California Ag Network

Tag: NVG

  • Arnulfo Solorio Of Silverado Farming Company Recognized As Napa Valley Grower Of The Year

    Arnulfo Solorio has been named the 2022 Napa Valley Grower of the Year. Solorio (“Nufo”) is a Partner and Vice President of Operations at Silverado Farming Company, where he has served in leadership roles since 2002.

    Nufo served three 3-year terms on the Napa Valley Grapegrowers Board of Directors, as the first Hispanic person to serve in that capacity. His legacy may, however, be the creation of the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation in 2010. Nufo was passionate about starting the Foundation as a way to provide professional development and educational opportunities to farmworkers and their families. The Farmworker Foundation now serves thousands of people each year through its programs in literacy, leadership, vocational training, mentorship, and community participation. Arnulfo serves as a Director on its Board and is currently Chair of the Farmworker Education Committee.

    Nufo was born in Patzimaro, Michoacan, Mexico. From a young age, he dreamed of going to school, but his family were ranchers in Mexico, and he was told: “Books do not feed you; animals and land do.”

    Following his dreams, Nufo travelled to Napa at the age of 14, but quickly realized in order to get an education, he needed money. He began working at Charles Krug as a field worker and mechanic’s assistant while following crops through Arizona, California, and Washington. He eventually worked his way through school and was able to enroll in Napa Valley College in 1984. Since he began at the college, he has completed enough courses to receive three Associates Degrees – while working full-time and raising a family. That he had energy left to volunteer through the Napa Valley Grapegrowers and make such a difference in our community is testament to his work ethic and strong sense of self.

    Solorio was the first person in his family to become documented, become a citizen, and go to school. He has worked as a vineyard manager for some of the most storied of Napa’s properties, including Franciscan, Domaine Chandon, Mondavi, Charles Krug, and Tonella Family.

    He strongly believes education is the key to success and that learning never stops. Beyond managing operations and personnel at Silverado Farming Company, he is part of the team that develops training, education, personal growth, and reward programs for employees. He believes that empathy and compassion are the key to successful leadership.

    NVG President Michael Silacci noted, “It is no wonder that someone as thoughtful, humble, and passionate as Arnulfo hatched the idea of the Farmworker Foundation.  We are grateful for his tireless efforts in the community and his leadership within the Napa Valley Grapegrowers”.

    Nominations for the Grower of the Year come from the NVG membership. The recipient is chosen by a special Selection Committee made up of Past Presidents, current Directors, and active committee members. The award criteria include: a strong commitment to sustainable practices; recognized leadership in agricultural preservation; dedicated community focus, contributions to the Napa Valley Grapegrowers; and someone who actively promotes Napa’s reputation for the highest quality vineyards.

    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 46 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

  • 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.

  • Ren Harris of Paradigm Winery Named Napa Valley Grower of the Year

    Oakville grape grower and Napa Valley Grapegrowers founder, Ren Harris, has been named the 2021 Napa Valley Grower of the Year.

    Harris began his farming career in the late 1960s, moving from San Francisco with his wife, Napa Valley native, Marilyn Pelissa.  They purchased a prune orchard in Oakville, CA, where Harris began working odd jobs for family and friends, growing a passion for agriculture and farming.

    Harris became involved in causes and efforts near and dear to his heart, dedicating years advocating for the vineyard and winery workforce. In 1972, he founded the California Grower Foundation (now Ag Health Benefits Alliance), which established affordable health care access for farmworkers, and helped improve work conditions for many.

    As the Napa County Farm Bureau President from 1975 through 1977, Harris was exposed to a wide range of issues affecting the industry, and with that, his passion for supporting Napa Valley agriculture grew.

    In 1975, Harris, alongside long-time Napa Valley grape growers Andy Beckstoffer, William Jaeger, Jr., John Trefethen, Virgil Galleron, Justin Meyer, and Joseph Miller, established the Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG). They had a shared focus – to sustain grape growing in the Napa Valley. Through the NVG, they set an important precedent for growers, giving them a voice: developing the Bottle Price Formula; lobbying for geographical and historical indicators to be used to establish a wine’s appellation of origin; initiated the Winery Definition Ordinance, which mandated that 75% of grapes in Napa wine must come from Napa Valley vineyards; and other industry practices commonplace today.

