December 2006
10 years of success: UC-supported sustainable winegrape program
A Lodi-Woodbridge vineyard in Clements, Calif.
DAVIS--A grower group recently recognized by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for its environmental and economic leadership established its award-winning sustainable wine growing program with a grant from the University of California's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP).
The Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission (LWWC) was formed in 1991 to promote the Lodi region as a producer of premium winegrapes and wine using farming practices that are environmentally sound, economically viable and socially equitable. Ten years ago, the commission was one of two original grants from SAREP's Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS) Program. A recent report by the commission, Ten Years of Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission's Biologically Integrated Farming System Program, shows that the Lodi-Woodbridge growers have reduced their environmental impact from pesticides to nearly the same negligible level of impact from vineyards that are certified organic.
"We are thrilled to show the excellent results of this program, which has helped our growers dramatically reduce their pesticide use, and we're grateful to the UC for its role in our success," said Cliff Ohmart, research and integrated pest management (IPM) director of the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission. "We are proud to be one of the two inaugural grants from the University of California's SAREP BIFS program."
The Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission received the Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award and California Department of Pesticide Regulation's IPM Innovator Award based on the accomplishments of their sustainable winegrowing program.
"We are in our eleventh year now, and the program is more successful than we ever hoped," Ohmart said. "Our report describes the steps we have taken to create an IPM program, support area research, and market our premium winegrapes. We hope it will inspire other growers."
The LWWC summary report is posted on SAREP's Web site at http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/BIFS/LWWCreport/. Approximately 750 LWWC member growers farm more than 90,000 acres of winegrapes, which is about 20 percent of the winegrape production in California.
Media Contacts:
Cliff Ohmart, LWWC, (209) 367-4727 cliff@lodiwine.com
Bev Ransom, UC SAREP, (530) 754-8546, baransom@ucdavis.edu
Lyra Halprin, (530) 752-8664, lhalprin@ucdavis.edu
