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   Advancements in Agricultural Development 
  Volume 4, Issue 2, 2023 
  agdevresearch.org 

 

1. Tyler Granberry, Assistant Professor, The University of Tennessee, 114C McCord Hall, 2640 Morgan Circle Dr, Knoxville, TN 

37996, tgranber@utk.edu,   https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7981-0027  
2. Matthew Lambert, Graduate Research Assistant, Louisiana State University, 137 Julian C. Miller Hall, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 

70803, mlamb37@lsu.edu,  https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3329-3244 
3. Jeffery S. Beasley, Professor, Louisiana State University, 226 Julian C. Miller Hall, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, 

jbeasley@agcenter.lsu.edu,  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9626-0701 
4. Jeff S. Kuehny, Professor, Louisiana State University, 4560 Essen Ln, Baton Rouge, LA 70809, jkuehny@agcenter.lsu.edu, 

 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3853-744X 
5. Lisa Fultz, Associate Professor, Louisiana State University, 310 Sturgis Hall, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, 

lfultz@agcenter.lsu.edu,  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2461-6016 
6. Shelli D. Rampold, Assistant Professor, The University of Tennessee, 321D Morgan Hall, 2621 Morgan Circle Dr, Knoxville, 

TN 37996, srampold@utk.edu,  https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4815-7157  
34 

 

Perceptions of Organic Practices among Turfgrass 
Professionals in Louisiana 

 
T. Granberry1, M. Lambert2, J. S. Beasley3, J. S. Kuehny4, L. Fultz5, S. D. Rampold6 

 
 

Article History 
Received: January 10, 2023 
Accepted: April 4, 2023 
Published: April 19, 2023 
 
 
Keywords 
sustainable practices; organic 
fertilizers; organic pesticides 
  

Abstract 
Landscape contractors are increasingly interested in organic products for 
Louisiana’s residential and commercial turfgrass areas. However, the use, 
motivations, and barriers to adopting organic practices in the commercial 
turfgrass and landscape industry sector are not well documented. This 
study examined the perceptions of organic landscaping practices among 
members of the Louisiana Turfgrass Association. The study’s participants 
were primarily men aged 31 to 60, with six to 25 years of landscaping 
experience. Most turfgrass professionals were applying organic fertilizers 
and believed future organic product use would increase due to consumer 
demands and potential governmental regulation. Turfgrass professionals 
responded that they understood the USDA definition of organic but were 
less familiar with Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) labeling. 
Greater efficacy and access to organic products coupled with increased 
extension and educational efforts may increase Louisiana turfgrass 
professionals’ choices to adopt organic practices; however, more 
research is needed to better understand the adoption processes at play.   



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Introduction and Problem Statement 
 
Turfgrass is a major component of residential and commercial landscapes, and its use has 
expanded in the United States due to the shift from rural to urban and suburban residency 
(Cromartie, 2017; Johnson et al., 2013; Robbins & Birkenholtz, 2003). Highly managed urban 
and suburban landscapes provide recreational spaces, enhance property aesthetics and value, 
and help improve the quality of life and environment in the areas where they are found (Jim & 
Chen, 2010). To maintain lush ground cover, professionals who manage turfgrass have 
traditionally relied on conventional fertilizers and pesticides (Carey et al., 2012). However, 
concern for human exposure to fertilizers and pesticides and recognition of well-documented 
environmental impacts associated with their use has contributed to a public perception that 
organic practices are safer alternatives for turfgrass management (Aziz et al., 2015; Motavalli et 
al., 2008).    
 
Adoption of organic practices has occurred more readily in public spaces versus residential and 
commercial landscapes in the United States due to legislation that limits the use of pesticides 
and fertilizers (Marhsall et al., 2015). For example, New York and Connecticut passed legislation 
restricting pesticide application on school grounds, with New York extending those restrictions 
to include school athletic fields (Bartholomew et al., 2015; Haight, 2004). Similarly, Florida has 
enacted legislation to protect against water impairment focused on residential and commercial 
fertilizer applications (Hartman et al., 2008; Hochmuth et al., 2012).  
 
