Wildfire smoke can pose a unique risk to grape growers in California, especially in the Central Valley. However, there are options for growers looking to insure their crops. In an interview with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network, James Dillon with Relation Insurance Services discussed Fire Insurance Protection-Smoke Index protection, an endorsement available for grape growers. Watch this quick interview and learn more in American Vineyard Magazine.
Tag: table grape growers
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California Table Grape Growers Offer Scholarship Opportunities
California table grape growers are once again providing scholarship opportunities to graduating high school seniors from the table grape growing regions of California. Three categories of scholarships are available again in 2026.
Two scholarships are available to field workers and their families. The Field Worker Bridge Scholarship is a $14,500 scholarship for students who will attend two years at a community college and transfer to a four-year university in California. The Field Worker Scholarship is a $25,000 scholarship for students who will attend a four-year university in California. Eligible high school graduates or graduating seniors, or their parent/legal guardian, must have been employed as a field worker in a California table grape vineyard during the 2025 harvest or plan to be employed during the 2026 season to be eligible for the Field Worker Scholarships.
The third scholarship is a $25,000 Agricultural Scholarship available for students interested in building a career in the California table grape industry and investing their undergraduate years of study in academic areas related to the industry. Eligible high school graduates or graduating seniors must pursue a four-year undergraduate degree from a California university in a field of study pertinent to table grapes and be residents of the Coachella or San Joaquin valleys.
Three scholarships from each category are available. Applicants for all scholarships must plan to attend a California college or university. The deadline to apply for all scholarships is Friday, February 6, 2026.
Since 1985, California table grape growers aided over 200 students in attending college. To hear from recent scholarship recipients, please visit: https://www.grapesfromcalifornia.com/community-outreach/scholarship-recipients/.
For more information on the scholarship program, please visit: https://www.grapesfromcalifornia.com/community-outreach/ or contact: Scholarships@grapesfromcalifornia.com.
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2018 Table Grape Crop Crosses 117 Million Boxes
In 2018 California table grape growers produced just under 117.1 million box units of grapes which translates to 115.6 million 19-pound boxes. The 2018 total marks the second largest volume shipped in industry history, behind only the 2013 total of 117.4 million box units.
The original estimate for the 2018 season was 114.6 million 19-pound boxes. The top varieties produced in 2018 were: Scarlet Royal, Autumn King, Flame Seedless, Sugraone (some fruit sold under name Superior Seedless®), and Sheegene-20 (Allison®).
More than 50 percent of the 2018 crop shipped from October through December, up from 40 percent of the crop in 2017. The top export markets in 2018 (through November) are: Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines.