NVG has worked for several years as a voice for growers, aiming to ensure that the state-mandated GSP considers how water is used in vineyards and how these regulations will impact grape-growing operations.
NVG is also a committed community partner in meeting the county’s environmental goals related to ensuring the health of the subbasin. This advocacy includes representing members on the GSP Advisory Committee, providing regular public comment and presentations to the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) and Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA), and regular correspondence with county staff Click below to view our most recent presentation to the TAG and access more of our GSP resources.
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Read the Entire 2023 Napa County Crop Report
Thank you to the Napa County Agricultural Commissioner's Office for their work on the 2023 Crop Report. This is an invaluable tool for our community, and it wouldn't be possible without their team. Check out the report’s feature on NAVIP: Neighborhood Alliance for Vineyard Protection on pages 12-13, bringing a neighborhood approach to pest and disease management to the forefront. The Ag Commissioner's Office is incredibly high-touch when it comes to pest detection in order to keep our vineyards safe from harmful pests. Learn more about their efforts on pest exclusion and detection in Napa County on pages 18-19. NVG has highlighted several community partner events that may be of interest to NVG members. Ag Container Recycling Day The Napa County Agricultural Commissioner & Sealer of Weights and Measures Office is hosting an ag container recycling day at the Calistoga Corp Yard (4410 Silverado Trail North, Calistoga) on Thursday, May 9 from 8:00am - 3:00pm. Click below to access the flyer with more information in English or Spanish. 2024 Ag Pass Program Application Open Applications are now being accepted for the 2024 Ag Pass Program and can be submitted via the button below. Growers who possess a current Operator ID or a Restricted Materials Permit for the 2024 season have already been issued their Ag Pass and do not need to fill out an application, they can simply login to CalAgPermits. To support folks in training their employees on proper safety during a disaster, a requirement of this program, the Agricultural Commissioner has collaborated with with the Napa County Sheriff, UC Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor, and Napa County Fire to create informative videos. Climate Coffee Chat with Dr. Andrew Isaacs Supervisor Cottrell invites members of the community to join Professor Andrew Isaacs of UC Berkeley Haas School of Business for a Climate Education Session. Don’t miss this opportunity! Over 200 NVG member companies have benefited from Professor Isaacs' classes to date! Dry Farming Workshop Join the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, Community Alliance with Family Farmers and Vineyard Team for a discussion and demonstration on establishing a dry farmed vineyard in coastal regions. They will discuss rootstock selection, land preparation, vine spacing, planting process and watering regiment for the first two years. Coffee and pastries will be provided. This event will take place on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 8:00am - 11:00am at the end of Galleron Lane in St. Helena. Thank you to the Department of Water Resources for providing funding for education on dry farming in coastal winegrapes. UC Davis Grape Day
On June 5, 2024, UC Davis will host a Grape Day at the Oakville Experimental Vineyard (1380 Oakville Grade Rd, Oakville, CA 94562). The event will take place from 8:00am - 2:00pm. Speakers include farm advisors, cooperative extension specialists, and UC Davis Faculty. Click below to learn more and register for Grape Day! Photo by Sarah Anne Risk NVG has created a library of Best Practices resources for growers to utilize in making their management and in-the-field decisions. Suckering, also known as shoot thinning, is the process of removing the excess growth from a grapevine. This is a key step in maintaining vine balance and creating a canopy ideal for grape growing. As the valley is experiencing an explosion of growth, we wanted to remind folks of our best practices videos on suckering, available in both English and Spanish. Curious about our other Best Practices?
