Client News
Bradenton Herald: Proper use of fertilizer helps environment
Monday, January 14, 2013
As a family-owned business operating for more than 80 years, SMR Farms is proud to live and work in Florida. We’re even more proud to grow and nurture greenery — turfgrass, sod, trees and citrus — that go on to thrive across our state.
As green industry professionals who have our hands in the dirt every single day, no one relies more on the health, sustainability and environmental impacts of turfgrass than we do. Our livelihoods depend on the environment around us, and we’ve maintained a steadfast commitment to protecting it.
Beyond employing innovative water management practices to reduce our environmental footprint, we also operate within the industry’s best management practices (BMPs) for the responsible care of our greenery. We rely on these BMPs and the science behind them to ensure we are taking the best possible care of our turfgrass and the environment.
As Floridians, we applaud the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for taking steps to enhance our scientific knowledge through their latest research project on nitrogen leaching.
Funded through DEP and conducted over three years by the seasoned scientists at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the latest data about nitrogen leaching has concluded that responsible fertilizer application during the growing season creates strong root systems in turfgrass, lessening its ability to leach nutrients.
This innovative study not only informs our industry BMPs, but also the water quality debate across our state. What’s beneficial to the turfgrass on SMR Farms is beneficial to turfgrass in your own backyard. A healthy lawn, with healthy roots, will help eliminate the nutrients in Florida’s water.
SMR Farms has always — and will always — remain dedicated to safeguarding the environment and conserving water. We look forward to continuing to work within our industry and across the state to turn these scientific facts into real-world turfgrass maintenance practices.
Mac Carraway, President, SMR FarmsLakewood Ranch