SurveyID Turfgrass Economic Survey – 2018 - Sod Producer Version

TURFGRASS ECONOMIC SURVEY – 2018

Sod Producer Version

OMB No. 0535-NEW

Approval Expires: X/XX/20XX

Project Code: XXX

SurveyID:

United States

Department of Agriculture

NATIONAL

AGRICULTURAL

STATISTICS

SERVICE

USDA/NASS

Northeast Region

4050 Crums Mill Road

Suite 203

Harrisburg, PA 17112

Phone: 1-717-787-3904

Fax: 1-855-270-2719 Email: [email protected]

Please make corrections to name, address, and ZIP Code, if necessary.

The information you provide will be used for statistical purposes only. Your responses will be kept confidential and any person who willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about you or your operation is subject to a jail term, a fine, or both. This survey is conducted in accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws. For more information on how we protect your information please visit: https://www.nass.usda.gov/confidentiality. Response is voluntary.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0535-0XXX. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 45 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

INSTRUCTIONS:

· Report for all land operated, including land rented from others, in New Jersey.

· Report for all seasons (winter, spring, summer, and fall) during 2018.

A. Company information

1. Where is your company located?

Primary county: _______________ List any additional counties: __________________________________

2. How long has your company been in business? __________ years

3. What was your operation’s total land area under the following categories in 2018?

Total area __________ acres

Turf area __________ acres

4. Did you expand your turf operation in 2018?

 Yes  No (if no, skip Question 5)

5. How much turf area was increased under the following categories during 2018?

For production in 2018 __________ acres

In anticipation for 2019 __________ acres

6. Are you a member of a sod producers organization?

New Jersey Cultivated Sod Assoc.  Yes  No

Turfgrass Producers International  Yes  No

7. Please indicate whether membership in an organization has been helpful in your business.

New Jersey Cultivated Sod Assoc.  Very Helpful  Helpful  No Help

Turfgrass Producers International  Very Helpful  Helpful  No Help

B. Turfgrass Specific

8. Please indicate the percentage of each type of turfgrass you grow and sell? (select all that apply).

____ % Kentucky Bluegrass ____ % Perennial Ryegrass ____ % Annual Bluegrass

____ % Fine Fescue ____ % Tall Fescue ____ % Bentgrass

____ % Zoysia

____ % Other Mixture(specify)__________________________________

8. How is your sod harvested?

 big-roll sod

 palletized sod

 both (specify) ______ % big-roll sod ______ % palletized sod

8. What are the important sources of information for your turf-related problems? (Select all that apply).

 Rutgers Cooperative Extension Agent or Specialist  Cook College Office of Continuing Professional Education

 Rutgers University (other)  Private consultant

 Commercial Tech Rep.  Peers

 Industry magazines  Professional Organization

 Internet  TV/Radio

 Books  Other (specify)________________

C. Clients

11. Please indicate the percentage of sales ($) to the following clients in 2018.

    1. Wholesale to landscape contractors…………………………………….… _____ (%)

    2. Wholesale to other growers…………………………………………….… _____ (%)

    3. Wholesale to retailers……………………………………………….…….. _____(%)

    4. Wholesale to institutions (athletic fields, golf courses, schools, etc.) …... _____ (%)

    5. Own use (installed)…………………………………………………… …. _____ (%)

    6. Retail to public………………………………………………………….… _____ (%)

    7. Other (specify) ________________________…………………………… _____ (%)

11. Do you sell and install turfgrass directly to consumers?  Yes  No

11. Based on your company’s sales, which of your client groups have experienced the highest rate of growth in the past 5 years? Please rank the top three in descending order.