Landscape professionals are increasingly interested in organic products for Louisiana’s 
residential and commercial turfgrass areas. However, the use, motivations, and barriers to 
adopting organic practices in the commercial turfgrass and landscape industries are not well 
documented. Therefore, a need exists to better understand landscape and turfgrass 
professionals’ perceptions of organic products and practices. 
 

Theoretical and Conceptual Framework 
 
Ajzen’s (1991) theory of planned behavior (TPB) was utilized as the theoretical framework for 
this study. The TPB proposes that three conceptually independent determinants influence an 
individual’s intention to engage in a behavior: attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived 
behavioral controls (Ajzen, 1991). Through the lens of the TPB, an individual’s attitudes toward 
a behavior refer to their positive or negative evaluations of the behavior in question, which, in 
the context of this study, took the form of the perceptions of turfgrass professionals toward 
organic practices in their industry (Ajzen, 1991, 2005). Additionally, subjective norms in the TPB 
are perceived social pressures towards a particular behavior (Ajzen, 1991). For example, Suh et 
al. (2016) found that, for do-it-yourself consumers, purchases of organic landscaping fertilizers 
positively correlated with their perceptions of the importance of landscaping within their 
communities or neighborhoods. For turfgrass professionals, perceptions of social pressure may 
come from customers, professional organizations, or governmental agencies (Millington & 
Wilson, 2013). The final determinant of behavioral intention postulated by the TPB is perceived 



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behavioral control, which refers to the level of difficulty in performing the behavior perceived 
by the individual (Ajzen, 1991). In terms of implementing organic turfgrass and landscaping 
practices, anticipated obstacles may include increased costs, perceptions of low efficacy, or a 
lack of knowledge related to organic products.  
 
Although the impact of factors like environmental beliefs, perceptions of neighborhood 
landscaping, and expected value held by homeowners on their purchase frequency of organic 
lawncare products have been investigated, it is unclear if these characteristics translate to 
behavioral intentions in the commercial setting (Suh et al., 2016). Ajzen (1991) posited that, in 
general, favorable attitudes and perceived subjective norms related to the behavior, coupled 
with a high level of perceived behavioral control, led to greater intention to perform the 
behavior being considered. In the context of this study, developing a better understanding of 
the attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral controls held by turfgrass industry 
professionals who have chosen to adopt organic practices, as well as those who have chosen 
not to adopt, was critical to exploring the behavioral-intention processes associated with the 
TPB (Ajzen, 2005).   
 

Purpose 
 
This descriptive study aimed to examine the perceptions of organic practices held by turfgrass 
industry professionals in Louisiana. The following objectives guided the study: 
1. Describe the prevalence of organic practices among turfgrass professionals in Louisiana.  
2. Examine the demographic characteristics of adopters and non-adopters of organic 

landscaping practices among turfgrass professionals in Louisiana. 
3.  Assess the perceptions of organic practices held by adopters and non-adopters of organic 

landscaping practices among turfgrass professionals in Louisiana. 
4. Identify the knowledge of organic practices held by adopters and non-adopters of organic 

landscaping practices among turfgrass professionals in Louisiana. 
 

Methods 
 
The target population of this study was the active membership of the Louisiana Turfgrass 
Association (N = 310) at the time the study was conducted. The Louisiana Turfgrass Association 
(LTA) is a non-profit professional organization for adults working in the turfgrass and 
landscaping industries throughout the state, which frequently provides professional 
development and industry networking opportunities for its members (Louisiana Turfgrass 
Association, 2023). Members of the LTA traditionally include golf course superintendents, 
sports field managers, sod producers, landscape contractors, and other professionals related to 
the turfgrass and landscaping industries (Louisiana Turfgrass Association, 2023). We 
collaborated with LTA leaders to distribute an online survey to their members via Qualtrics to 
assess their perceptions of organic landscape and turfgrass practices. Because of the relatively 
small size of the organization and the availability of contact information for all active members, 
a census was chosen as the most appropriate sampling method (Dillman et al., 2014). 