    Beyond founding the California Grower Foundation and the Napa Valley Grapegrowers, Harris immersed himself in other civic, philanthropic, and professional endeavors, all helping to build a legacy for Napa Valley agriculture and land preservation: Governor of the council of California Growers; Napa Valley Co-Op Winery Director; past president and active board member for the Oakville Winegrowers Association; and, since 2002, a 1% for the Planet movement member, annually dedicating 1% of his winery’s gross sales toward environmental nonprofits.

    Harris is a 6th generation Californian. He began as a history major at the University of San Francisco, then pursued additional education from Napa Valley College, UC Davis, and most recently, the University of Bordeaux. In addition to his deep commitment to the Napa County community, Harris’s “day job” from 1980 – 2003 was in vineyard and winery real estate.

    Filled every day with genuine gratitude, Harris enjoys riding motorcycles, his Saturday morning breakfast routine with a dear friend, Harold Morrison – a routine that has lasted over 50 years! – and sharing historical anecdotes about the Napa Valley.

    NVG President Michael Silacci commented on Harris’s award by stating, “Ren Harris is an icon, scratch that, a legend in the Napa Valley. His tireless efforts to preserve and protect the land, the vineyards, the people, and the community are woven into the fabric of the Napa Valley. If the Grower of the Year were to receive an Oscar-like statue instead of a belt buckle, Ren would be the model for it.”

    He and his wife own Paradigm Winery in Oakville, CA.

    Nominations for the Grower of the Year come from the NVG membership and the recipient is chosen by a special Selection Committee made up of Past Presidents, current leadership, and active committee members. The award criteria are: a strong commitment to sustainable practices; recognized leadership in agricultural preservation; dedicated community focus, contributions to the Napa Valley community; and someone who actively promotes Napa’s reputation for the highest quality vineyards.

    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 46 years. Its mission is to preserve and promote Napa Valley’s world-class vineyards. NVG represents 685 Napa County grape growers and associated businesses.

  • NAPA Valley Grapegrowers & NAPA Valley Farmworker Foundation Reach Millions Through Covid-19 Response

    In the face of this year’s challenges, Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG) and the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation (FWF) have maintained a steady focus and commitment to supporting the community through challenging times.

    In 2020, the organizations provided vital information and resources to grape growers, vineyard managers, vineyard workers, and their families. Together, NVG and FWF:

    • Formed a COVID-19 Taskforce to implement a multi-media, cross-county PSA campaign, including daily PSAs aired on Univision and Azteca, a 4-month digital billboard campaign, and a podcast, “Cuidándonos de COVID-19 con Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation”, to educate the community on COVID-19 health & safety

    • Distributed 2,500 COVID-19 Health & Safety Kits to grower and vineyard teams; the kits included a personal thermometer, thermal water bottle, cotton bandana, 9 ounce bottle of hand sanitizer, protective eyewear and anti-fog spray, drawstring bag, and an educational handout on safety protocols in the workplace

    • Contributed funds toward staffing and supplies for the St. Helena Hospital Foundation’s COVID-19 Mobile Testing Van, which visited vineyard sites and provided accessibility to tests for up to 200 farmworkers daily

    • Provided four months of free childcare for children of farmworkers through the Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley; the program covered all fees and provided the children with meals and remote learning support

    • Distributed 15,000 reusable cloth masks and 25,000 N95 masks to Napa Valley’s vineyard workforce

    • Provided a bilingual library of resources, educational materials, and timely webinars to inform the community about the spread of COVID-19

      Through our work, millions of farm-working families have had access to bilingual COVID- 19 safety information.

      Even as exciting news of vaccines reaches us, we know that there is still more work to be done to carry our community to the other side of the pandemic. Under Napa County’s new stay at home order, agriculture remains an essential business, allowing for vineyard operations to continue. As the situation evolves, so do the resources that NVG and the FWF provide. This includes newly released updates to NVG & FWF’s COVID-19 Safety Protocols that, throughout the pandemic, have provided the farming community with the most comprehensive industry standards for prioritizing the health and safety of vineyard teams. Winter work will pick up again in January, so NVG and the FWF are focused on providing Napa County grape growers and vineyard managers with “Back to Work” safety protocols, tools to reinforce safety best practices to reduce virus transmission, a “Safe Holiday” PSA about avoiding non-essential travel and gatherings, paycheck stuffers promoting health and safety, as well as timely webinars on updates to state and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health mandates, and more.

    NVG and the FWF are looking ahead to the new year with plans to do even more, extend our educational reach, and continue to serve as go-to resources for the Napa Valley grape grower and farmworker communities.