Fastest growing client group ______________

2nd fastest growing client group ______________

3rd highest growing client group ______________

D. Sod-related Problems

14. What do you consider to be difficult problems facing your industry? (Select all that apply under each category).

a. Regulation

 Local noise ordinances  Water restrictions

 Pesticide application (amount, type of chemical)  Other (specify) ________________

b. Management

 Labor availability  Immigration laws  Employee training

 Health issues due to turf activity (i.e., poisoning, etc.)  Language barriers

 Other (specify) _______________________

100. Turfgrass

 Soil related  Diseases  Insects

 Weeds  Equipment Cost  Erosion

 Water related  Shade  Traffic

 Other (specify) ________________________

14. Which do you anticipate to be the major problems facing the sod industry 5 years from now? (Select all that apply under each category).

a. Regulation

 Local noise ordinances  Water restrictions

 Pesticide application (amount, type of chemical)  Other (specify) ________________

b. Management

 Labor availability  Immigration laws  Employee training

 Health issues due to turf activity (i.e., poisoning, etc.)  Language barriers

 Other (specify) _______________________

100. Turfgrass

 Soil related  Diseases  Insects

 Weeds  Equipment Cost  Erosion

 Water related  Shade  Traffic

 Other (specify) ________________________

E. Expenses

16. Best Estimate of sod-growing expenses during the year 2018 (to the nearest $1,000):

1. Seed ………………………………………………………………………………… $ __________

2. Equipment and Operation (include depreciation, exclude labor)

Tractors.…………………...…..…………………………………...……… $ __________

Mowers……………………………………………………………..……... $ __________

Irrigation equipment.….…………..……………………………….……… $ __________

Sweepers………….. ….…………..……………………………….……… $ __________

Seeders...………….. ….…………..……………………………….……… $ __________

Harvester………….. ….…………..……………………………….……… $ __________

Land Preparation Equipment (i.e., plows,disks,levelers)…………..……... $ __________

Chemical application equipment (i.e., sprayers)……….. ….…………..… $ __________

Other implements…………………………………………………..…… $ __________

Fuel, lube and electricity..…………………………………………....…… $ __________

Repairs and maintenance.………………………………………...…..…… $ __________

Equipment rental…..…………………………………………………….… $ __________

b) Chemicals

Weed control products….……..………………………….….……………. $ __________

Insect control products……..…………………………….………...……… $ __________

Disease control products..……………….............…………………..…..… $ __________

Plant-growth regulators…………….……………...…………………….… $ __________

Bio-stimulants… …….…………….………………...………………….… $ __________

Other ……………………………....…………………………………….… $ __________

3. Fertilizer and Soil Amendments

Fertilizer ………...………………………………………………………… $ __________

Organic Fertilizer .………………………………………………………… $ __________

Lime….. ………...………………………………………………………… $ __________

Manure and compost.……………………………………………………… $ __________

Other ……………………………....…………………………………….… $ __________

3. Labor (salaries/wages, not taxes, not management)

Production wages/salaries(establishment, maintenance and harvesting)…. $ __________

Transportation………………...…………………………………………… $ __________

Supervisory wages/salaries……….…………………………………….… $ __________

Clerical/sales wages/salaries………………………………………………. $ __________

e) Services purchased

Fertilizer application………...…………………………………………...... $ __________

Lime application……………...…………………………………………..... $ __________

Pesticide application………...…………………………………………...... $ __________

Sod harvesting………..…...…………………………………………..…… $ __________

Transport services…………...………………………………………..…… $ __________

Irrigation installation…………...……………………………………..…… $ __________

Other contract labor…………………………………………………...…… $ __________

f) Advertising cost….…….…………………………………………………………… $ __________

7. Other direct expenses (Specify)

…………………………………………………………...………………... $ __________

…………………………………………………………….….…………… $ __________

………………….…….…..……………………………………………….. $ __________

…………………………………………………………………………….. $ __________

……………………....…………………………………………………..… $ __________

7. Total Sod-growing Expenses……………………………………………………... $ __________

17. Equipment/supplies purchased in 2018 from vendors outside of New Jersey was ______% of total expense.

17. What was the estimated value of turf related buildings and land owned and used by this firm as of December

2018 (to the nearest $1,000)? $ ________________

17. What was the estimated value of turf related equipment owned and used by this firm as of December 2018 (to the nearest $1,000)? (include tractors, mowers, sweepers, seeders, etc.) $ ________________