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An online survey developed by the researchers, in collaboration with experts in turfgrass 
production and agricultural and extension education, served as the data collection instrument 
for this study. The instrument was designed to collect data relevant to participants’ perceptions 
of organic practices and demographic information. Content and face validity for the instrument 
was established by a panel of experts consisting of turfgrass production faculty and social 
science researchers with experience in survey design. Additionally, Cronbach’s alpha was 
calculated to analyze the post-hoc reliability of the scales measuring knowledge, which yielded 
alpha values above an acceptable level (α = .74). Knowledge was measured by two items, one 
for participants’ knowledge of the USDA definition of Organic, and another for their knowledge 
of OMRI (Eisinga et al., 2013). 
 
Data collection began in December 2021 and was conducted using a mixed-mode delivery 
approach guided by Dillman et al.’s (2014) method. First, an email invitation containing a 
description of the study and a link to the survey was distributed to all members on the 
Louisiana Turfgrass Association’s membership roster. Two follow-up reminder emails were 
distributed to nonrespondents in 10-day increments following the initial invite. An alternative 
mode of data collection was also offered during the 2022 LTA Annual Conference. Conference 
attendees were provided a QR code for the online survey and asked to participate in the study 
if they had not done so via email invitation. The mixed-mode delivery of the survey instrument 
yielded usable responses from 91 of the 310 members for a response rate of 29.4%. IBM SPSS 
v.27 was utilized to generate descriptive statistics for this study.  
 
To test for nonresponse bias, early respondents (those responding prior to the second 
reminder, n = 51) were compared to late respondents (n = 40) on the variable ‘perception of 
the term organic’, using a two-tailed independent t-test at the .15 alpha level; the power of the 
test was .82 for a medium effect (Cohen’s d = 0.50 [Cohen, 1988]). Although the selected level 
of significance was higher than the traditional social science threshold of .05, the nature of this 
research led us to the decision that the risk of a Type II error, where researchers 
inappropriately generalize results to a larger population, was of greater consequence than a 
Type I error, and .15 was selected as a less conservative level of significance to achieve 
reasonable power for the t-test (Cohen, 1988; Johnson & Shoulders, 2017; Mitchell & Jolly, 
2010). There was no significant difference between early (M = 3.08, SD = 0.82) and late (M = 
3.24, SD = 0.86) respondents, t(89) = -0.83; p = .41. Therefore, the findings were generalized to 
the population (Johnson & Shoulders, 2017; Lindner et al., 2001; Miller & Smith, 1983). 
 

Findings 
 
Objective One 
Examination of the current organic practices of turfgrass professionals in Louisiana revealed 
that the vast majority of respondents (n = 64; 70.3%) reported using organic products within 
the preceding 12 months as part of their business. This item was used as a filter variable; 
respondents who indicated they used organic products were asked which products they 



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applied, while those who indicated they had not used organic products were asked about their 
perceived barriers to adoption (see Table 1).  
 
Table 1 
 

 
Of the participants who had adopted organic practices, over 90% reported using organic 
fertilizers, and over 40% reported using organic insecticides. Alternatively, of the respondents 
who indicated that they had not applied organic products, doubt associated with product 
efficacy was the most frequently perceived barrier (n = 10; 38.5%), followed closely by a lack of 
knowledge of available organic products (n = 7; 26.9%).  
 
Objective Two 
The instrument’s demographic portion revealed most respondents in both the adopter and 
non-adopter categories identified as male (see Table 2). Additionally, nearly three-quarters of 
respondents in both categories were between 31 and 60 years of age. The years of experience 
in the turfgrass and landscaping industries held by adopters of organic practices closely 
resembled a normal distribution, with the apex of respondents within the range of 16 to 25 
years. Non- adopters were similar in years of industry experience, however, the largest 
percentage (f = 7; 25.9%) fell within the range of six to 15 years. Differences in position within 
their respective companies approached an even split between adopting owners (f = 33; 52.4%) 
and employees (f = 30; 47.6%), with percentages of non-adopters mirroring the percentage 
distribution among business owners (f = 14; 51.9%) and employees (f = 13; 48.1%). The adopter 
and non-adopter categories diverged in average annual sales of the companies they 

Prevalence of Organic Product Use Among LTA Members   
Item f % 
Do you currently apply organic products? (n = 91)   

