California Ag Network

Tag: California Association of Winegrape Growers

  • CAWG Pushes Legislation to Streamline Ag Employee Housing

    California ranks last in both housing affordability and availability, compared to the rest of the United States. This is having a major impact on California farm workers who are having to commute long distances to get to work or are otherwise struggling to get by. Watch this brief interview with Michael Miiller from the California Association of Winegrape Growers as they push for legislative support to streamline the permitting process for on-farm ag employee housing. Read more about it in the May issue of American Vineyard Magazine.

  • California Association of Winegrape Growers Announces California Compost Tax Credit Legislation

    California Association of Winegrape Growers – As the second year of the 2023-24 legislative session is now in full swing, Senator Monique Limón, (D-Santa Barbara) has introduced SB 1135 to establish the California Compost Tax Credit Fund. This legislation seeks to incentivize sustainable agricultural practices, undertaken by winegrape growers and other ag producers, by offering a tax credit for the utilization of compost to enhance carbon sequestration efforts. This legislation is co-sponsored by the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG).

    “I am proud to author SB 1135 to establish a tax credit for California farmers, ranchers, and landowners who maximize carbon sequestration through the use of compost on natural and working lands,” said Senator Limón. “This legislation will help incentivize the utilization of compost to aid in natural carbon sequestration while also aiding the effort of the state to meet its greenhouse gas reduction goals.”

    “The commitment of wine grape growers to sustainability is evident through the enrollment of over 60% of the state’s wine grape acreage in certification programs,” said Natalie Collins, CAWG President. “Sustainable wine growing prioritizes practices to enhance soil health, such as planting cover crops and composting, which facilitate carbon sequestration. While these practices can entail significant investment for growers, they yield invaluable environmental benefits for the state, the nation, and the planet at large. CAWG extends its gratitude to Senator Limón for her leadership in recognizing the far-reaching impacts of these efforts and for championing this important legislation.”

    Established over 20 years ago by the collaborative efforts of CAWG and Wine Institute, the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) has been a leader in promoting sustainability within the California wine industry. CSWA is a nonprofit organization which serves as a platform for vineyards and wineries, offering resources, education, and certification programs to support environmentally and socially responsible practices.

    California is home to the world’s most widely adopted sustainable winegrowing programs in terms of both winegrape acreage and case production. Producing 80% of the nation’s wine and ranking as the fourth-largest wine producing region globally, the widespread adoption of sustainability practices yields substantial benefits for the environment, employees, communities, and, naturally, the grapes and wine themselves.

  • California Growers Celebrate Legislative Win Supporting Groundwater Recharge

    Last Fall, Governor Newsom signed SB 659, The California Water Supply Solutions Act of 2023, sponsored by the California Association of Winegrape Growers and the Regional Water Authority in Sacramento.  But what does this mean for California farmers implementing groundwater recharge practices in the coming months?  Watch this video with Michael Miiller from the California Association of Winegrape Growers to find out.

  • Legislation to Improve California Water Situation With Recharge

    While a record amount of rain has fallen on the drought-stricken soils of California over the winter, this will unfortunately not solve the state’s ongoing drought and water supply issues.  Watch this brief interview with Michael Miiller from the California Association of Winegrape Growers as he shares a new push for the state’s cooperation and support for groundwater recharge as a solution for times like these.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Ranch Systems for their industry support.

  • California Association of Winegrape Growers Announces Natalie Collins as President

    California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) Chairman Tom Slater announced today that the Board of Directors has named Natalie Collins the association’s president. Collins has served as Interim President since June 1, 2022, after the retirement of John Aguirre.

    “The Board is extremely grateful for the job Natalie has done for the past six months and is very excited she has accepted our offer to become the President of CAWG,” said Slater. “She has been a member of our CAWG family for seven years and brings with her an enormous amount of institutional knowledge. We look forward to Natalie sharing that knowledge with the Board and all its members.”

    “CAWG has a rich history of strong advocacy and commitment in representing California winegrape growers. It is an honor to accept this position as CAWG heads toward its 50th anniversary,” Collins said. “I look forward to helping our growers meet the many challenges we face in California, Washington D.C., and globally. With these challenges comes incredible opportunity for CAWG to be at the table in shaping public policy that will respect and advance our industry. I could not be more excited for this opportunity to lead CAWG’s efforts as the voice of California’s winegrape growers.”

