The green industry is a $9 billion industry and employs 26,000 in Kentucky with turfgrass and landscape businesses contributing to the local economy of both urban and rural communities across the state. 

In 2022, the Pulaski County Horticulture Agent joined two other agents and UK’s new Turf Extension Associate to form the University of Kentucky State Turf Team.  This team provides turf programming and organizes and executes the Kentucky Turf and Landscape Short Course.

The team met weekly over Zoom and face-to-face to discuss the UK turf program, to prioritize publications, and to put together the state program.  Three new turf publications were published in 2022-23 (Submitting Turfgrass Samples for Disease Diagnosis, Restoring a Flood-damaged Lawn, and Preemergence Herbicides for Kentucky Lawns). The Pulaski County Horticulture Agent was co-author on the latter.

Over 550 people attended the three-day Turf and Landscape Short Course in February 2023. Overall, participants were very pleased with the meeting organization, location, topics, etc. The event produced $26,850 that goes directly into funding the Extension Turfgrass position.

The Pulaski County Horticulture Agent was also involved in two commercial pesticide applicator trainings, one in Pulaski County and one in Estill County. Thirty-five participated in these trainings that are designed to deliver 4 CEU credits on a local level.  The Turf Team will assist any agent who would like to host a similar event, providing all topics and speakers.