CAWG PAC fundraiser, Goehring Vineyards, Inc., Lodi
July 17
CAWG PAC Golf Tournament, Napa
July 17
CAWG Awards of Excellence Program and Dinner, Napa
July 18
CAWG Summer Conference, Napa
July 19
CAWG Board of Directors meeting, Napa
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We celebrate wine every day, but today is officially
National
Wine Day! We appreciate all of our growers and wineries that produce high-quality grapes and wines for consumers to enjoy around the globe. How are you planning to celebrate?
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CAWG Foundation Awards $30,000 in Student Scholarships
The California Association of Winegrape Growers Foundation has awarded 10 students $30,000 in college scholarships. The scholarships are awarded annually to students whose parent or legal guardian is employed by a California winegrape grower. The foundation is honored to provide scholarships to these incredibly deserving and talented students to help them achieve their dreams of a college education.
Thank you to CAWG members and the California wine community for your generous donations to CAWG Foundation scholarship funds. A press release will be issued next week with details about the 10 recipients.
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Trump Releases Final Budget Proposal
The Trump administration on Tuesday unveiled its
proposed budget, which is viewed as more of a political document than a serious proposal on funding priorities. The budget and proposed spending priorities prompted bipartisan protests from Capitol Hill, with claims that it was "dead on arrival." The budget would zero out funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and the Market Access Program, both of which disproportionately benefit California agriculture. This year, USDA granted $6.7 million to Wine Institute under the Market Access Program to promote wine exports. The budget would also impose new limitations on crop insurance, a program widely utilized by California grape growers. Some USDA programs may be trimmed as a result of the president's priorities, but the wholesale budget cuts proposed are highly unlikely to accepted by Congress.
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Ways and Means Holds Hearing on Border Adjustment Tax
The House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday held a hearing on tax policy, specifically the border adjustment tax (BAT). In the February issue of The Crush, CAWG's D.C. lobbying team explained, "
The border adjustment proposal, similar to value-added taxes used in many European countries, would change the tax structure for businesses paying corporate and non-corporate taxes. The border adjustment would apply to all domestic consumption of goods and services, excluding goods and services produced domestically and consumed elsewhere. The tax is based on where the goods end up (destination), rather than where it was produced (origin)."
Among those testifying at the hearing was Juan Luciano, chairman and CEO of Archer Daniels Midland Co. He said, "This proposal
offers the chance to give American farmers, American workers and American agriculture the chance to compete fully and to continue providing American products to customers around the globe."
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House Approves Bill to Reduce EPA Regulations on Pesticides
The House on Wednesday voted largely along party lines - 256 to 165 - to pass the
Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act
(H.R. 953), which
would clarify Congressional intent regarding pesticide regulation in or around waters of the U.S.
The bill now heads to the Senate. Rep. Bob Gibbs' (R-Ohio) bill reverses a 2009 court decision "that required a duplicative and unnecessary National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for pesticides that have already been regulated, tested and approved by the EPA under the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)," stated a Gibbs press release. "The bill removes the requirement for NPDES permitting for pesticides already approved by EPA for use under FIFRA, reducing bureaucratic burdens on farmers, ranchers and local pest control agencies."
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Washington Congresswoman Introduces Resolution for Specialty Crops
Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) recently introduced a bipartisan resolution supporting specialty crops, highlighting their growing and significant role in U.S. agriculture and calling for increased support of specialty crop programs. California Reps. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) and Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) are original cosponsors of the resolution. An excerpt from the resolution: "
Specialty crops deserve their fair share of consideration and funding in agriculture generally, but especially in the annual appropriations process and future farm bills."
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First-Ever Ballpark Vineyard Unveiled at River Cats Stadium in West Sacramento
The Sacramento River Cats and CAWG member Bogle Vineyards, of Clarksburg, have teamed up to install the nation's first-ever vineyard inside a professional sports stadium. The cabernet sauvignon vineyard, planted this month, is expected to begin producing fruit by fall 2019. "We are grateful to the Savage family and the River Cats for allowing us to create a living vineyard that truly exemplifies the Sacramento region's farm-to-fork movement," said Bogle Vineyards President Warren Bogle.
