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. 2025 was the last year of a formal turf team.

The team meets weekly over Zoom and face-to-face to discuss the UK turf program, to prioritize publications, and to put together the state conference program.  

Due to a snow accumulation, the first day of the conference was not well-attended. By the end, however, around 300 people attended the three-day Turf and Landscape Short Course in February 2025. Overall, participants were very pleased with the meeting organization, location, topics, etc. The event produced a little over $36,000 that goes directly into funding the Extension Turfgrass position.

The conference also included a Commercial Pesticide License study day, culminating with the test in the late afternoon. More than 25 people took the test.

Surveys showed that 72% of short course attendees adopted practices, technologies, or knowledge that resulted in improved turf quality, improved landscape maintenance, increased yield, reduced inputs, increased efficiency, increased economic return, and/or more conservation of resources. In addition, 89% agreed that attending this event helped them remain employed by keeping their pesticide license current. Lastly, 61% of the attendees said that by attending this conference their business will net (by saving or earning) $1000 to $10,000 per year.