California Ag Network

Category: Ag Economics

  • California Cheese On Top At World Dairy Expo

    Karoun Dairies has once again proven why California is the dairy capital of the United States, going up against cheesemakers nationwide at the World Dairy Expo and winning gold – two to be exact! After an 18-month long hiatus, the dairy industry had its first official contest on Thursday, August 19th in Madison, Wisconsin – the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest.

    This contest, sponsored by the Wisconsin Dairy Products Association, is the only one of its kind in North America, since no other national contest includes all dairy products. This means that cheese, butter, yogurt, ice cream, cottage cheese, fluid milk, whipping cream, sour cream and whey processors have a unique opportunity to compete in a prestigious, all-dairy national contest. The winning companies are afforded the unprecedented opportunity to promote and market their products as “the best of the best” in North America.

    Karoun’s award-winning hand braided string cheese came out on top in the String Cheese category, yet again, snatching first place alongside Karoun’s signature Goat Feta Basket Cheese. Karoun’s Queso del Valle brand also won silver for its Queso Blanco cheese in the Latin American Cheese category.

    Rostom Baghdassarian, the CEO at Karoun Dairies said, “It’s great to have another win under our belt for our iconic hand braided string cheese – the cheese that started it all for Karoun! Both the Goat Feta and String Cheese really deliver on taste and texture so we’re thrilled that the judges were able to recognize that and honor us with these awards.”

    About Karoun Dairies
    Founded in 1992, Karoun is an award-winning manufacturer and distributor of specialty ethnic food and beverage products, including cheeses, yogurts, yogurt drinks, spreads and dips. Through a diverse base of retailers and distribution channels, the Company’s products appeal to a fast-growing multicultural population, as well as to mainstream consumers who are increasingly adopting ethnic cuisines. Winner of over 170 best-in-class awards, Karoun’s high-quality, branded products have a loyal following across the nation. The Company is strategically located in the dairy-rich state of California, with a distribution center in San Fernando and a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Turlock. Karoun cheeses and yogurts are made with Real California Milk from cows free of growth hormones. Specialty brands include Karoun®, Gopi®, Arz®, Queso Del Valle®, Damavand® and Yanni®.  For more information, please visit www.karouncheese.com.

    In 2017, Karoun Dairies was acquired by Lactalis Group – the largest dairy company in the world, based out of western France – and became a subsidiary of Lactais American Group. Headquartered in Buffalo, NY and with additional facilities in Wisconsin, Idaho and California, Lactalis American Group employs over 1,600 people across its U.S. production sites and corporate offices. The company produces a rich lineup of French cheeses including brie, camembert, and spreads, Italian favorites such as mozzarella, fresh mozzarella, provolone, ricotta, and mascarpone, and distributes a wide variety of other dairy products. The addition of Karoun Dairies has helped the company enter the U.S. ethnic channel with well-known cheese and yogurt brands Karoun®, Blue Isle®, Gopi®, and Yanni®. For more information about Lactalis American Group, please visit www.lactalisamericangroup.com.

  • USDA Accepts 2.8 Million Acres for the Conservation Reserve Program

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has accepted 2.8 million acres in offers from agricultural producers and private landowners for enrollment into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in 2021. This year, almost 1.9 million acres in offers have been accepted through the General CRP Signup, and USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has accepted over 897,000 acres for enrollment through the Continuous Signup.  The Continuous Signup remains open and CRP Grasslands Signup closed last week, so USDA expects to enroll more acres into all of CRP than the 3 million acres that are expiring.

    “Despite Congress raising the enrollment target in the 2018 Farm Bill, there have been decreases in enrollment for the past two years.  The changes we made this spring have put us on the path to reverse this trend,” FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux said. “Even with the improved direction, USDA will still be about 4 million acres below the enrollment target.  The CRP benefits for producers, sportsmen, wildlife, conservation and climate are numerous and well documented. We cannot afford to let them to be left on the table.”

