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Napa Valley Grapegrowers Report - Reflections on pruning season: Building blocks of a Brighter Future

Posted in Growing Season, Industry News, Press Releases on Jan 23, 2021

by Michael Silacci, Winemaker for Opus One & NVG President

On a crisp January morning, under clear blue skies, Alfredo Llamas walks up to a vine in a Napa Valley vineyard. He kicks the grape stake to see if it was broken, gives the vine a once over, and begins to prune it.

Once Alfredo has given the stake a gentle kick, the vine has his complete attention and focus. He evaluates the length and girth of the canes, judging the number of buds to leave at the position.

Strong canes require additional buds to compensate for excess vigor, and Alfredo will leave fewer buds on weak canes to strengthen the position. The excess wood will be removed, and precise cuts made to leave enough cane above the bud to protect the bud from drying out, but not so much that pests find a place to harbor.

Pruning is a time to reflect on the past, live in the present, and imagine what the future will bring. Less than a minute later, Alfredo will be kicking the next stake.

Read the full Napa Valley Grapegrowers Report.

*Photo submitted by Opus One

NAPA VALLEY GRAPEGROWERS & NAPA VALLEY FARMWORKER FOUNDATION REACH MILLIONS THROUGH COVID-19 RESPONSE

Posted in Industry News, Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation, NVG News, Press Releases on Dec 29, 2020

by Napa Valley Grapegrowers Staff

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

Read the full press release.

*Photo credit: Renteria Vineyard Management

$40,000 RAISED SUPPORTING COVID-19 RELIEF FOR NAPA COUNTY’S FARMWORKER COMMUNITY

Posted in Industry News, Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation, Press Releases on Dec 22, 2020

by Napa Valley Grapegrowers Staff

The Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation (FWF), with many thanks to a generous group of individuals, raised $20,000 in support of COVID-19 relief for Napa’s farmworker community. Through the Travis Credit Union Foundation matching grant, donations were doubled, and Travis Credit Union has awarded the FWF an additional donation of $20,000.

“The Travis Credit Union Foundation gives 100% of donations back to our local communities,” said Damian Alarcon, Director of Community Relations for the Travis Credit Union Foundation, “and we are proud of the recent fundraising collaboration with Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation because of the immediate relief that will be provided to our friends and neighbors through their vital programming.” Read the full press release.

Napa Valley Grapegrowers 2020 Growing Season Perspective

Posted in Growing Season, Industry News, NVG News, Press Releases on Dec 01, 2020

by NVG Staff

Napa Valley sets the gold standard for farming. As an established agricultural preserve for over 50 years, the cherished, 30-mile stretch of land is cared for by dedicated grape growers who tend to their vines with careful consideration and innovation. Year-after-year, no matter the challenges, Napa Valley growers’ collective goal is to adapt, overcome, then produce high-quality winegrapes, and 2020 was no exception.

This year, Napa Valley growers faced more than the usual share of weather-related challenges, which means the 2020 growing season has been shaped and defined by the ways in which our community banded together—both to ensure the health and vitality of the workforce and to persevere through increasing climate challenges. Read the full NVG press release.

*Photo credit: Sarah Anne Risk

Groundbreaking Program Provides Computers and Tech Skills for Napa Valley Farmworkers

Posted in Industry News, Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation, Press Releases on Nov 17, 2020

by Napa Valley Grapegrowers Staff

The Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation (FWF) has launched an innovative new program that brings laptops and instruction on the use of technology to Napa County farmworkers.

COVID-19 presented the Farmworker Foundation with challenges on implementing its educational programs and professional development, which typically serve over 2,500 people per year. Bringing the coursework online and into workplaces and homes was a natural next step, but the group quickly recognized that a starter course on using laptops and other technology was needed in order for participants to be successful. Read the full press release.

*Photo credit: Farmworker Foundation staff