Staff Project Update

Winegrape Growers Receive Funds to Reduce Pesticide Risks

This Gallo vineyard makes use of cover crops to enhance soil fertility. (photo by Robert L. Bugg)

The Winegrape Pest Management Alliance (PMA), comprised of grower organizations throughout California, was recently awarded a second grant of $100,000 by the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) to support a new effort to increase grower awareness about the adoption of reduced-risk practices for managing vineyard pests. PMA received the first award from DPR in June 2000.

Building on past successful efforts like the Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS) project of the Lodi Woodbridge Winegrape Commission, winegrape growers will be participating in a statewide effort to speed the adoption of reduced-risk pest management.

The PMA will focus its first efforts on demonstration and outreach related to sustainable sulfur use and reduced-risk weed management. In addition to the funding from DPR, more than 50 percent of the project costs are shared by the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) and by in-kind contributions of time and expertise from regional winegrape organizations and University of California researchers and educators. CAWG is providing administrative leadership for the project; Karen Ross, CAWG president, is serving as the project’s principle investigator. Jenny Broome, SAREP associate director, is one of the technical advisors to the winegrape PMA, while Joe Browde is PMA project coordinator.

“For California’s winegrape growers, this is the latest and by far the broadest attempt yet at promoting sustainable agriculture through a collaborative effort of demonstration and outreach,” said Broome.

The PMA is targeting sulfur and weed management; on a statewide level, there have been recurring incidences of sulfur dust drifting into sensitive areas, including school zones and public highways. Similarly, herbicides used in grape production have been found in groundwater in some areas of the state.

“While sulfur and herbicides remain important farming tools for winegrape growers across California, their continued use may depend on how well the industry can demonstrate alternative practices and farming systems that reduce the potential risk of these materials,” said Ross. “Through statewide field demonstrations and aggressive outreach, the PMA intends to reduce complaints of sulfur drift and uses of higher-risk herbicides while sustaining the economic viability of viticulture.”

Key to the project’s potential success is the fact that it is grower-driven, said Browde.

“Although representatives from extension, research, and regulatory agencies provide technical assistance, it is the growers who have devised, are implementing, and, in short, own the program,” he said.

Grower-led programs in sustainable viticulture and integrated farming systems have been successful elsewhere at the regional level, including the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission, Central Coast Vineyard Team, the Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group, and Sonoma County Grape Growers Association.

“The PMA project is unique in its statewide coverage, commitment, and implementation,” Broome said.

As with the above efforts, effective grower-to-grower transfer of relevant information is key, Broome added. To that end, more than 30 demonstration vineyards have been established with grower-cooperators throughout five winegrape regions in California: North Coast, Central Coast, South Coast, Northern Interior, and South Central Valley. Grower-cooperators are recording their various reduced-risk practices for sulfur and weed management and will share and showcase practices at field days. Educational information is being provided via state and regional newsletters and Web sites. In addition, Browde, Ross, Broome and leaders of regional organizations are making presentations and otherwise communicating information about reduced-risk pest management throughout the state.

To share softer approaches to weed and mildew management from your own operations or to learn more about the PMA, contact Browde at (707) 776-4943, mjbrowde@pacbell.net; Ross at (800) 241-1800 (CA only), (916) 924-5374, info@cawg.org; or SAREP at (530) 754-8547, sarep@ucdavis.edu.

Steering Committee members include Randall Lange, Steve Quashnick, Karen Ross, CAWG; Howard Babcock and Rhonda Hood, North Coast Grape Growers Association; Jeff Bitter, Allied Grape Growers; Mike Boer, Mendocino Winegrowers Alliance; Nick Frey, Sonoma County Grape Growers Association; Patrick Gleeson, American Vineyard Foundation; Steve Kautz, Calaveras Wine Association; David Lucas, Robert Mondavi Winery; Kelly Maher and Julie Nord, Napa Valley Grape Growers; Kris O’Connor, Central Coast Vineyard Team; Cliff Ohmart, Lodi Woodbridge Winegrape Commission; Ken Wilson, Clarksburg Wine Growers; Jason Smith, Monterey County Grape Growers. Technical advisors are Jenny Broome, UC SAREP; Lori Ann Thrupp, U.S. EPA - Region 9 Agricultural Initiative; Sewell Simmons, Department of Pesticide Regulation; and Joe Browde.