    The 4 million-acre shortfall in CRP would have had the following impacts:

    • More than 359,000 acres less annual forage under CRP Grasslands;
    • A loss of 1,500,000 acres of quality wildlife and pollinator less habitat for wildlife;
    • 20% fewer apiaries in major production regions meeting critical forage thresholds;
    • A loss of more than 4 million upland game and other grassland birds;
    • About 90 million pounds of nitrogen entering waterways;
    • Over 30 million tons of soil eroded, leading to increased pollution and sedimentation in streams and rivers; and
    • Foregone sequestration of more than 3 million metric tons of CO2.

    Like other USDA conservation programs, CRP is a voluntary program that has a variety of options that can be tailored to the specific conservation issues of a state or region and desires of the landowner. The options run the gamut from working lands such as CRP Grasslands to partnerships with states and private entities to target a specific joint concern such as water quality or quantity.

    “We are grateful to the leadership and staff at the USDA, who have worked diligently over the last several months to ensure that the Conservation Reserve Program remains a viable and effective conservation tool,” says Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that when the CRP is administered with the needs of landowners in mind, they respond by investing their lands in conservation. This course correction is needed now more than ever, as management decisions in recent years have left program acreage at a 30-year low, with an additional 4 million acres set to expire by October 2022. We look forward to continuing to work with the USDA to improve the trajectory of the CRP and guarantee that the program benefits our natural resources, landowners, and the sporting community for years to come.”

    Continuous CRP Signup

    Continuous CRP allows USDA to target the most sensitive land like highly erodible land, the most environmentally beneficial land like wetlands and buffers along streams and rivers, or locally identified critical habitat like State Acres For Wildlife.  This targeted approach also reduces the whole-farm type enrollment in CRP that was more common when it first began and helps meet the conservation goals while maintaining the majority of the land in production agriculture.  FSA has accepted offers from over 37,000 producers to enroll more than 897,000 acres through the Continuous Signup. This is double the enrollment from last year and three times the enrollment from 2018 and 2019.  FSA expects this process to be completed by the end of September so contracts may start on October 1, 2021.

    The growth in the targeted enrollment through Continuous Signup is due to a recommitment of USDA to incentives and partnerships that brought in nearly 1.4 million acres in 2016 and 2017.  These efforts have also included the expansion of the Clean Lakes, Estuaries, and Rives Initiative 30-year (CLEAR30) from two regions to nationwide as well as moving State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) practices from the General to the Continuous signup. This year, offers for 20,000 acres have been submitted for CLEAR30 and 296,000 acres in SAFE practices.

    General CRP Signup

    FSA opened the General CRP Signup 56 in January 2021 and extended the original deadline to July 23, 2021, to enable producers to consider FSA’s new improvements to the program, which included higher rental payments and more incentivized environmental practices.

    Additionally, FSA introduced a new Climate-Smart Practice Incentive to increase carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This incentive provides a 3%, 5% or 10% incentive payment based on the predominate vegetation type for the practices enrolled – from grasses to trees to wetland restoration.

    Through CRP, producers and landowners establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees, to control soil erosion, improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitat on cropland. In addition to the other well-documented benefits, lands enrolled in CRP is playing a key role in mitigating impacts from climate change.

    A full list of changes to CRP, including those to the Continuous and General Signups, can be found in our “What’s New with CRP” fact sheet.

    More Information

    In April, USDA announced several changes to CRP to increase participation while improving climate-related and other environmental benefits. CRP sequesters carbon while preserving topsoil, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, reducing nitrogen runoff, and providing healthy habitat for wildlife.

    The 2018 Farm Bill established a nationwide acreage limit for CRP, with the total number of acres that may be enrolled capped at 25 million acres in 2021 and growing to 27 million by 2023.

