Published: Monday, Dec. 14, 2009

Updated: Monday, Dec. 14, 2009

SMR turf grass goes international

LAKEWOOD RANCH — SMR Farms entered the international turf grass business when it recently delivered 25 tons of Empire Zoysia grass to The Veranda Resort in Turks and Caicos Islands in the West Indies.

The company is currently negotiating for its second sale with parties in China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Spain, Trinidad, Dubai and several Caribbean nations, said Gary Bradshaw, SMR’s turf grass manager.

SMR sod, which can be found on the football field at Braden River High, the polo fields of the Sarasota Polo Club, the baseball fields at Out of Door Academy and at many other locales in Florida, is being marketed internationally for golf courses, resorts, sporting venues and residences.

“We think we have the capability of providing improved varieties of turf grasses that can be very successful using less fertilizer and water,” said Luis Soto, 46, the Colombian-born international director for sales and marketing, who was brought on staff in July to develop an international clientele.

To help Soto get the job done, SMR has made some logistical decisions.

The sod that was shipped to the Turks and Caicos Islands came from a new SMR Farm opened 18 months ago in St. Cloud in Osceola County, east of Orlando.

SMR-Osceola, comprised of 220 leased acres from Deseret Farm and Cattle, is a lot closer to the Port of Fort Pierce which serves The Caribbean, than would be sod grown in Manatee County.

“We didn’t actually start the farm with the international market in mind but it’s worked as a side benefit,” Bradshaw said. “We started it because St. Cloud is close to the east coast of Florida and Orlando and there are many golf courses over there. We felt in order to compete we had to be closer to that market.”

These new developments are transforming the turf grass division, which started in 1984 and now represents roughly 35 to 40 percent of SMR Farms’ annual income.

The other 60 percent of SMR Farm’s income comes from cattle, citrus and trees.

If the company is successful at international trade it could add 25 percent more income to yearly turf revenue, Bradshaw said.

SMR Farms has a bit of a secret weapon in its bid to become an international turf grass power.

Soto, who was a consultant for SMR for a year before coming on staff, is highly skilled at working with international clients, Bradshaw said.

“What Luis does so well is that he makes them know that we want to be a partner,” Bradshaw said. “We want to have a relationship.”

Soto, who attended Oregon State University and spent 10 years helping Central American growers bring cantaloupes and other melons into America, says international clients are looking for quality, experience and service in a turf grass vendor.

“They want to see value when they consider why to do business with you,” Soto said. “I think we add a lot of value to our products and that is in great demand overseas.”

SMR sent Soto and Bradshaw to the West Indies to be on hand when the load dropped at Port of Providenciales.

SMR divided its turf grass international quest into three phases: market research, product development and sales. The company is in the third phase.

Soto say the worldwide economic slump is having an affect.

“We are finding the golf industry difficult to crack because of the slowdown,” Soto said. “There are less golf courses being built and the ones under construction seem to all have turf providers. We have engaged in bidding for some of these courses and have been very, very close to get some of those deals but the tough part is that the companies that have been in business internationally have more weight when it comes to bids.”

“I think it’s just a matter of time for us,” he added.

Richard Dymond, Herald reporter, can be reached at 748-0411, ext. 6686.