California Ag Network

Tag: Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation

  • A Rewarding Showcase of Skill and Determination at the Napa County Pruning Contest

    The Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation (FWF) celebrated its 22nd Annual Napa County Pruning Contest at Beringer’s Gamble Ranch Vineyard on Saturday, February 3.  It was a perfect day as 113 contestants displayed exceptional skill and determination in what is considered the most prestigious competition for Napa Valley’s vineyard professionals. Scoring for the competition is weighted for technique and quality, allowing contestants to demonstrate their dedication to high-quality, Napa Valley grape-growing.

    During the main event, each of the contestants pruned five vines in the day’s preliminary competition.  Those with the highest scores went on to the final round, which produced the winners: 4 in the women’s division and 4 in the men’s division.  The winners took home a generous collection of gifts, which included cash, pruning tools, Napa Valley wine, gift cards from Silicon Valley Bank and Sunbelt Rentals; and a handmade silver belt buckle from Max Lang Belt and Buckles and a FELCO champions jacket was given to the 1st place winners.  Employers typically match the cash prize winnings, so the day was highly rewarding for the top 8 finalists.

    An outstanding display of talent this year was Ana Mejia from Trefethen Family Vineyards. In 2023 she competed in the women’s division and took third place. However, she returned this year determined to advance. “I came [to the 2024 competition] with more confidence and purpose,” said Mejia, “I wanted to demonstrate that women are also able to compete.” Mejia proudly took first place in this year’s competition, taking to the podium with a smile from ear-to-ear.

    Adding to this year’s energy was local radio DJ Gabriela Fernandez of MegaMix, who broadcast live from the event grounds. She interviewed Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation leadership, finalists, and long-time sponsors, like Antonio Zamora from A&J Vineyard Supply, who said, “As a business that provides the Napa Valley with high-quality vineyard supplies, we see the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation as an asset to the grape-growing community, and one that aligns with our values. Adding, too, that sponsoring their Napa County Pruning Contest is a great opportunity to connect with those we support – from farmworkers to grape growers. If it wasn’t for the dedicated, expert talent tending to the local vineyards, the Napa Valley wouldn’t be what it is today.”

    Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation Vice President of the Board, Arnulfo Solorio (center), reviewing the competition’s rules and scoring. Photo by Chrome Visual Co.
    Guadalupe Soriano, first place finisher in the men’s division, razor-focused on making precise cuts. Photo by Chrome Visual Co.

    Competitors are Napa County farmworkers and full-time employees. All farmworkers who work in Napa County are eligible to compete.

    Winners received:

    1st Place: $1,550 in cash and gifts cards, a custom belt buckle, FELCO champions jacket, Vineyard Industry Products tools and supplies, Central Valley tools and supplies, and wine from Bazán Cellars
    2nd Place: $1,075 in cash and gifts cards, Central Valley tools and supplies, and wine from Bazán Cellars
    3rd Place: $800 in cash and gifts cards, Central Valley tools and supplies, and wine from Larkmead Vineyards
    4th Place: $550 in cash and gifts cards, Central Valley tools and supplies, and wine from Bazán Cellars
    All contestants received a black leather pruning shear holster from FELCO.
     
    Women’s Division Winners:
    1st Place: Ana Mejia, Trefethen Family Vineyards
    2nd Place: Rubi Reyes Hernandez, Gonzalez Vineyard Management
    3rd Place: Guadalupe Gutierrez, Renteria Vineyard Management
    4th Place: Cristina Arroyo, Renteria Vineyard Management
     
    Men’s Division Winners:
    1st Place: Guadalupe Soriano, Atlas Vineyard Management
    2nd Place: Benjamin Marron, Bettinelli Vineyards
    3rd Place: Julio Alonso, Hardin Vineyard Management
    4th Place: Jesús Sánchez, Renteria Vineyard Management

    Support for this event was provided by sponsors Nemerever Vineyards, Silicon Valley Bank, Central Valley Ag Supplies, FELCO, Duarte Trees & Vines, Sunbelt Rentals, Ag Health Benefits Alliance, Copper Cane Wines & Provisions, Jaguar Farm Labor Contracting, Brotemarkle Davis & Co, Malloy Imrie & Vasconi Insurance Services, Pearls Farm Labor, Renteria Vineyard Management, Sunridge Nurseries, Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Jim’s Supply Co., Garton Tractor, Taddei Vineyards, Gonzalez Vineyard Management, Vineyard Industry Products, A&J Vineyard Supply, Green Valley Tractor, and our partner in health, OLE Health.