Yes 64 70.3 
No 27 29.7 

Organic products applied (n = 64) a   
Fertilizer 58 90.6 
Herbicide 12 18.8 
Insecticide 28 43.8 
Fungicide 14 21.9 
Other 3 4.7 

Primary reason for not applying organic products (n = 26) b   
Cost prohibitive 5 19.2 
Less effective 10 38.5 
No knowledge of available products 7 26.9 
No products readily available in the local area 4 15.4 

a Percentages total greater than 100% due to the multiple selection nature of this item. 
b Response missing from one participant 



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represented. Although companies with annual sales totaling less than $250,000 comprised the 
largest percentage of respondents for both groups, nearly half of respondents who adopted 
organic practices (f = 31; 48.5%)  represented companies with annual sales of $500,000 or 
greater. Conversely, over half of non-adopters (f = 17; 62.9%) represented companies with sales 
totaling less than $500,000.  
 
Table 2 
 
Demographic Characteristics of Adopters and Non-adopters of Organic Landscaping Practices 
 Adopters 

(n = 64) 
Non-adopters        

(n = 27) 
Item f % f % 
Gender      

Female 6 9.4 2 7.4 
Male 57 89.1 25 92.6 
Prefer not to answer 1 1.6 0 0.0 

Age      
18 – 30 years old 6 9.4 1 3.7 
31 – 45 years old 19 29.6 9 33.3 
46 – 60 years old 25 39.1 11 40.7 
More than 60 years old 14 21.9 6 22.2 

Industry Experience      
Five years or fewer 8 12.5 5 18.5 
6 –15 years 14 21.9 7 25.9 
16 – 25 years 19 29.6 6 22.2 
26 – 35 years 14 21.9 5 18.5 
More than 35 years 9 14.1 4 14.8 

Position within company a      
Owner 33 52.4 14 51.9 
Employee 30 47.6 13 48.1 

Company’s average annual sales b     
Less than $250,000 20 31.1 12 44.4 
$250,000 - $499,999 8 12.5 5 18.5 
$500,000 - $999,999 10 15.6 3 11.1 
$1,000,000 – $2,999,999 6 9.4 1 3.7 
$3,000,000 - $4,999,999  5 7.9 3 11.1 
$5,000,000 - $9,999,999 0 0.0 1 3.7 
$10,000,000 or greater 10 15.6 0 0.0 

a Response missing from one participant 
b Responses missing from seven participants 
 
 

 
 



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Objectives Three and Four 
The findings related to objectives three and four provided insight into respondents’ perceptions 
and knowledge of organic terminology in the turfgrass industry. More than three-quarters of 
organic practice adopters (f = 55; 85.9%) reported slightly positive or positive feelings toward 
the term organic in relation to turfgrass products (see Table 3). Despite their choice not to 
adopt organic practices, over half of the non-adopters also reported slightly positive or positive 
feelings toward the term organic.  
 
Table 3 
 
Perceptions and Knowledge of Organic Terminology among LTA Members 
 % 
Item n NF SNF SPF PF 
Perception of the term Organic      

Adopters 64 0.0 14.1 40.6 45.3 
Non-adopters 27 11.1 29.6 33.3 25.9 

      
 n NK SK MK VK 
Knowledge of USDA definition of Organic      

Adopters 64 1.6 28.1 43.8 26.6 
Non-adopters 27 7.4 48.1 29.6 14.8 

Knowledge of OMRI      
Adopters 64 37.5 20.3 29.7 12.5 
Non-adopters 27 70.4 14.8 11.1 3.7 

Note. Perception Scale: 1 = Negative Feelings (NF), 2 = Slightly Negative Feelings (SNF), 3 = 
Slightly Positive Feelings (SPF), 4 = Positive Feelings (PF);  
Knowledge Scale: 1 = No Knowledge (NK), 2 = Somewhat Knowledgeable (SK), 3 = Moderately 
Knowledgeable (MK), 4 = Very Knowledgeable (VK) 

 
The majority of adopters claimed to be at least moderately knowledgeable about the USDA 
definition of organic, with 26.6% asserting they were very knowledgeable. Alternatively, over 
half of the non-adopters claimed they were somewhat knowledgeable or had no knowledge 
related to organic as defined by the USDA. Beyond their knowledge of definitions, the largest 
percentages of both respondent categories claimed no knowledge of the Organic Materials 
Review Institute (OMRI), the regulating body for products used in USDA-certified organic 
production programs (Organic Materials Review [OMRI], 2022). Although nearly two-thirds of 
adopters stated at least some knowledge of OMRI, over 70% of non-adopters held no 
knowledge of the organization.    
 