  • Japan Grants Market Access To California Plums

    The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that Japan has granted market access for California plums. Eliminating the phytosanitary barriers keeping California plums out of the Japanese market required multiple rounds of technical negotiations that were somewhat hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) would like to extend its appreciation to the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service and Agricultural Research Service’s negotiators and experts, as well as the Fresno County and Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner offices for their invaluable contributions to this process.

    There will be strict packing and fumigation protocols in place but given the success of the existing California nectarine program for Japan, California stone fruit exporters have already demonstrated a commitment to meeting Japan’s requirements.

    “Trade barriers threaten the health and viability of the industry. This represents a significant opportunity for California plums, as Japanese consumers value premium fruit and recognize California fruit’s superior quality. As the global economy rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic, expanding market access will continue to be critical to the industry’s success,” said Ian LeMay, CFFA President.

    The California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) is a voluntary, nonprofit agricultural trade association that represents California’s fresh fruit industry. CFFA promotes California nectarines, peaches, and plums (stone fruit) around the world by reducing trade barriers and expanding markets. The California stone fruit industry, based predominantly in the San Joaquin Valley, is dependent on opening new markets and maintaining access to approximately 50 countries around the world. 

  • Disaster Assistance to CA Farmers/Producers Impacted by Wildfires & Drought

    California agricultural operations have been significantly impacted by the wildfires and ongoing, severe drought. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has technical and financial assistance available to help farmers and livestock producers recover. Impacted producers should contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure and livestock losses and damages.

    “Production agriculture is vital to the California economy, and USDA stands ready to assist in the recovery from these wildfires and extreme drought conditions,” said Gloria Montaño Greene as Deputy Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC). “I assure you that USDA employees are working diligently to deliver FPAC’s extensive portfolio of disaster assistance programs and services to all impacted agricultural producers.”

    USDA Disaster Assistance for Wildfire and Drought Recovery

    Producers who experience livestock deaths due to wildfires may be eligible for the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP).

    Meanwhile, for both wildfire and drought recovery,  the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) provides eligible producers with compensation for feed losses as well as water hauling expenses associated with transportation of water to livestock. For ELAP, producers will need to file a notice of loss within 30 days and honeybee losses within 15 days.

    Livestock producers may also be eligible for the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) for 2021 grazing losses due to drought. LFP benefits may be available for loss of grazing acres due to wildfires on federally managed lands on which a producer is prohibited, by a federal agency, from grazing normally permitted livestock. FSA maintains a list of counties eligible for LFP and makes updates each Thursday.

    Additionally, eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers may be eligible for cost-share assistance through the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes or vines lost during the drought. This complements Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) or crop insurance coverage, which covers the crop but not the plants or trees in all cases. For TAP, a program application must be filed within 90 days.

    “Once you are able to safely evaluate the wildfire or drought impact on your operation, be sure to contact your local FSA office to timely report all crop, livestock and farm infrastructure damages and losses,” said Jacque Johnson, Acting State Executive Director for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) in California. “To expedite FSA disaster assistance, you will likely need to provide documents, such as farm records, herd inventory, receipts and pictures of damages or losses”

    FSA also offers a variety of direct and guaranteed farm loans, including operating and emergency farm loans, to producers unable to secure commercial financing. Producers in counties with a primary or contiguous disaster designation may be eligible for low-interest emergency loans to help them recover from production and physical losses. Loans can help producers replace essential property, purchase inputs like livestock, equipment, feed and seed, cover family living expenses or refinance farm-related debts and other needs.

    Risk Management

    Producers who have risk protection through Federal Crop Insurance or FSA’s NAP should report crop damage to their crop insurance agent or FSA office. If they have crop insurance, producers should report crop damage to their agent within 72 hours of damage discovery and follow up in writing within 15 days. For NAP covered crops, a Notice of Loss (CCC-576) must be filed within 15 days of the loss becoming apparent, except for hand-harvested crops, which should be reported within 72 hours.

