Certification

No turfgrass sod shall be sold, offered, stored or held for sale, or transported within or into the State unless such stock shall have been certified as being essentially free of injurious plant pests, diseases, weeds, and mixtures of other grasses by the Director, Division of Plant Industries of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, or by a legally constituted agency designated for such purposes in other States, territories or countries; Provided, however, that under certain stipulated conditions enumerated below uncertified turfgrass sod may be allowed to be moved within the State under a permit issued by the Director of the Division of Plant Industries. The requirements for the certification of turfgrass sod are as follows: (1) (a) Persons desiring to offer turfgrass sod for certification must make application to the Director, Division of Plant Industries, Tennessee Department Of Agriculture at least sixty (60) days prior to the preparation of the land for planting, for approval of the proposed planting site. (b) Stock must be planted on land previously approved by the Director, or a representative of the Division of Plant Industries, Tennessee Department of Agriculture. (c) Vegetative propagating stock or seed used for planting must have been secured from sources that are certified by a duly established certifying agency of this or other states and it shall be the’ responsibility of the applicant to furnish documentary evidence that such stock or seed was in fact secured from such certified sources. (d) Fields or blocks of turfgrass sod for certification must be isolated from other perennial grasses, crops or weeds by a clean or fallow strip or barrier at least ten (10) feet wide. Where more than one variety or species of turfgrass is being grown for certification in the same field they must be separated by a clean or fallow barrier at least ten (10) feet wide in order to prevent mixtures. (e) Fields or blocks of turfgrass for certification must be maintained essentially free of injurious plant pests and/or diseases, and must show evidence of good cultural practices (fertilization, mowing, weed control, etc.). A grower may be required to apply specific control measures as recommended or approved by the Director, Division of Plant Industries, when such measures in the judgment of the Director or his representative are required for the control of plant pests, diseases, or weeds. Failure or refusal to carry out such control measures may disqualify the field or block from certification or result in the cancellation of any certification then in effect. Records of all pesticide applications must be kept by the grower and made available to the Director or his representative on request. (f) Certification of turfgrass sod in Tennessee will be made in two classifications: 1. Tennessee Certified Premium - Turfgrass sod certified in this classification must meet the following minimum requirements: REGULATIONS FOR TURFGRASS CERTIFICATION CHAPTER 0080-6-4 (i) Ninety-five percent (95%) pure stand, with not more than five percent (5%) of species of turfgrasses other than the one offered for certification. (ii) Essentially free of injurious plant pests and diseases. (iii) Free of prohibited weeds and essentially free of other weeds (not more than three percent (3%) at time of last inspection prior to harvesting). (iv) The sod must be of uniform color, density, texture and free of excessive thatch. 2. Tennessee Certified Turfgrass sod certified in this classification must meet the following minimum requirements: (i) Eighty-five percent (85%) pure stand with not more than fifteen percent (15%) of varieties or species of turfgrasses other than the one offered for certification. (ii) Essentially free of injurious plant pests and diseases. (iii) Free of prohibited weeds and essentially free of other weeds (not more than five percent (5%) at time of last inspection prior to harvesting). (iv) The sod must be of uniform color, density, texture and free of excessive thatch. 3. List of prohibited weeds: (i) Bindweed Convolvulus arvensis (ii) Buckhorn plantain Plantago lanceolata (iii) Thistle Cirsium spp. (iv) Corncockle Agrostemma githago (v) Dodder Cuscuta spp. (vi) Johnsongrass Sorghum halepense (vii) Oxeye Daisy Chrysanthemum leucanthesuma (viii) Quackgrass Agropyron repens (ix) Wild garlic Allium vineale (g) Should the inspection indicate that a part or parts of a field or block of turfgrass sod do not meet the certification requirements in either of the two classifications listed above, the remainder of the block or field meeting the certification requirements may be certified. (h) Inspections: The following minimum inspections will be made. Other inspections may be made as individual circumstances warrant. 1. Planting site inspection - In order to be eligible for certification the site or sites to be planted in turfgrass must be inspected and approved by a representative of the office at least sixty (60) days prior to the preparation of the land for planting. 2. Pre-plant inspection - will be made before final preparation for planting. Land should not be tilled or cultivated for at least two (2) weeks prior to this inspection which is for the purpose of detecting any noxious weeds and undesirable perennial grasses that may have germinated after initial land preparation for planting. REGULATIONS FOR TURFGRASS CERTIFICATION CHAPTER 0080-6-4 3. Field inspections - One or more field inspections will be made each growing season to determine purity of stand, and to detect the presence of other perennial grasses, prohibited and other weeds, plant pests and diseases. 4. Pre-harvest inspection - will be made within thirty (30) days prior to harvesting.