and continued growth. St. Johns County is proud to host leading agricultural research, partner with some of the state’s most accomplished farmers, and participate actively in industry events such as the FTGA Conference.