    “Crop insurance and other USDA risk management options are there to help producers manage risk because we never know what nature has in store for the future,” said Jeff Yasui, Director of RMA’s Regional Office that covers California. “The Approved Insurance Providers, loss adjusters and agents are experienced and well trained in handling these types of events.”

    Conservation

    Outside of the primary nesting season, emergency and non-emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres may be authorized to provide relief to livestock producers in areas affected by a severe drought or similar natural disasters. Producers interested in haying or grazing of CRP acres should contact their county FSA office to determine eligibility.

    The Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration Program can assist landowners and forest stewards with financial and technical assistance to restore fencing, damaged farmland or forests.

    USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is always available to provide technical assistance in the recovery process by assisting producers to plan and implement conservation practices on farms, ranches and working forests impacted by natural disasters.

    Long-term damage from wildfires and drought includes forage production loss in pastures and fields and increased wind erosion on crop fields not protected with soil health practices. Visit your local USDA Service Center to learn more about these impacts, potential recovery tactics, and how to take steps to make your land more resilient to drought in the future.

    “USDA can be a very valuable partner to help landowners with their recovery and resiliency efforts,” said Carlos Suarez, NRCS State Conservationist in California. “Our staff will work one-on-one with landowners to make assessments of the damages and develop approaches that focus on effective recovery of the land.”

    Assistance for Communities 

    Additional NRCS programs include the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program, which provides assistance to local government sponsors with the cost of addressing watershed impairments or hazards such as damaged upland sites stripped of vegetation by wildfire, debris removal and streambank stabilization.

    Eligible sponsors include cities, counties, towns, or any federally recognized Native American tribe or tribal organization. Sponsors must submit a formal request (via mail or email) to the state conservationist for assistance within 60 days of the natural disaster occurrence or 60 days from the date when access to the sites become available. For more information, please contact your local NRCS office.

    “EWP provides immediate assistance to communities to mitigate potential hazards to life and property resulting from the fires and particularly the severe erosion and flooding that can occur after the fire,” Suarez said. “We can work with a local sponsor to help a damaged watershed so that lives and property are protected while preventing further devastation in the community.”

    In addition to EWP, Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) is another valuable service that NRCS can provide following a wildfire. NRCS technical assistance can help fire victims with planning cost-effective post fire restoration practices.

    More Information

    On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Farm Loan Discovery Tool can help producers and landowners determine program or loan options. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent. For FSA and NRCS programs, they should contact their local USDA Service Center.

  • Low Water Levels Trigger Curtailments for Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

    With climate change-induced drought conditions reducing water levels in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to alarming lows, the State Water Resources Control Board today issued curtailment orders to approximately 4,500 right holders to protect drinking water supplies, prevent salinity intrusion and minimize impacts to fisheries and the environment.

    Today’s orders follow the emergency curtailment regulation adopted by the board on August 3 in response to acute water shortages. Altogether, there are 6,600 right holders in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

    Without enforcement of unauthorized water diversions in the Delta, the drinking water supply for 25 million Californians and irrigation for over three million acres of farmland could be at significant risk within the next year.

    “Curtailing water rights has an impact on livelihoods and economies, but it is painfully necessary as severe drought conditions this year and next could threaten health, safety and the environment,” said Erik Ekdahl, Deputy Director of the Division of Water Rights. “We will do everything we can to make compliance both straightforward and fair. We are offering reporting and technical assistance to all right holders and will also be regularly conducting inspections and investigating complaints to ensure that diverters are complying.”

    The number of right holders that have been directed to cease all diversions may be adjusted throughout the fall as water supply in the Delta fluctuates and weather conditions change. For instance, the board projects that about 1,500 fewer right holders will need to be curtailed in September due to increased water supply in the Sacramento River watershed from annual rice field drainage.

