The Vinebalance Sustainable Viticulture Grower Self-assessment Workbook was published last year both in both print and online (www.vinebalance.org) versions and has been distributed to 42 Finger Lakes grape growers so far.
Of the 38 growers who have completed the workbook, 14 have completed action plans for making improvements to their practices. The 14 action plans contain a total of 345 specific management practices that growers will improve upon. These practices are include soil management (56 practices modified), nutrient management (61 practices), vineyard management (54 practices), weed management (35 practices), pest management (47 practices), and pesticide storage and handling (76 practices).
Four of the 14 growers who have completed action plans will be receiving cost-sharing from county soil and water agencies: three for mulching and one for a new pesticide mixing and loading facility. Two others are currently investigating cost-sharing opportunities. The process to actually receive funds from cooperative agencies is often a long one, so the ultimate number of successful cost-sharing collaborations won’t be known for some time.
impact statement issue
Over the past three years, extension educators, grape industry members, and other governmental-agency staff have worked together to create a sustainable viticulture program for New York grape growers. Its central product is a self-assessment workbook growers can use to evaluate their current vineyard practices and develop action plans to upgrade particular areas, the better to correspond with identified best-management practices. Because this is a new program and tool for New York grape growers, the group needed to provide outreach and guidance to growers on how to properly use the self-assessment workbook and develop action plans to address areas for improvement. So doing means growers might qualify for potential cost-sharing opportunities with their Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offices.
impact statement response
Jamie Hawk is the sustainable viticulture educator for the Finger Lakes Grape Program and is primarily responsible for working with growers on their self-assessments. To date, he has met with 38 growers in the region to help them complete the self-assessment workbook. Growers who have completed this assessment represent a wide range of varieties, markets, and experience as farmers. Once this part of the process is finished, county Soil and Water Conservation District agents are invited to participate in developing an action plan to facilitate potential cost-shared farm improvements for the growers.
In addition to helping growers through the workbook, we are tracking (anonymously) growers’ responses to get a broader picture of where the Finger Lakes grape industry (and growers in other grape-growing regions of New York) currently stands with respect to using these best-management issues that might need broader-scale extension programming and research.
impact statement summary
The Finger Lakes Grape Program has helped 38 growers managing 2,706 acres to evaluate and change their vineyard practices using the VineBalance Sustainable Viticulture Grower Self-assessment Workbook, which guides growers in the evaluation and adoption of best-management practices to reduce economic risks, minimize environmental impacts, and ensure the health and safety of their workers and communities.