We welcome you to check out (and share with your team!) our Best Practices Library, which includes papers and videos available in English and Spanish. Continue scrolling to register for NVG's next Climate Science Seminar with Drew Isaacs. With a mission to cultivate viticultural excellence and environmental stewardship for the Napa Valley, NVG has created a wealth of resources focused on climate science and resilience. NVG's Annual Climate & Water Practices Survey To continue to benchmark Napa Valley’s environmental stewardship and provide resources of greatest value to growers, please fill out our annual Climate & Water Practices Survey. Your responses support NVG’s eligibility for grant funds and help us advocate for incentive programs for your business. All responses will be anonymous and aggregated. Join us at our upcoming Climate Science Workshop! Be among the 200 companies that have gone through NVG’s Climate Science Workshop with Drew Isaacs, Professor as UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. If you have already attended, now is a chance to share the opportunity with other members of your team! NVG's Climate Science Best Practices Building your operation’s plan to reduce your climate impact? Learning the differences between fossil carbon and modern carbon is essential. Learn more with NVG’s best practices videos: Climate Resiliency Resources
NVG helps growers navigate both the farming and business risks of a changing climate, to cultivate long-term resiliency in Napa Valley. Access member resources to inform your climate adaptation and mitigation strategies in the vineyard. Photo by Sarah Anne Risk It's that time of year! Vines around the Napa Valley are bursting with new growth! The Napa Valley Grapegrowers Viticulture & Environmental Stewardship Committee has developed Best Practices resources on frost protection and springtime viticultural activities, as well as ways to be a good neighbor, for members. Spring Best Practices for Frost Control Frost season is almost here; check out the following best practices for frost control in Napa Valley vineyards. Being a Good Neighbor Best Practices Papers One of the most important components of sustainable farming is being a good neighbor. Each one of us represents the Napa Valley wine industry with our daily practices on site. This paper shares some ideas on how to be a good rural neighbor. Additional NVG Best Practices To view all of NVG's best practices papers and videos highlighting important aspects of farming in a responsible and sustainable manner, click below. The NVG Weather Alert The Weather Alert, a free membership benefit exclusively for NVG Grower and Vineyard Management Company members, helps in effectively planning for extreme weather events throughout the season including frost protection, irrigation strategies, preventing heat illness and exhaustion during summer season, management for rain days, and more. Thank you, Weather Alert Sponsors!
This grower resource is sponsored by American AgCredit Crop Insurance, Allied Clean Fuels Plaza, and Allied Propane Service & Precision Forecasting. Applications Open: Carl Moyer Subsidy Program The Carl Moyer Program provides an opportunity to exchange your older diesel tractor for a substantial rebate towards a cleaner, more efficient vehicle. The program has approximately allocated $1 billion to date and continues to provide over $60 million in grant funding each year to clean up older polluting engines throughout California. Applications are accepted through March 28, 2024. Input Sought for National Grape and Wine Survey A nationwide project supported by the USDA titled "Enhancing regional grape and wine production and quality” is seeking engagement from stakeholders. The project aims to better understand issues impacting viticulture, enology, and winery business management. We encourage you participate in this stakeholder engagement process to ensure Napa County grower concerns are included. Responses Requested for UC Davis Extension Survey The UC Davis Extension team is seeking input to help them to identify the primary concerns and issues impacting the wine industry. Results will be used to assist the research team in providing the industry with new outreach (Extension) resources and information. The last day to participate is March 29. New Regulation: Beneficial Ownership Information Reports (BOIR) Starting January 1, 2024, there's a new regulation that you need to know about: Beneficial Ownership Information Reports (BOIR). What does this mean for you? If you own any company, even LLCs or Corporations simply holding your property, you're now obligated to submit beneficial ownership information reports to FinCEN. See below for more information on this new regulation, provided by Engel & Völkers Real Estate Global Advisor, Philippa Ward. Neonicotinoid Regulatory Update Title 3, California Code of Regulations 6990 (3CCR 6990) On January 1, 2024, new regulations regarding the use of neonicotinoid (neonic) pesticides will take effect. In 2023, about 13,300 acres of production agriculture were treated with neonics in Napa County with 614 applications. This represents roughly a third of the farmed acreage in the County. Neonics are a synthetic insecticide chemically similar to nicotine. They were registered for agricultural use in the 1990’s as replacement for carbamate and organophosphate pesticides. Neonics are now the most widely used group of insecticides in the world, representing about 25% of agrochemical use. Unfortunately, neonics turned out to be highly toxic to bees and other pollinators in small amounts. Neonics are used as a systemic broad-spectrum insecticide. The insecticide is absorbed by the plant and travels throughout the plant tissues to leaves, stems, fruits, and flowers. Pollinators exposed to pesticide residue can be harmed. The new regulations limit the amount of active ingredient applied, and the frequency and timing of applications with the goal of increasing protection of pollinators. These regulations apply only to production agriculture, not structural pest control or non – production settings such as parks and cemeteries. 