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TGA Warns of Further Turf Price Increases in 2025

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TGA Warns of Further Turf Price Increases in 2025: The Turfgrass Growers Association (TGA) has issued a warning about anticipated price increases for turf products in 2025.

Following another year of challenging weather conditions and ever increasing operational costs, TGA members have reported mounting pressures that will inevitably drive up the overall cost of production, and therefore the sale price of turf.

TGA Warns of Further Turf Price Increases in 2025

TGA Warns of Further Turf Price Increases in 2025

This continues a trend in recent years, as the industry grapples with the ongoing effects of extreme and variable weather patterns. In 2024, further widespread wet weather, increased disease management programmes, and in many cases the legacy of the previous winter’s adverse weather have once again driven up production costs across the whole supply chain.

Impact of National Insurance Contribution Changes

Adding to these challenges, the government’s increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions, effective from April 2025, will significantly affect turfgrass producers. Contributions are set to rise from 13.8% to 15%, while the threshold at which employers begin paying contributions will drop from £9,100 to £5,000. These changes will substantially increase payroll costs for labour-intensive industries including turfgrass production.

Richard Owens, Chair of the TGA, commented: “2024 was another particularly challenging year for the turfgrass industry. Alongside continued weather-related disruptions and increasing operational costs, government-mandated fiscal changes are adding further pressures. Price adjustments are essential to ensure the industry’s viability and ability to meet future demand.”

Building on Previous Challenges

The anticipated price rises for 2025 build on the challenges highlighted at the start of 2024, when the TGA warned of price increases driven by extreme weather, rising fertiliser and fuel costs, and supply chain issues.

Looking Ahead

The TGA remains committed to supporting its members by promoting best practices, advocating for industry needs, and exploring innovative solutions to mitigate future challenges. However, with the effects of climate change continuing to impact growing conditions and economic pressures mounting, the association urges stakeholders to anticipate price volatility and plan accordingly for upcoming projects.

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Golf course switches brands in huge machinery overhaul

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Golf course switches brands in huge machinery overhaul: One of the UK’s most revered golfing destinations, Woodhall Spa Golf Club, has completely overhauled its machinery fleet by switching brands to John Deere.

Technology, reliability and dealer service drove the decision for the home of England Golf to remove its existing machines and invest in new cutting units, Gator utility vehicles, GPS sprayers and a compact tractor.

Golf course switches brands in huge machinery overhaul

Golf course switches brands in huge machinery overhaul

Embracing cloud-based software, the greenkeeping team responsible for maintaining the iconic Hotchkin and Bracken courses will now use John Deere’s new Operations Centre PRO-Golf platform to allocate daily tasks, track input costs, schedule servicing and generate reports.

John Deere dealer Ripon Ground Care delivered the 26 pieces of machinery on 19 February and will now lead a programme of staff training and optimisation to ensure maximum efficiency and performance from the fleet.

Peter Moore, Course Director at Woodhall Spa Golf Club, said: “We were impressed with the build quality and the GPS technology during the intensive demonstration period. All the team were involved in the decision giving feedback on each item of equipment.”

The purchase has been structured by John Deere Financial, allowing the club to spread payments while it also invests a new clubhouse and facilities.

“The flexible finance option presented to us allowed us to maximise our budget and deliver a payment schedule that suited our business,” Peter added.

Woodhall Spa Golf Club is close to Lincoln and boasts two 18-hole championship courses, one of which – Hotchkin – ranks 58th best in the world.

Greens and tees will now be cut with 2750E riding mowers and 260SL walk-behinds, while fairways will be maintained by four 6700A E-cuts.

A total of 10 electric and diesel gators will be used for transporting staff and materials around the course, and two satellite-steered HD200 precision sprayers will take care of weeds and diseases with unrivalled accuracy.

A 4066R compact tractor is on hand for heavy work and towing.

Chris Meacock, John Deere Division Sales Manager for Golf and Turf, said: “With a fully connected fleet the team at Woodhall Spa will not only see the benefit of the latest technology on our cutting units and sprayer, but will also be able to account for every second of machinery use.

“This brings a whole new dimension to course management resulting in greater efficiency and accuracy for the whole operation.”

Scott Trestrail, Area Sales Manager at Ripon Ground Care, said: “It’s great that Woodhall Spa Golf Club recognises the whole package available, from seamless equipment integration, cutting-edge technology plus the reliability and back-up. We look forward to working with and supporting the club going forwards.”

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Firm to expand customer service in Yorkshire

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Firm to expand customer service in Yorkshire: GGM Group continues to demonstrate its commitment to service excellence and support for its customer & supplier partners with the announcement of its intention to open a new service centre this Spring, in a move that will also bring jobs to the area.

The forthcoming launch of the new centre, in the Wakefield MBC area, which will have a focus on serving customers throughout Yorkshire in Groundscare, Agriculture and Arboriculture with after sales support, including mobile engineers and spare parts supply.