    Curtailments give the State Water Board the tools it needs to prevent diverters from taking water they do not have a right to use when water levels are low. The board is requiring right holders to confirm their compliance with curtailment orders or to indicate if they will seek an exemption for any of the reasons allowed under the regulation, such as supplying water for human health and safety needs. Those diverting more than 5,000 acre-feet per year must provide additional information about their previous diversions and projected use to improve the board’s supply and demand forecasting.

    The board is offering compliance assistance to right holders in various ways, including:

    •  A virtual webinar on August 31 to help impacted right holders satisfy reporting requirements and complete the online certification form;

    •  Video tutorials on reporting requirements available the week of August 23;

    •  Regularly updated website information and email updates about water board actions

      and changes to curtailment status;

    •  A dedicated phone line and email staffed during business hours to answer questions

      from right holders.

      Dry conditions in the Delta worsened this spring when climate change-induced warm temperatures led to unprecedented losses of runoff to rivers, streams and reservoirs, and prompted water diverters below the reservoirs to withdraw their water earlier and in greater volumes than in previous critically dry years. This confluence of events resulted in the loss of nearly 800,000 acre-feet of water, enough to supply more than one million households for a year and nearly the entire capacity of Folsom Reservoir.

      Governor Gavin Newsom on July 8 expanded a drought state of emergency that now covers 50 of California’s 58 counties and called on all Californians to voluntarily reduce their water usage by 15%.

      More information on drought, curtailments, water use methodology tools and related topics, can be found at the board’s Drought Information and Updates webpage.

      The State Water Board’s mission is to preserve, enhance, and restore the quality of California’s water resources and drinking water for the protection of the environment, public health, and all beneficial uses, and to ensure proper water resource allocation and efficient use for current and future generations.

  • Recent Successes & Challenges on the Legislative Front with APG’s Cadee Condit

    Growers finally got to meet American Pistachio Growers’ (APG) new Director of Government Relations, Cadee Condit in-person at the recent APG Summer Luncheon in Visalia, CA. Watch this brief interview with Cadee as she introduces herself and talks about APG’s current priorities on the legislative front. Read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • New Incentives & Funding for Alternatives to Ag Burning

    Almond Alliance of California — Today, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District made several decisions which impact the California almond industry.

    The District accepted and appropriated $178,200,000 in state funding and approved enhancements to alternatives to the open burning incentive program. These funds were divided into two categories of incentives.

    • First, increase funding and expand incentives to the District Alternatives to Agricultural Open Burning Program.
    • Second, to ensure adequate capacity to accommodate increase in chipping, the District is proposing to expand the program to include new options for purchasing of chipping and grinding equipment. The criteria will require that any funded equipment is used specifically for expanding Central Valley chipping capacity as open burning is phased out. 
    New Incentive Program Enhancements:
    • Eliminate current $60,000 per year funding cap per entity.
    • Dedicate 30% of funding for smaller ag operations.
    • Additional incentives for small ag operations.  Provide an additional $100/acre for each incentive category to operations (<100 total acres).
    • Expand options for disposition of chipped material through beneficial re-use.
    • Revised per acre incentive amounts by crop type.
    • Increase incentive amount for cane and cordon-pruned vineyard material.
    • Maintain current incentive amount for orchard removal material.
    To View the Full Narrative, Click Here.
    New Incentive Option for Expansion of Chipping Capacity (New Equipment Purchase):
    • Anticipated launch date is September 1, 2021, pending receiving funding from the state.
    • Funding amount is initially allocated up to $30,000,000 for new equipment purchases.
    • Eligible participants are chipping and shredding contractors with demonstrated experience operating services for the chipping of ag material.
    • Eligible equipment are new tier 4 chippers and grinders for the purpose of processing woody ag waste.
    • Incentive amounts are up to 65% of the cost of eligible  equipment with a cap of $2,000,000 per participant.
    • First come, first serve, based on submittal of a complete application.
    • Participant requirements are required to sign a legally binding agreement with the District.  For more details feel free to contact the Almond Alliance. 
    Funding to Replace Agricultural Tractors and Heavy Duty Diesel Trucks:
    The District accepted $5,579,036 from US EPA for the following uses:
    • $2,789,518 to replace heavy-duty diesel trucks that have 2016 or older model year engines with low-NOx natural gas trucks;
    • $2,789,518 to replace agricultural tractors that have uncontrolled, Tier 1 or Tier engines with new agricultural tractors that have Tier 4 engines.
    • To learn more about these opportunities, please visit:
      • Mobile Agricultural Equipment Replacement, Click Here.
      • Heavy Duty Diesel Truck Replacement, Click Here. 
    To View All of the District’s Incentive Program Guidelines, Click Here.