    For more information about NVG and FWF’s 2020 COVID-19 response, view the 2020 Annual Report or visit www.napagrowers.org

  • Grape Industry Funds Mobile Health Unit Through St. Helena Hospital

    The Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation (FWF) and Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG) announce a partnership with St. Helena Hospital Foundation (SHHF) to increase access to COVID- 19 screening for farmworkers. NVG and FWF have jointly funded supplying and staffing a mobile health unit, capable of traveling to vineyard sites and testing up to 100 vineyard workers per day. These funds have secured an initial order of 3,000 pilots tests to be made available throughout harvest to vineyard workers.

    “The St. Helena Hospital Foundation established the Mobile Health Unit to provide accessible medical resources to the community. We’ve worked on the project for over a year and to see it used in this way, to provide COVID-19 testing support for our agricultural workforce through the Napa Valley Grapegrowers and Farmworker Foundation, I couldn’t be more proud,” said Karen Cakebread, Director for the NVG and SHHF, who helped launch the mobile testing effort, “It is exciting that the synergy between the organizations came together at a time when our community needs creative solutions and quick action to support our work force.”

    Since the pandemic was declared in March, the FWF and NVG have dedicated over $200,000 to provide comprehensive safety resources in Spanish and English, social distancing vineyard signs, cloth face masks to over 10,000 farmworkers, and recently launched a statewide bilingual community education campaign via the FWF COVID-19 Task Force. Providing critical access to testing is an important piece to ensure the continued health and wellbeing of Napa’s farmworkers. With the Mobile Health Unit launched, NVG and FWF continue to develop plans for increasing testing capabilities and opportunities in the community, to prevent COVID-19 and keep workers safe.

    For information on the FWF COVID-19 Task Force, please refer to www.napagrowers.org
    To speak with an NVG or FWF representative regarding the mobile testing van, please email info@napagrowers.org

    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 726 Napa County grape growers and associated businesses. Visit Napa Valley Grapegrowers and follow on Facebook and Instagram

    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. Visit Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation and follow on Facebook and Instagram 

  • 12th Annual Harvest STOMP Raises a Record- Breaking $2.32 Million for the Napa Valley Grapegrowers and Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation

    The Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG) and Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation are proud to announce that a record-breaking $2.32 million was raised at the 12th annual Harvest STOMP, held this past Saturday, August 24th. Thanks to the generous support of sponsors, 100% of donations made during the event go directly to programs that preserve Napa Valley vineyards and provide educational opportunities and professional development for farmworkers and their families.

    “We are so grateful for the generosity shown tonight,” said co-chairs Lisa Callan Hoskins and Dan Hoskins. “In addition to preserving Napa Valley’s agricultural heritage, the Napa Valley Grapegrowers provides continuing education on sustainable farming, environmental stewardship and best practices – and this special place would not be the same without their work.” Lisa and Dan are fifth generation Napa Valley grape growers. Their family currently owns Ferrogiaro Vineyard and has been in Napa Valley since 1863.

    Harvest STOMP is a highly-anticipated event in the valley, drawing 600 guests and featuring NVG member wines and local foods. Attendees donned festive ranch attire and danced the night away, celebrating the upcoming harvest.

    During a poignant moment in the live auction, over $1 million was raised for the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation, the first organization of its kind in the United States. The Farmworker Foundation has provided education and professional development to more than 18,272 farmworkers and their families. Saturday’s contributions will help grow its programs. One of the programs highlighted was the Patrick Foley Fields of Opportunity Summer Mentor Program, which is a mentorship program for local high school students that teaches them about how to work and succeed in the wine and agricultural industries.

    U.S. Representative Mike Thompson, who is from St. Helena, enjoyed Harvest STOMP with his wife, Jan, and was impressed by the community support.

    “Jan and I had an incredible evening at the 12th annual Harvest STOMP and we were proud to see so many in our community turn out to support our local agriculture. A big thank you to the Napa Valley Grapegrowers and the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation for another great event and for all you do to preserve our beautiful vineyards and support farmworkers and their families throughout the year.”

    Next year’s Harvest STOMP will be held on August 29, 2020 and chaired by John and Michele Truchard, owners of FARM Napa Valley, and Oscar and Denise Renteria, owners of Renteria Vineyard Management and Tres Perlas Wines.

    About Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG)

    Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG) 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 more than 43 years. Its mission is to preserve and promote Napa Valley’s world-class vineyards. NVG represents 725 Napa County grapegrowers and associated businesses. For more information, visit www.napagrowers.org.

    Follow Napa Valley Grapegrowers on Facebook and Instagram.