SYNLawn, the only artificial grass manufacturer with a complete plant-based surfacing system, was recently installed at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex specifically in the rocket launch viewing area. The 20,000 square feet of SYNAugustine 547 turf covers the equivalent of more than four basketball courts. SYNLawn's SYNAugustine 547 is a new USDA Certified bio-based product that uses plant-based polyethylene thatch fibers made from sugarcane polymers in addition to soy polymers used in the turf backing. This groundbreaking, environmentally friendly artificial grass meets the heavy foot-traffic demands of the visitor complex.

The idea for the inclusion of SYNLawn at the visitor complex grew from talks at its 2015 Earth Day Celebration. "Innovation and agriculture grew together at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex with its installation of SYNLawn's soy-backed grass," said United Soybean Board Director John Dodson, a Tennessee soybean grower who participated in the original Earth Day discussions. "The choice makes sense for the environment as well as the guests who want to watch our future unfold during rocket launches."

Other stimulating factors for SYNLawn's use include its 100 percent recyclable and water conservation properties and the fact it's made in the USA with soybeans grown in the USA. Installing SYNLawn has a positive impact on multiple facets of the U.S. economy. "At SYNLawn, we are so proud to be such a large consumer of soybean oil created from U.S. soybean farmers' harvests," said George Neagle, executive vice president, SYNLawn. "This project brings awareness to these amazing technological advancements that help provide a natural looking, environmentally sustainable, durable artificial grass. At the same time, we are able to support the U.S. soybean farming industry, and the hardworking men and women who incorporate these renewable materials into the products at our Dalton, Georgia, manufacturing facility."