    For more specific details, please contact the Almond Alliance.

  • Wine Festivals are Back for California Wine Month

    After an endless lockdown, wine lovers will be happy to know that California wine festivals are back, just in time for California Wine Month in September!  Wine Institute will soon announce a full roster of events and special offers for California Wine Month, but in the meantime, here are some great wine festivals to enjoy.

    Yoga followed by wine tasting is a perfect pairing at Castoro Cellars in Paso Robles.

    BottleRock Napa Valley

    September 3-5. Napa Valley Expo, Napa.
    Experience Napa Valley wine, beer, music, art and restaurants the 2021 festival. Acts include Guns N’ Roses, Stevie Nicks, Foo Fighters, and many more.

    Capitola Art & Wine Festival

    September 11-12. Downtown Capitola.
    Stroll the Festival and admire the talent of over 160 fine artists while sipping wines from 22 Santa Cruz Mountain wineries.

    Lodi Grape Festival

    September 16. Lodi Event Center, Lodi.
    What started out as a small food festival has evolved into a four-day event filled with entertainment, food, vendors, a carnival and wine tasting.

    10th Annual Barbera Festival

    September 11. Amador Vintners @ Terra D’Oro Winery, Plymouth.
    A celebration of the classic Italian varietal, Barbera, with 50+ producers from around California, all gathering in the beautiful vineyards of Amador County.

    Sample the Sierra

    September 18. Bijou Community Park, South Lake Tahoe.
    Enjoy great food, wine, art and music at Lake Tahoe’s farm-to-fork festival.

    For more information on these festivals visit www.DiscoverCaliforniaWines.com.

  • Growers Urged to Participate in Kern County Coordinated Treatment

    Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program — A significant number of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) detections in Kern County – more than 115 since this time last year – is a stark reminder to remain vigilant against the pest and the deadly disease it can spread, Huanglongbing (HLB). Last week, an adult ACP was confirmed from a commercial citrus trap in the east Edison area. This detection, along with two recent detections in Arvin residential properties, provides more urgency for growers with citrus east and south of Bakersfield to participate in the upcoming coordinated treatment.

    The preferred timing of the treatment is mid-August through mid-September to prevent ACP populations from building on the fall foliar flush. Coordinated treatments like this were done during the same time period in 2018 and 2019 with great success in significantly suppressing ACP populations in commercial citrus orchards.

    The San Joaquin Valley ACP/HLB Task Force recommends growers treat all commercial citrus orchards located south or east of Bakersfield – including young, non-bearing trees. For more information on ACP treatments and effective materials, see the University of California’s UCIPM Pest Management Guidelines for Asian Citrus Psyllid.

    Past coordinated treatments in the county have been successful in suppressing ACP populations. By participating in this late summer/early fall treatment, Kern County can greatly reduce the number of psyllids, and thus reduce the risk of HLB being transmitted to our commercial citrus.

    If you suspect ACP in your orchard, please notify the California Department of Food and Agriculture Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899. For questions, contact Kern County Grower Liaison Judy Zaninovich at jsleslie@msn.com or 559-730-8691 or the Kern County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office at 661-868-6300.

