There are three parts to
LWWC's Sustainable Viticulture Program; Grower Outreach, Filed Implementation
and Area-Wide Implementation. Grower outreach involves providing information to
LWWC growers and pest control advisors (PCAs) about sustainable farming
practices that are appropriate for use in their vineyards. This information is
provided in a range of different ways and these are briefly discussed below.
The field implementation component involves working with a core group of 40
LWWC growers and about 15 PCAs in 60 different vineyards. Various sustainable
farming practices are implemented in these vineyards so the growers and other
LWWC members can see the effects of these practices. Area-wide implementation
involves encouraging all LWWC members to become more active in implementing
sustainable viticultural practices in their vineyards. The Lodi Winegrower's
Workbook was written to help achieve this area-wide implementation.
Grower
Outreach:
There are several different
types of activities in LWWC's grower outreach program, each designed to
accomplish specific outreach goals:
Breakfast
Meetings-informal, monthly meetings with a presenter speaking about a
field-proven sustainable viticulture practice that LWWC members may or may not
be familiar with. The presenter is often from the University but sometimes is a
LWWC member.
Workshops/Field
Days-outdoor events in the vineyard where growers and PCAs get a more in
depth exposure to specific sustainable viticulture practices using a 'hands-on'
approach. For example a technique or piece of equipment might be
demonstrated.
Half-day Research
Seminars-formal meeting format that provides an opportunity for growers and
PCAs to hear about basic and applied research projects that may result in the
development of future sustainable viticulture practices. Presenters are
generally University researchers.
Neighborhood Grower
Meeting (NGM)-a LWWC grower or PCA invites their neighbors to come to their
house to discuss specific sustainable viticulture topics or to take part in a
Lodi Winegrower's Workbook workshop.
Newsletter-LWWC
produces a bimonthly newsletter that is mailed out to all LWWC members and
other interested people. It consists of a feature article on either the results
of LWWC-funded research projects or guest articles on sustainable viticulture
topics; a profile of an LWWC grower who is implementing sustainable farming
practices; timely viticultural advice from Paul Verdegaal, the University of
California viticulture farm advisor; IPM tips for vineyard pest management; and
a calendar of upcoming events.
Field
Implementation:
The core of the field
implementation program component is 40 LWWC growers and the 15 PCAs. A PCA is
someone who monitors growers' vineyards for pests and advises them on their
pest management strategies. Participating growers have designated one or more
of their vineyards as a demonstration vineyard where specific sustainable
viticultural practices are being implemented. There are 60 vineyards, totaling
2370 acres, in the field implementation program. All the activities in these
vineyards are recorded in a computer database so that we can track the effects
of these sustainable practices on winegrape growing and vineyard inputs such as
water, fertilizer and pesticides. The goal is to optimize the use of these
inputs. Experience in these vineyards encourages other LWWC growers and PCAs to
adopt sustainable practices in their vineyards. These vineyards also make great
locations for LWWC field days.
Area-wide
Implementation:
The goal of this part of
LWWC's sustainable viticulture program is to have every district grower
actively implementing sustainable farming practices in their vineyards. The
Lodi Winegrower's Workbook: A self-assessment of integrated farming practices
was written to accomplish this goal. The workbook helps a grower to do the
following: Identify the sustainable practices they are using in their
vineyards; Identify areas of concern on their farms pertaining to
sustainability and/or quality winegrape-growing; Develop an action plan and a
timetable to carry out this action plan to deal with the identified areas or
concern; Provides the grower with hands-on winegrape growing
information.
The workbook program is being
implemented by having workbook workshops at growers' houses throughout the
district. A grower invites 5 to 10 of their neighbors over to their house where
LWWC staff join them and provide each of them with a copy of the workbook. They
are instructed how to use the workbook and then they do a self-assessment on
one of their vineyards.
For a more detailed
description of the Lodi Winegrower's Workbook
click
here. |
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