Regarding their belief toward the increased prevalence of organic product use in the turfgrass 
and landscape industries, over 85% of adopters (f = 55; 87.3%) and 70% of non-adopters (f = 19; 
70.4%) indicated that they believed these practices would increase in use in the future (see 
Table 4). This item was used as a filter variable, and a follow-up question was delivered to the 



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74 respondents who affirmed their belief in the increased future use of organic turfgrass and 
landscaping products.  
 
Table 4 
 
LTA Members’ Beliefs Regarding Future Organic Product Use 
 Adopters 

(n = 63) 
Non-adopters        

(n = 27) 
Item f % f % 
Do you believe the use of organic products will increase in 
the turfgrass/landscape industries in the future? a 

    

Yes 55 87.3 19 70.4 
No 8 12.7 8 29.6 

Primary reason for increased use (n = 65)b      
Increased customer requests 19 40.4 6 33.3 
Increased governmental regulation 8 17.0 8 44.4 
Increase availability 10 21.3 1 5.6 
Marketing opportunities for landscaping companies  6 12.8 2 11.1 
Temporary popularity 4 8.5 1 5.6 

a Response missing from one participant 
b Responses missing from nine participants 

    

 
The follow-up question sought to identify these respondents’ primary reason driving their 
perception. More than one-third of the adopters believed that increased customer requests (f = 
19; 40.4%) would create increased use of organic products, while almost half of the non-
adopters ((f = 8; 44.4%) suspected increased governmental regulation as the most frequent 
justifications for that belief. 
 
Similar to their perceptions of increased use, over half of respondents in both categories 
believed that organic products were safer than non-organic products (see Table 5). To better 
understand this perception, this dichotomous item was used as a filter variable, and a follow-up 
question was administered to the 56 respondents who stated that they believed organic 
products were safer than non-organic alternatives. 
 
  



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Table 5 
 
LTA Members’ Beliefs about Organic Product Safety 
 Adopters 

(n = 62) 
Non-adopters        

(n = 26) 
Item f % f % 
Do you believe organic products in the landscaping industry 
are safer than non-organic products? a  

    

Yes 39 62.9 17 65.4 
 Adopters 

(n = 62) 
Non-adopters        

(n = 26) 
Item f % f % 

No 23 37.1 9 34.6 
Primary reason for believing organic products are safer (n = 
51) b 

    

Applicator safety 11 30.6 2 13.3 
Customer safety 7 19.4 4 26.7 
Environmental safety 18 50.0 9 60.0 

a Responses missing from three participants 
b Responses missing from five participants 

    

 
The most frequently cited reason for believing that organic turfgrass products were safer than 
non-organic was increased environmental safety, a perception held by at least half of 
responding adopters (f = 18; 50.0%) and non-adopters (f = 9; 60.0%).   
 
Perceptions of increased use and safety were largely in line with an interest in gaining 
knowledge about organic products, expressed by over three-quarters of organic adopters (f = 
48; 76.2%) and non-adopters (f = 21; 77.8%) (see Table 6).  
 
  



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Table 6 
 
LTA Members’ Interest in Future Leaning About Organic Products 
 Adopters 

(n = 63) 
Non-adopters        

(n = 27) 
Item f % f % 
Are you interested in learning more about organic 
landscape products? a 

    

Yes 48 76.2 21 77.8 
No 15 23.8 6 22.2 

Preferred format for learning about organic landscape 
products (n = 64) b 

    

In-person training 24 55.8 7 33.3 
Web-based training videos 9 20.9 9 42.9 
Web-based informational pages 10 23.3 5 23.8 

a Response missing from one participant 
b Responses missing from five participants 

    

 
However, the most frequently preferred learning format to support this interest varied across 
the two groups. A majority of adopters who were interested in furthering their learning about 
organic products preferred in-person training seminars (f = 24; 55.8%). The most frequent 
preference among interested non-adopters, however, was web-based training videos (f = 9; 
42.9%), followed by one-third who preferred in-person training, similar to their adopting 
counterparts.  
 