    Over the last few months, Collins has led the CAWG team in Sacramento and guided the association’s partnership with the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV) in preparation for the annual Unified Wine & Grape Symposium next month. She has also taken the point in CAWG’s advocacy efforts in Washington, DC.

    “Natalie has demonstrated in her work with CAWG that she has the skills necessary to not only lead a smooth transition, but also to create new opportunities for CAWG and our growers in the years to come,” concluded Slater.

    Collins joined CAWG in 2015 as the director of member relations and quickly established herself as integral to the advancement of the association. She is a graduate of California State University, Chico with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural business and minors in organizational communications and business administration. Before joining CAWG, she was a program director for the San Joaquin Farm Bureau Federation and a 2015 Leadership Farm Bureau program graduate.

    Natalie resides in Lodi with her husband Kyle and their two children. 

  • California Association of Winegrape Growers Announces Natalie Collins as Interim President

    California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) Chairman Tom Slater announced the appointment of Natalie Collins as interim president on July 27th. She replaces John Aguirre who retired after twelve years of service.

    “CAWG is very happy to have Natalie in this role,” Slater said. “She has been a part of the CAWG family for many years, and her insight and dedication to the association are well received. The CAWG board of directors looks forward to working with Natalie on all issues and appreciates her contributions toward the future success of our membership.”

    Collins said, “I am honored to serve as interim president and humbled by this opportunity. I look forward to continuing the legacy of strong leadership and advocacy on behalf of our growers. Winegrape growers in California today are facing unprecedented challenges, and I take seriously CAWG’s leadership role in this iconic industry.”

    Collins joined CAWG in 2015 as the director of member relations and quickly established herself as integral to the advancement of the association. She is a graduate of California State University, Chico with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural business and minors in organizational communications and business administration. Prior to joining CAWG, she was a program director for the San Joaquin Farm Bureau Federation and a 2015 graduate of the Leadership Farm Bureau program.

    Natalie resides in Lodi with her husband Kyle and their two children.

  • West Coast Smoke Exposure Task Force Seeks to More Clearly Define Smoke Taint in Wine Grapes

    Where there’s drought, there’s fire, and where there’s fire, there’s smoke.  This is a major concern for wine grape growers in the drought-stricken west this year.  Evacuations, power outages and smoke taint have had a major impact on the wine industry at harvest-time in recent years, and not having an industry standard or threshold defining smoke taint can raise questions and contention upon delivery at the winery.  Watch this brief video with John Aguirre from the California Association of Winegrape Growers as he shares the progress on the West Coast Smoke Exposure Task Force in the investigation of smoke taint.  Read more about it in American Vineyard Magazine.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Wildfire Threatened Vineyard & Winery Challenges for Removing Vegetative Debris

    With an ongoing drought in western US, wine grape growers surrounded by neglected wildlands are becoming more and more concerned about the drought-induced dying vegetation around them.  Many want to proactively manage this risk for them the communities around them; however, they are running into quite a few stumbling blocks as addressed by Michael Miiller from the California Association of Winegrape Growers in an interview with California Ag Network. Watch this brief video as he explains and read more in American Vineyard Magazine.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Are Autonomous Self-Driving Tractors Legal in California?

    As California’s agricultural industries progress towards a more sustainable future with new technologies and innovations, current Cal OSHA regulations (unless changed) may hinder their progress, particularly with regard to autonomous or self-driving tractors.  Watch this brief video with Michael Miiller from the California Association of Winegrape Growers as he explains.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Preharvest Conversations Growers & Wineries Need to Have Regarding Smoke Taint

    “Uncertainty” seemed to be the theme of 2020 for all, and it was no different for the wine industry.  Unfortunately, this uncertainty continues this year for wine grape growers as they gear up for harvest amidst another threatening wildfire season.  With severe drought plaguing the American West, it’s not a question of if, but when more wildfires will occur and whether they will compromise the integrity of the wine grape crop with smoke tainting compounds. Many growers fear the possibility of rejections at the winery should their crop be impacted by wildfire events.  To mitigate some of this uncertainty, watch this brief interview with Jeff Bitter, President of Allied Grape Growers, as he shares some key insights on some of the conversations growers really need to have with their wineries upfront this year to prepare for potential smoke taint concerns. Also, read a detailed report on the topic in the August issue of American Vineyard Magazine.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Vmech for their industry support.