ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. - Pledges of $15,000 each by Seed Research of Oregon/Seed Solutions and Jacklin Seed, a division of J.R. Simplot Co., have pushed the International Turf Producers Foundation's Water Right Campaign over its $500,000 goal.

Multi-year pledges and one-time contributions will raise more than $527,000 to support landscape water related research and education. There are now nine turf industry vendors who have become "Water Right Champions," said ITPF.

In making his firm's pledge, Bill Dunn, vice president of Seed Research of Oregon said, "We are proud to be a corporate sponsor of this campaign because we believe water issues will be at the forefront of the green industry this century.

Representing Jacklin Seed, Gayle Jacklin said, "We are pleased to become a Water Right sponsor and feel it is important that members become more involved in local water policy decision-making. There is a real need for further research and education in this area."

When the "Water Right Campaign" kicked off in Dec., 1999, ITPF officials encouraged broad-based contributions to raise funds for water-related research, dissemination of documented water-use facts and landscape water conservation recommendations, as well as new information to address water quality and availability issues.

For more information about the Water Right Campaign, including how to make a tax-deductible contribution, contact ITPF at (800) 405-8873.