  • Rhone Rangers To Honor Gary Eberle With Lifetime Achievement Award

    The national Rhone Rangers organization will present its sixth Lifetime Achievement Award on Thursday, August 19, 2021, to recognize the significant contributions made by an individual to the American Rhone wine movement. This year’s award will be given to Gary Eberle, founder and owner of Eberle Winery. Honoring Eberle on behalf of the Rhone Rangers will be guest moderator and journalist Matt Kettmann, and special guests Jason Haas of Tablas Creek Vineyard and Jerry Lohr of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines.

    A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and standout football player for Penn State, Gary Eberle had an extraordinary academic career that includes an undergraduate degree in Biology from Penn State, graduate work in cellular genetics and a Master of Science Invertebrate Zoology at Louisiana State University, and a National Science Fellowship with Charity Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was in New Orleans that Eberle was introduced to wine, setting the course for his Ph.D. in Enology and Viticulture from U.C. Davis in California.

    One of the original co-founders of the Estrella River Winery, Eberle settled in Paso Robles, California in the early-1970’s. He has the first documented planting of Syrah in the state of California in 1975, along with the first commercially produced 100% Syrah wine in 1978. “Gary Eberle is known as the Godfather of Paso Robles for his pioneering work here. But he should be equally famous for his early championing of Syrah, and for the sourcing and propagation of the clone now dominant throughout California,” stated Haas. In the late-70’s, Eberle founded Eberle Winery, with a focus on the crafting of premium, small production lots of wine. In addition to the acclaimed Steinbeck Vineyard Syrah, Eberle Winery has an extensive Rhone wine portfolio, including a Viognier, white-Rhone blend, Côtes-du-Rôbles Blanc, a Grenache-based Côtes-du-Rôbles Rosé, and Côtes-du-Rôbles Rouge blend.

    “U.C. Davis was where my love of Rhône varietals all started. I met Brian Crozier who introduced me to Shiraz. I was immediately fascinated by this varietal, and its ability to be produced all around the world. I noticed that it had not yet been produced in the U.S. and I made it my quest to establish Syrah in Paso Robles,” Gary Eberle said, adding, “Introducing and propagating Syrah in the US is still one of my proudest accomplishments, and it has been rewarding to see what other wineries have

    done not only Syrah, but also my other favorite Rhone’s – Viognier, Grenache, and Mourvèdre. I am honored to be recognized by the Rhone Rangers and I will cherish this award forever.”

    Past Rhone Rangers Lifetime Achievement honors have been awarded to notable Rhone wine luminaries, including Randall Grahm, Bonny Doon Vineyard (2013), Robert Haas, Tablas Creek Vineyard (2014), Robert “Bob” Lindquist, Qupé/Lindquist Family Wines (2015), Bill Easton, Terre Rouge (2016), and Sondra Bernstein, the girl and the fig (2017).

    The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Gary Eberle on Thursday, August 19, 2021, at 5pm PST during a virtual event which may be viewed on Facebook Live @rhonerangers or via Zoom. For additional details and to RSVP for the Zoom session, please visit www.rhonerangers.org.

    About the Rhone Rangers

    Founded in 1998, the Rhone Rangers are a group of 100+ wineries throughout the United States dedicated to making wines from the 22 grape varieties originally made famous in France’s Rhône Valley. These varieties range from the better-known Syrah and Viognier to the up-and-coming Mourvèdre, Grenache and Roussanne, and obscure grapes like Counoise and Picpoul.

    The Rhone Rangers started from a small gathering of American vintners who began meeting informally in the 1980s. As their numbers expanded, the non-profit organized under the name “Rhone Rangers,” with a focus on promoting the enjoyment of Rhône varietal wines produced in the United States. These grapes include the 22 traditional varieties approved by the French government for the Côtes du Rhône, as well as Durif (Petite Sirah). In order for a winery to join the Rhone Rangers, they must produce at least one wine that contains 75% of any single approved varietal (or combination of these varieties). For more information, please visit www.rhonerangers.org.