    Thank you to the Napa Valley community members who served on the Napa County Pruning Contest Committee: Gustavo Aviña, Brianna Beighle, Pam Bond, Garrett Buckland, Chad Clark, Roberto Juarez, Joe Nasharr, Hayden Schmidter, Kendall Smith, Anulfo Solorio, Macy Stubstad and to all the wine industry volunteers who came out to support the event.

    About the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation

    Founded by the Napa Valley Grapegrowers in 2011, the mission of the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation is to support and promote Napa Valley’s vineyard workers through education and professional development. The Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation is the only one of its kind in the United States, providing complimentary educational opportunities, advanced training programs, leadership and management classes, English literacy programs, and much more. To date, the Farmworker Foundation has offered education and professional development opportunities to more than 23,000 vineyard workers and their families. For more information, visit Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation

  • Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation Inspires Women Leaders

    On March 24, the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation (FWF) launched a brand-new professional development program – a Women’s Leadership Workshop – focused on supporting new and aspiring female supervisors. The one-day workshop at Napa Valley College supported a full classroom of 40 supervisors from winery and vineyard management businesses across the Napa Valley.

    “It’s important for women to know their avenues of growth, and the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation was the perfect space to share this information,” said Mary Maher, director of company culture for Silverado Farming Company and president for the Napa Valley Grapegrowers, “Women are hungry for these opportunities, and to be at the workshop, watching shy women feel comfortable raising their hands…it was inspiring.”

    The morning began with a panel featuring highly regarded senior supervisors, Dolores Torres of Harlan Estate, Carina de la Cruz of Renteria Vineyard Management, and Celia Perez of V.Sattui Winery, and Daniela Bazán of Bazán Vineyard Management moderated. The panelists shared their career experiences, their love for the industry, and advice for newly appointed supervisors, which included meaningful mentorship, job challenges, and the qualities that led to their success. Dolores Torres counseled, “We grow stronger when we can teach those who come to us. By teaching them, we open doors. We strive together and we achieve together.”

    Erika Velazquez with Pan American Insurance followed the panel with a presentation on why Women Make Great Supervisors. She set the tone by acknowledging that agriculture has historically been a male dominated world, but today, women, and especially women of color, have new opportunities; they are trailblazers in agriculture. Their communication skills, preference for teamwork, resilience, and ability to multi-task make them successful when given the opportunity to lead. As a trailblazer herself, Erika is a single mom of three, who works full-time and just completed a master’s program in Occupational Health & Safety. Her story inspired the women to have faith in themselves and what they can accomplish.

    Erika Velazquez with Pan American Insurance speaks during the Women’s Leadership Workshop.

    In the session called, Speaking Up, attendees were asked to make a short presentation in front of their peers on a microphone. Approximately three quarters of the women in the room raised their hand indicating it was the first time they had ever had the opportunity.

    Following lunch, Devorah and Claudia from Devorah Allen Solorio Consulting, led the discussion on creating opportunity for leadership by taking a 360 perspective on the company and understanding how the different parts contribute to the overall success of the whole. Continuing to learn and building a network of support were also important themes that emerged. The day concluded with a presentation from Napa County Health on women’s wellness and the opportunity to practice relaxation techniques for healthy stress management.

    Leadership skill building alongside women from 15 companies across the Napa Valley
    New and aspiring supervisors are eager for opportunity.

    Starting in 2023, the FWF launched a new supervisor development series, including the Women’s Leadership Workshop, based on the results from last year’s University of California Cooperative Extension Job Satisfaction Survey. The results were used by the FWF Education Committee to meet the needs of farmworkers and their employers.

