California Ag Network

Category: Grape Industry

  • Actual Impact of the North Coast Wildfires Revealed in Wine Study

    Special Thanks to This Video’s Sponsor!

    Over the last several months, there has been a lot of news coverage on the wildfires that devastated many parts of the state; however, the actual impact of the wildfires on the North Coast Wine Industry has been exaggerated in some of these reports. That is why Sonoma State University’s Wine Business Institute conducted a study to get some statistical data on the actual effects the fires had on California’s North Coast wine industry. Watch this interview with Executive Director of the Wine Business Institute Ray Johnson as he shares some preliminary results of this study. Read more in American Vineyard Magazine.

  • Immigration & Ag Labor Update from CAWG

    Special Thanks to This Video’s Sponsor!

    It’s going to be another tough year for growers when it comes to finding sufficient labor to take care of the 2018 crop. Watch this brief interview with Michael Miiller from the California Association of Winegrape Growers who provided an update on the current legislative status of the labor and immigration situation.  Miiller helps growers understand the current dynamics taking place between Sacramento and Washington D.C. making it difficult to come to any immediate solution.

  • CA Compliance Bucket Inventory Checklist for Growers

    With ongoing changes in California pesticide laws and regulations, growers should be prepared with the right tools and resources, especially if County Ag inspector pays you a surprise farm visit.  That is why Amanda Zito and Alya Wakeman-Hill from the Fresno County Department of Agriculture provided growers with a bucket inventory checklist regarding pesticide applications at a Sun-Maid Growers meeting in Selma this morning.

    Here is what is required:

    -Emergency Medical Care Posting (Outside)

    -Soap

    -3+ Gallons of Water

    -Single-use Towels

    -Clean Coveralls

    -Chemical Resistant Gloves

    -Eye Protection

    -Labels for Chemicals being Applied

    Highly Recommended:

    -Eyewash

    -Extra N95 Respirators

    -Chemical Resistant Apron

    Remember, it is always better to be safe than sorry!

  • CA Groundwater Legislative Update from CAWG

    California State Legislature never ceases to keep growers on their toes with new proposals, laws & regulations coming down the pipeline — many of which are detrimental to our agricultural industry, but with all the confusion of the evolving legislation pending in Sacramento with regards to groundwater management, it’s great to have organizations like the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) to keep us current on what’s going on in the political arena and how it will impact our growers. Watch this brief update with Michael Miiller, director of Government Relations at CAWG for some important information on CA groundwater.

  • Wine Industry Reflects on Emerging Issues, Trends, and Recent Fires Shaping Future, at Unified Symposium

    Sacramento, Calif., (January 29, 2018) – Every facet of the wine industry, from research and science to trends and markets, was examined, discussed and debated at the 24th Unified Wine & Grape Symposium (Unified), which wrapped up here today. The largest wine show of its kind in the Western Hemisphere, the Unified drew thousands of industry professionals from all over the world eager to hear about the impact of recent fires, trends, technology, research and issues shaping their business decisions.

    Presented by two nonprofit organizations, the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV) and the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG), the Unified’s prestige highlights the wine industry’s critical need for information, discussion and connections.

    “This was an extraordinarily successful show for our attendees. The Unified offers growers, winery professionals and suppliers the best opportunity to understand and learn how to take advantage of shifting consumer preferences, advances in technology and new businesses trends. If you want to understand what’s happening in the industry and how to stay competitive, the Unified is the place to be,” said John Aguirre, CAWG president.

    Put on by the industry for the industry, the three-day show draws on some of the most respected industry experts. The three-days of symposiums included 23 presentations and panel discussions organized by a diverse panel of volunteers who recruited more than 90 experts to speak on topics ranging from wildfires and wine to vineyard mechanization. Complementing those talks was a two-day 170,000 square foot trade show that housed nearly 700 exhibitors.

    “While we bill ourselves as a wine show for the Americas, we draw an audience of nearly 14,000 from all over the globe, including exhibitors from nearly 30 countries, with a diversity of languages animating the trade show floor,” says ASEV Executive Director Dan Howard. “You can feel the collective energy on the exhibit floor and registration halls where wine industry professionals greet each other, discuss the latest news and share strategies for staying abreast of changing markets, technologies and regulations.”

    In 2019, the Unified will return to the Sacramento Convention Center from January 29-31. Immediately following the 2019 show, the Sacramento Convention Center will undergo a large-scale renovation necessitating a move in 2020. From February 4-6, Sacramento’s Cal Expo will serve as the temporary host site in 2020, where organizers say the ample space, parking and facilities offer an ideal alternative site.

    “Cal Expo as a premier agricultural showcase is excited to host the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium in 2020,” says Rick Pickering, CEO and General Manager of Cal Expo and State Fair.  “We look forward to working with Unified to make the transition extremely smooth and the 2020 show a huge success.”

    The organizers of the Unified share that optimism.  “We are confident that, while the 2020 show will have a slightly different feel, the quality of exhibits, presentations and networking opportunities will again deliver an invaluable service to all of our guests and the industry,” says Howard. “We’re excited to see the newly renovated center and plan to return to the Sacramento Convention Center in 2021.”

    For more information, visit the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium website at www.unifiedsymposium.org.