Firm to expand customer service in Yorkshire

Firm to expand customer service in Yorkshire

GGM offer a comprehensive portfolio of leading land-based machinery including Kubota and Baroness in Agriculture & Groundscare and Golf respectively as well as many others; together with cutting-edge solutions from FSI stump grinders, and TP Woodchippers within Arboriculture. With an extensive product offering, GGM can provide machinery of superior quality, that is both high performing and offers increased levels of efficiency.

As a tractor and machinery dealership, GGM supply equipment to sectors including professional groundscare, estate management, golf and other sports clubs, local authorities and the agriculture and arborist markets. The business has served Yorkshire for many years and with a growing portfolio of Yorkshire-based customers, the Service Centre aims to localise and improve customer support and GGM’s ability to meet customer needs in the region.

GGM Group have recently been awarded the 2024 Service Dealer UK Professional Turf Care Dealer of the Year award. Having also won the award in 2014 and 2019 this accolade recognises the company’s ongoing commitment to excellence in the industry. The company also achieved the Kubota Gold Plus Service Excellence Standard in 2023, awarded only to companies who offer the highest after sales service levels, so whether customers are looking for parts, service or technical advice GGM are committed to exceeding customers’ expectations.

Drawing on the vast experience and knowledge of the award-winning teams in Colne and Haydock, the company aims to create a team to ensure customers will be looked after at every step of their journey, with on-the-doorstep expertise at hand.

Chris Gibson, Managing Director of GGM Group said:

“This an extremely exciting time for the GGM Group. We already have a strong customer base in Yorkshire and it seemed the right time to enhance our customer service offering in the region. As a business, our competent team are committed to delivering first class customer service and support and the Yorkshire service centre will only add to this”.

The new service centre will open up job opportunities for service and support staff in the area and interested applicants should visit https://www.ggmgroup.com/about-us/job-vacancies/

GGM is a specialist supplier of tractors and high-quality professional equipment for commercial use in Groundscare, Tree care and Agriculture across Yorkshire and the North-West of England, with existing depots in Colne and Haydock.

With a proven record of delivering a trusted service and exceptional after sales support, driven by a set of deep-rooted values, GGM takes pride in building long lasting customer relationships, based on anticipating needs, solving problems and delivering on time, every time.

GGM Group are also proud to be a living wage employer, as well as being an ISO and CHAS accredited supplier.

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In the Medals!

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In the Medals: Turf Matters was delighted to learn that a panel of international judges had placed us third best Turf Magazine on the web.

The listing comes from FeedSpot, an Indian-based agency which discovers, categorises and ranks blogs, podcasts and influencers in several niche categories and which has been producing listings since 2012.

In the Medals!

In the Medals!

This latest recognition comes on the back of a series of writing and design awards that the magazine has won over the last five years.

  1. Stadia Magazine
  2. Turf & Rec Magazine
  3. Turf Matters
  4. Turf Magazine
  5. Lawn & Landscape
  6. The Landscaper
  7. Landscape Management
  8. Total Landscape Care

For more information visit www.feedspot.com

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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Putting a spring in your aeration step

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Putting a spring in your aeration step: Always keen to support its customers, Reesink is not only maintaining 2024 parts prices in 2025 but offering customers a further 10 percent off genuine Toro tines this spring. The promotion is for all tines, including Titan, on orders placed up until 31 March.

A key part of spring maintenance, aerating is a practice that cannot be overlooked, and tines are the key ingredient to successful results.

Putting a spring in your aeration step

Putting a spring in your aeration step

Michael Hampton, Purchasing and Sales Process Manager at Reesink, says: “As the grass begins to wake up after winter, there are multiple things that can be done to ensure a good start to the growing season and desired standards are achieved. Arguably the most important is decompaction through aeration.

“There are however many different aeration practices and tines available depending on what the customer is looking to achieve.”

Deep tining is the preferred for this time of year as it decompacts the profile after the cold, often wet months of winter and helps promote drainage. In addition, there’s hollow tining to control organic matter and as an effective way of soil exchange when used alongside topdressing.

Solid tining, both shallow and deep, provides enhanced gas movement between the root zone and the atmosphere. Shallow (less than 150mm) is useful for aerating the upper level of the root zone and particularly good for sandy soil that doesn’t need much turf compaction relief.

With over 150 Toro tines to choose from, customers can be assured there is something in the range for all seasons, surfaces, purposes, and soil conditions. And with Toro genuine parts guaranteeing the best form, fit, and function on the market – and all included in the 10 percent off deal – now is the time to stock up ready for the all-important spring maintenance weeks.

All Toro tines are designed for performance, durability, and longevity, leaving pure holes for the best aeration techniques, but Toro Titan tines take things a step further and last four times longer than standard non-Toro tines meaning less replacements and change-outs for greater productivity.

Michael concludes: “The phrase we often apply to Toro parts is buy smarter and get much more for your money. With Reesink maintaining 2024 prices and offering promotions on genuine Toro parts not just now but throughout the year, the value is the best it’s been.”

Reesink is reminding customers that all Toro parts can be purchased through their local dealer or service centre, where they will receive help and advice getting the right part with the exact engineering specifications for their equipment at the best possible price.

To find your nearest Toro dealer, visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk or call 01480 226800.

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