3CCR 6990 outlines guidelines across 16 crop groups. Each crop group has a table with application rate and timing restrictions for both foliar and soil applications. Napa’s winegrapes fall into the “berries and small fruits” group. For all groups, no applications may be made during “bloom,” defined as the period from the onset of flowering until petal fall is complete. Imidacloprid, Clothianidin, Dinotefuran, and Thiamethoxam are the four specific neonic active ingredients included in 3CCR 6990. All are from the nitroguanidine family of neonic insecticides with similar characteristics and properties. Some of the commonly used pesticides containing these ingredients in Napa are Belay, Venom, Admire Pro, Macho, and Platinum. For grapes, the application rate and timing requirements for these active ingredients will be triggered by three scenarios:
The product labels will not be updated with these new requirements. In some cases, the label may have a higher rate than the regulation. If there is a difference, the strictest requirement must be followed. The complete guide to 3CCR 6990 from the Department of Pesticide Regulation can be found by clicking below. NVG's Low-Smoke Burning Technique & Other Alternatives Permitted burn season runs from October through April. One of the easiest and most cost-effective alternatives to smoky burns for growers to implement is NVG’s Low-Smoke Ag Burning Technique. Use NVG's step-by-step manual available in English and Spanish to conduct virtually smoke-free burns to preserve air quality and reduce black carbon. Please note that plant material to be burned must be dried at least 60 days prior to ignition. As we anticipate continued rain events into the early spring, it’s important to remember to:
NVG's Vine Disposal & Open Burning Resources
NVG’s Low-Smoke Ag Burning Manuals and Task Force Webpage Open Burning & Vine Disposal Requirements & Best Practices Alternatives to Traditional Agricultural Biomass Burning in Napa Valley (2018), Daniela Bazán, Master of Science in Environmental Management Cleaner Burns Archives - Napa Communities Firewise Foundation (napafirewise.org) Napa County Agricultural Commissioner Burn Permit Information BAAQMD Regulations BAAQMD'S 'Spare the Air' Status Learn about BAAQMD’s Free Chipping Services Photo by Sarah Anne Risk In a continuing effort to promote sustainable best practices, the Napa Valley Grapegrowers has developed a wealth of resources on weed management for members with different farming practices and site-specific needs. Under the Row Weed and Soil Management Best Practices Video With an emphasis on soil health, NVG's Under the Row Weed and Soil Management Best Practices Video, available in English and Spanish, focuses on mechanical weed control for the soil underneath the vines. Responsible Spray Practices Best Practices Paper NVG has created a Best Practices paper on Responsible Spray Practices, available in both English and Spanish. This paper, in checklist format, addresses questions that growers should consider and procedures that should be followed for each application in an effort to generate site-specific planning discussions. ROOTSTOCK 2023 Presentations Weed management is an integral part of the vineyard management system; however, as consumers' and lenders' perceptions around herbicides shift, there is mounting pressure across the wine production chain to adapt farming methods. ROOTSTOCK 2023 addressed this topic head-on by providing educational presentations and resources to growers. To access recordings of these presentations, click the button below. Resources from the Napa County Agricultural Commissioner
The Agricultural Commissioner administered Pesticide Use Enforcement program is responsible for ensuring the safe use of pesticides in all settings in the county. Please see below for more on this program, as well as Best Management Practices for Vineyards in Agricultural-Urban Interface (AUI) Areas. Photo by Sarah Anne Risk The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released the Preliminary California Grape Crush Report summarizing annual metrics, including the dollars per ton, number of tons, and brix levels related to each grape transaction across California. 2023 Grape Crush Report Highlights
Highlights based on 2023 preliminary report (published February 2024) compared to the 2022 errata report (published August 2023). To view all historical reports visit USDA’s Grape Crush Report library Napa Winegrape Market Did you know NVG has a Winegrape Market? This tool is indispensable for premium winegrape growers and wine producers seeking to establish new networks in a changing market. This interactive database has been designed to assist both winegrape buyers and sellers in transacting business without any commissions or third-party involvement. Click the button below to access the Napa Winegrape Market. Upcoming Event: Business of Vineyards On Thursday, March 14 from 3pm-4:30pm, NVG will host a Business of Vineyards webinar focused on the Grape Crush Report. Please join us to learn more about the 2023 Grape Crush Report, how growers can find balance during challenging market conditions, maintaining good relationships with buyers, and best practices for contract renegotiations. Additional NVG Member Tools for Grape Sales
NVG members have exclusive access to a library of tools and resources related to grape sales, including sample contracts, past webinars on contracting, and more. |
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