  • Introducing the New CEO of Sun-Maid, Harry Overly

    At the 105th annual meeting of Sun-Maid Growers in Fresno, Harry Overly was introduced as the new President & CEO of Sun-Maid.  He gave a great presentation to the growers, talking about his background and big plans for Sun-Maid moving forward.  Watch his brief interview and read more about him in American Vineyard Magazine.

    Calagnet & YARA
    Special thanks to this video’s sponsor!

  • State of the North Coast Wine Industry with the Ciatti Co

    At the American Vineyard’s Sonoma Grape Expo, growers enjoyed a great lineup of industry seminars, including the State of the North Wine Industry presentation given by the Ciatti Company and Allied Grape Growers. Watch this interview with Todd Azevedo for the main points of his presentation regarding the current economic health of the North Coast wine grape industry, and read the full report in the January issue of American Vineyard Magazine.

    Calagnet & YARA
    Special thanks to this video’s sponsor!

  • Positive Economic Trends Reflect well on CA Coastal Wine Industry

    Despite the damaging fires of 2017, the California Wine Market continues to boom and benefit from positive economic trends, according to Jeff Bitter’s State of the Wine Grape Industry Report at the Sonoma Grape Expo. Watch this interview with Allied Grape Growers and read the full report in the January issue of American Vineyard Magazine.

    Calagnet & YARA
    Special thanks to this video’s sponsor!

  • 27th Annual Dollars & $ense Seminar and Trade Show “Sonoma County Strong and Sustainable” January 11, 2018

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (December 21, 2017) – As the calendar turns to 2018, Sonoma County Winegrowers (SCW) are one year closer to achieving its goal of becoming the nation’s first 100% sustainable winegrowing region in 2019.  On Thursday, January 11, the winegrowing community will gather for the 27th annual Dollars and $ense Seminar and Trade Show with this year’s theme “Sonoma County Strong and Sustainable” for a series of marketing presentations and an update on Sonoma County Winegrowers’ Sustainability Initiative.  In addition, the trade show will feature more than 50 local and national exhibiting sponsors.

    The agenda for this popular annual event includes:

    • A keynote address titled, “The New Wine Consumer” presented byRob McMillan, Executive Vice President and Founder of Silicon Valley Bank Wine Division;
    • The State of the Grape and Bulk Wine Market Update byTurrentine Grape Brokerage;
    • An Update on the Sonoma County Sustainability wine label;
    • SCW’s new branding reveal presented byBranditecture; and
    • Updates on the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation and Housing Support Fund.

    The Dollars & $ense Seminar and Trade Show will be held on Thursday, January 11, 2018, from 7:00am – 1:30pm at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts located at 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa 95403. The trade show will feature more than 50 local and national exhibiting sponsors. The cost for growers to attend the seminar and trade show is $20 or $50 with lunch and $35 or $60 with lunch for the wine industry and public.

    Register online by January 8th, at: https://sonomawinegrape.org/2018-das. If you have questions or if you have a business that is interested in participating in the trade show, contact Andriana Duckworth at 707-522-5867 or andriana@sonomawinegrape.org. Vendor registration cut-off is December 31st, 2017.

    Media Note: Please contact Amy Landolt to obtain a media pass if you would like to attend.

    CONTACT:    Amy Landolt, 707-522-5865 – amy@sonomawinegrape.org

  • Bringing Space Technology to Water Needs in California Vineyards

    Beltsville, Maryland, (December 18, 2017) – ARS scientists are saving water in California’s vineyards by using satellite data and computer models to better manage water resources.

    Bill Kustas and Martha Anderson are fine-tuning computer models at the ARS Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, to help vineyard managers determine how much water to apply and when to apply it. The models tap into satellite data that measure land surface temperature providing information about soil and vine moisture levels and rates of water use or “evapotranspiration.”

    ARS hydrologist Bill Kustas measures grapevine canopy width at a California vineyard to help evaluate satellite data used in models of vine water use.

    Winemakers want grapes of uniform quality, and that can be a challenge with vineyards that have different soils and climatic conditions across thousands of acres. Even a single vineyard can have a variety of irrigation needs, according to Kustas, an ARS hydrologist.

    The ARS model uses satellite measurements of land surface temperature in a unique way by separating out the vine canopy from the soil surface temperatures. This gives the model greater precision and enables researchers to better evaluate vine stress, says Kustas.

    Known as precision agriculture, the approach is helping the E. & J. Gallo Winery cut water use by allowing the grower to identify specific vineyard areas that are under stress and need irrigation. Gallo owns and operates 25,000 acres of vineyards in California and contracts with grape producers operating another 200,000 acres. The results also will be shared with other vineyard operators, offering the potential to save water across more than a million acres of vineyards in California.

    With water supplies critical in California, the state’s nut and fruit orchard operators are also likely to benefit from these efforts, Kustas says.

    Over the next two years, the ARS researchers plan to develop a daily digital map of evapotranspiration in California’s Central Valley, which includes some of the world’s most productive agricultural lands, at a resolution that will give growers a firm grasp of conditions in specific areas within their fields.

    You can read more about this research in the December 2017 issue of AgResearch magazine.

    For more information contact Dennis O’Brien, ARS Office of Communications.