    About the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation

    Founded by the Napa Valley Grapegrowers in 2011, the mission of the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation is to support and promote Napa Valley’s vineyard workers through education and professional development. The Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation is the only one of its kind in the United States, providing educational opportunities, advanced training programs, leadership and management classes, English literacy programs, and much more. To date, the Farmworker Foundation has offered education and professional development opportunities to more than 21,000 vineyard workers and their families. For more information, visit our website at  Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation

  • Napa Valley Grapegrowers, Farmworker Foundation & UCCE Partner To Support Equitable Working Conditions For Farmworkers

    The Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation (FWF) and Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG) are partnering with the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) on a farmworker-focused, Job Satisfaction Survey.  The outcome of the survey will be used to improve the well-being of farmworkers by promoting equitable working conditions.

    “The Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation was established to support Napa County vineyard workers through education and professional development,” said Jennifer Putnam, CEO of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers and Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation, “so when the UCCE team approached us to support the survey, it was an immediate and natural decision.”

    Throughout Napa, grape growers and vineyard managers are committed to developing highly skilled vineyard teams. Many growers are looking to enhance their already competitive wages with other valuable benefits, such as paid time for English classes and leadership training. The results generated from the UCCE Job Satisfaction Survey will help employers identify which benefits matter most to their teams.

    “The inspiration [for the Job Satisfaction Survey] came from an interest in two areas. One was how to address the labor issues growers currently face, and the second was the numerous challenges farmworkers face that contribute to below average life outcomes as a population,” said Malcolm Hobbs, Staff Research Associate at UCCE, “We wanted to do a project that would be mutually beneficial to both parties. Measuring farmworker job satisfaction can help employers identify problems in their work environments so that they can be addressed and show them what they are doing well. There is a lot of research showing that improving job satisfaction in a directed manner can have many benefits for a company in terms of reducing turnover and absenteeism, lowering management costs, and boosting productivity. At the same time, improving job satisfaction can have a huge benefit for employee well-being in terms of health, life satisfaction, and financial security.”

    The survey provides an employee assessment of their work environment, which can be used by managers to target strategies for elevating workplace experience. To ensure employees are comfortable responding, the survey is presented in Spanish by UCCE and the FWF as a neutral third party; all submissions are anonymous. Participating employers will receive results for their company, as well as aggregate results for all participating companies. In addition, educational resources to support recommendations will be created by the partners.

    Hobbs emphasized, “It was also important to us that we avoid a completely top-down approach, where we or the employer decide what is best for the farmworker, and make sure workers are included in the process. Doing job satisfaction surveys allows the farmworkers to be consulted and give their view on what they want and need which they understand best. Done correctly, such surveys can help build a better dialogue and trust between workers and employers.”

    For grape growers and vineyard managers interested in in the UCCE Job Satisfaction Survey, please visit the website to learn more and access the survey in English and Spanish.

    About the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation

    Founded by the Napa Valley Grapegrowers in 2011, the mission of the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation is to support and promote Napa Valley’s vineyard workersthrough education and professional development. The Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation is the only one of its kind in the United States, providing educational opportunities, advanced training programs, leadership and management classes, English literacy programs, and much more. To date, the Farmworker Foundation has offered education and professional development opportunities to more than 21,000 vineyard workers and their families. For more information, visit our website Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation and follow the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation on Facebook and Instagram.

    About the Napa Valley Grapegrowers

    The Napa Valley Grapegrowers is a non-profit trade organization that has played a vital role in strengthening Napa Valley’s reputation as a world-class viticultural region for 45 years.  Its mission is to preserve and promote Napa Valley’s world-class vineyards. NVG represents 685 Napa County grape growers and associated businesses.  For more information, visit our website Napa Valley Grapegrowers and follow the Napa Valley Grapegrowers on Facebook and Instagram.

    About the University of California Cooperative Extension

    The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) is part of the national Land Grant system, where selected public institutions of higher learning are charged with providing practical education to the public through various outreach efforts. Collaboration with Napa County and the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office is one of the outreach efforts. For more information visit the UCCE website.