Conclusions, Discussion, and Recommendations 
 
This study aimed to describe the characteristics of LTA members related to their perceptions of 
organic management practices. The commercial application of organic products, particularly 
fertilizers, was relatively widespread among LTA members. The majority application of organic 
fertilizers aligns with their availability, as natural fertilizers have a long history in production 
agriculture, bolstered by increased availability in urban environments (Heckman, 2006). This 
extensive adoption in Louisiana has occurred despite a lack of regulation observed in several 
other states. Nonadopters’ reasoning for their choice to avoid organic products included a lack 
of efficacy beliefs and knowledge about organic products.   
 
The LTA members in the study were predominantly male and between 31 and 60 years old. The 
high participation of males in the turfgrass industry found in this study was anticipated and in 
alignment with Carroll et al. (2021) work. Although most LTA members represented companies 
with average sales totaling less than $1 million, company size based on annual sales was 
noticeably smaller among those who had not adopted organic practices. The narrow 
comparative number of respondents representing ownership and employees coupled with the 
distribution of average annual sales indicates a mixture of respondents who manage family-



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owned businesses and larger regional companies or state agencies with higher non-ownership 
employee participation. The membership combination of business owners and employees holds 
the potential for further analysis of views of organic product usage in the turfgrass industry. 
 
The greatest consensus among adopters and non-adopters was a belief that the use of organic 
products in the landscape and turfgrass industries will increase in the future. Despite a lack of 
regulation related to conventional fertilizer and pesticide use in Louisiana, non-adopters 
perceived governmental regulation as the driving force behind increased future use. This 
perception was juxtaposed against that of the adopters, who widely believed increased 
customer requests and product availability would increase demand for organic practices, 
implying that differences in communication networks or information sources, specifically key 
players, may exist between the two groups (Worley et al., 2021). 
 
Despite widespread adoption and moderate knowledge of the USDA definition of organic, an 
understanding of the role of OMRI in selecting organic products was low. Therefore, the 
question is raised, is the choice to apply organic products due to increased knowledge, or does 
knowledge develop following the decision to use the products? Ajzen (2005) proposed that 
personal, social, and informational background factors can affect the determinants of 
behavioral intention. Informational factors, like knowledge and experience, support the 
assertion that increased knowledge about organic practices is influential in the intent to adopt 
them (Ajzen, 2005). Similarly, a subjective norm can be interpreted from increased customer 
requests as the primary reason respondents believed that organic product usage would 
increase in the landscaping industry (Ajzen, 1991, 2005). Increased customer requests and 
perceptions of improved safety may also contribute to the attitudes toward adopting organic 
practices and perceived behavioral controls associated with the TPB. (Ajzen, 1991). 
 
More research is warranted on landscape and turfgrass professionals’ behavioral intention 
processes regarding organic practices. A primary limitation of this study was a relatively low 
response rate. A higher number of participants in future studies would allow for enough 
statistical power to systematically evaluate the relationships among the characteristics of the 
participants (Johnson & Shoulders, 2019). Additionally, extension specialists in Louisiana should 
seek to capitalize on the expressed interest in learning more about organic landscape products, 
the widely held belief in expanded future use, and a lack of knowledge as a barrier to adoption 
by providing training about organic products in both in-person and web-based formats.   
 
  



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Acknowledgements 
 
We thank the Louisiana Turfgrass Association for their cooperation and assistance in data 
collection for this study.  
 
Author Contributions: T. Granberry – methodology, formal analysis, investigation, writing-
original draft; writing-review and editing; M. Lambert – conceptualization, investigation, 
writing-original draft; J. Beasley – conceptualization, investigation, writing-original draft, 
supervision; J. Kuehny – formal analysis, writing-review and editing; L. Fultz – 
conceptualization, investigation; S. Rampold – writing-review and editing.  
 

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