U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue this week announced thatgrowers who suffered crop losses due to natural disasters in 2018 or 2019 can apply for assistance through theWildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+). Winegrape growers who suffered losses due to smokeexposure events in 2018 are eligible. The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) worked with members of the Californiacongressional …

The mountain vineyards of El Dorado AVA report that Labor Day weekend was largely the beginning of the 2019 harvest season in El Dorado County. According to several El Dorado vintners, this is late by one or two weeks compared to average pick time dates in the AVA. The later start will only enhance a favorable condition in high-elevation vineyards …

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 …

Suisun Valley, Fairfield, California: The Suisun Valley Vintners and Growers Association has formally requested California Department of Food and Agriculture to petition for amendment to boundary definition of Grape Pricing District (aka crush district) 5 in eastern Solano County. The effort is being filed on behalf of the Association by Roger King, Chairman, Growers Committee. The last such amendment to …

Atascadero, California, August 27, 2019 – SIP Certified (Sustainability in Practice) has just released a list of new vineyards that have been certified sustainable for 2019. The high-profile group includes six new properties and two long-time members. SIP Certified is one of the wine industry’s oldest and most important sustainability assessment and certification programs. The SIP Certified logo guarantees that …

Five years ago, the Sonoma County Winegrowers (SCW) made a bold declaration to the wine world that its more than 1,800 winegrowers were committed to becoming the nation’s first 100% certified sustainable wine region in 2019. Today, Karissa Kruse, president of the Sonoma County Winegrowers, addressed the local winegrowing community to announce that Sonoma County now has a record-breaking 99%  …

The 2019 Lake County winegrape harvest is underway and growers in the high-elevation winegrowing region are once again pleased with this year’s growing conditions and optimistic about the grape quality. Many of the region’s growers and vineyard managers are anticipating an earlier-than-normal harvest, which was unexpected given the region’s wet spring and relatively cool early season temperatures. However, by midseason, …

Small Grains, Other Field Crops: Cotton fields are in full bloom and bolls are filling. Alfalfa hay continues to be cut and baled. Corn for silage and related summer row crops are being harvested, and land is being fertilized in preparation for the next crop. Dried beans are being shipped to Southern California. Black-eyed beans are maturing and drying in fields. Deciduous …

Following a record rainfall this past winter and a cool spring, the summer growing season has been near-perfect for Sonoma County winegrapes.  Now grape growers and winemakers throughout Sonoma County are in constant contact coordinating their schedules as the 2019 harvest began overnight. Among the first grapes of the season harvested in Sonoma County were picked this morning just after …