Controlled-release fertilizer manufacturer Agrium Advanced Technologies has announced the formation of an inner-company sustainability team designed to help earn traditional fertilizer manufacturers a "spot at the table" in the sustainable turfgrass management debate. The announcement was made in an exclusive interview with Green Industry PRO magazine and greenindustrypros.com at GIE+EXPO 2011 in Louisville, KY, on October 27.
Alan Whitney, who joined Agrium roughly eight months ago, heads up the group. "We want to continue to focus on the four R's," Whitney said. "The right product in the right amount in the right place at the right time."
The sustainability team is focusing on grassroots outreach at the state level. Whitney said various "green groups" often push for all-out fertilizer and/or pesticide bans, and legislators often listen, typically as a result of a lack of education. Agrium's sustainability team aims to find that middle ground where the responsible application of traditional lawn care products, such as controlled-release fertilizer, are accepted by these groups. Whitney says that has already proven to be the case in a number of instances.
The sustainability team also includes Sarah Fox, a former environmental planner for the city of Fort Collins, CO. The team will continue to expand as this initiative evolves.