17. How many positions did this company have in 2018? ___________ employees

17. What percentage of the your company’s total workforce do the following categories represent?

• Year round full-time ______%

• Seasonal full-time ______%

• Year round part-time ______%

• Seasonal part-time ______%

17. Please indicate the percentage of total hours devoted to turf-related activities by the following employees.

• Year round full-time ______%

• Seasonal full-time ______%

• Year round part-time ______%

• Seasonal part-time ______%

F. Cultural Practices and Equipment

23. What types of mower are primarily used by your company (select all that apply)?

 Tractor –drawn rotary  Tractor-drawn reel

 Other (specify)_________________

23. What type of mower blade do you primarily use?

 Mulching  Non-mulching

23. What is the average interval between mowings during the growing season? _________days

23. What type of equipment do you use to water the sod?

 Manual hand-move  Center pivot

 Manual wheel-move  Other (specify) __________________

23. What is the average interval between waterings without rain? _________days  Don’t know

23. What is the typical length of time you water when irrigating? _________hours  Don’t know

23. What are the sources of water used? (indicate percentage provided by each)

____ % Municipal ____ % Recycled ____ % Wells

____ % Surface water ____ % Other (specify)______________________________

G. Sales

30. What was the total billing for sod for the year 2018 (to the nearest $1,000)? $ ________________

30. What percentage of sod sales was sold out-of-state? __________ %

30. Please indicate your organization’s methods of advertising used in 2018. (select all that apply).

 Newspaper  Direct Mail  Radio

 Television  Signs  Brochures

 Internet  Other (specify) _______________________

H. Opinion

33. How do you feel the demand for sod will change over the next 5 years?

 Increasing  Constant

 Decreasing  Don’t know

33. In the past 5 years, were you affected by water regulations during the time of drought?

 Yes  No (skip next question)

33. Please estimate the total loss of business in terms of decreased revenue during the drought (to the nearest $1,000)?

$ __________

33. Do you believe turfgrass represents a healthy environment?

 Yes  No  Don’t know

33. Do you believe pesticide residues on turf present potential health risks to turf users?

 Yes  No  Don’t know

33. Is it important to develop turfgrasses that require less pesticide inputs?

 Yes  No  Don’t know

33. Is it important to develop turfgrasses that use less water?

 Yes  No  Don’t know

33. Do you know what Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is?

 Yes  No

33. Which of the following best fits your view of what IPM is?

 No chemical use  Pesticide use as last resort  Least toxic chemical use

 Best use of chemical, cultural, biological, and genetic pest control strategies

33. Do you use IPM on your operation?

 Always  Sometimes  Never

 Not practical

33. Would you be interested in attending workshops sponsored by Rutgers University on proper establishment, maintenance, harvesting and marketing of sod?

 Yes  No

33. Do you understand how Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) services can help you?

 Yes  No  Not familiar with RCE

33. How do you perceive Rutgers Cooperative Extension?

 Very helpful  Helpful  Fair

 Not helpful  Don’t know

33. How do you perceive Cook College Office of Continuing Professional Education?

 Very helpful  Helpful  Fair

 Not helpful  Don’t know

33. Please "grade" the Rutgers Turfgrass program in the following areas, using the appropriate number.

1 = Excellent 2 = Good 3 = Fair 4 = Unsatisfactory 5 = Don’t know

_____ Research _____ Undergraduate Education

_____ Extension/Outreach _____ Web-Page content

33. Would you grow/maintain a genetically modified turfgrass or ornamental plant if it were proved to be safe?

 Yes  No  Not Sure

				OFFICE USE ONLY
Response		Respondent		Mode		Enum.	Eval.	Change		Office Use for POID
1-Comp 2-R 3-Inac 4-Office Hold 5-R – Est 6-Inac – Est 7-Off Hold – Est	9901	1-Op/Mgr 2-Sp 3-Acct/Bkpr 4-Partner 9-Oth	9902	1-PASI (Mail) 2-PATI (Tel) 33-PAPI (Face-toFace) 6-Email 7-Fax 19-Other	9903	9998	9900	9985	9989	__ __ __ - __ __ __ - __ __ __
							R. Unit			Optional Use
							9921		9907		9908	9906	9916
S/E Name

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