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Article highlighting Nat DiBuduo's presentation at the Vineyard Economics Seminar this week.
North Bay Business Journal, May 24
Lindsay Jordan, UC Cooperative Extension viticulture area advisor for Madera, Merced and Mariposa counties, talks about the importance of good soil health and practices.
Western Farm Press, May 24
New product comes in the form of a sprayable synthetic sex pheromone that disrupts the ability of the insects to mate.
Western Farm Press, May 24
With H-2A visa applications up in recent months, this article looks at the country's history of bracero programs.
ABC10, May 23
A panel discussion and blind tasting kicked off 13th annual ZinFest.
May 23, Lodi Record
Napa Valley Register, May 23
Op ed with five reasons to explain.
Washington Post, May 22
The university has raised nearly $10 million for a new teaching winery, classrooms and labs.
Wines & Vines, May 21
The numbers are out. More and more farmers are turning to foreign "guest workers" to plant and harvest the country's crops.
National Public Radio, May 18
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President Proposes $1.1 Billion for Reclamation in FY 2018
President Donald Trump on Wednesday proposed an $11.7 billion FY 2018 budget for the Department of the Interior. Part of that
includes nearly $1.1 billion in "safe, reliable and efficient management of water resources throughout the Western United States."
The 2018 budget for water and related resources, the Bureau of Reclamation's principal operating account, is $960 million, a decrease of $156.8 million from the 2017 CR baseline level.
Reclamation is the largest supplier and manager of water in the 17 Western states.
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Water Articles and Resources
A new study by researchers from UCLA and the University of Houston reveals significant groundwater loss in California's Central Valley during the recent drought and sparks questions of sustainability for the important agricultural area.
UCLA Newsroom, May 17
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It's Heating Up! Heat Illness Prevention Reminders
With near record temps last week, and hot days ahead, Cal/OSHA is reminding employers about required steps to prevent heat illness. The agency's
heat illness prevention website
provides education, training resources and publications. You can also view a
Cal/OSHA webinar
.
1. Training: Train all employees and supervisors about heat illness prevention.
2. Water: Provide enough fresh water so that each employee can drink at least 1 quart per hour, or four 8 ounce glasses of water per hour, and encourage them to do so.
3. Shade: Provide access to shade and encourage employees to take a cool-down rest in the shade for at least five minutes. They should not wait until they feel sick to cool down.
4. Planning: Develop and implement effective written emergency response procedures for complying with the Cal/OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Standard.
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Air Resources Board Launches Moving California Website
Moving California is a new website created by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) that shows how proceeds from the cap-and-trade program are funding a variety of ultra-clean and zero-emission trucks, buses, cars and low-carbon transportation projects. Moving California also offers tools to find funding and transportation opportunities for individuals and businesses. One of the proposed pilot projects is providing clean transportation vanpools to agricultural workers in the San Joaquin Valley.
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2017 CAWG Summer Conference in Napa
JULY 17-19 /
SILVERADO RESORT AND GOLF COURSE
- CAWG PAC Golf Tournament
- CAWG Awards of Excellence Program
- CAWG Summer Conference (speaker program and annual business meeting)
- CAWG board of directors meeting
REGISTRATION, SPONSORSHIPS AND HOTEL
Details about the conference speakers, registration, sponsorship opportunities and hotel reservations are posted on the
CAWG website.
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2017 Viticultural Research Roadshow
WHEN: June 7 / 1-5 p.m.
WHERE: FEOC Nielsen Conference Center, Fresno
Hosted by: San Joaquin Valley Winegrowers Association, UC Cooperative Extension and CSWA
Presentations will focus on vine trunk disease, mechanized pruning, water recharge, rootstock trials, vine mealybug, UAV spraying, pinot grigio crop load management and cane vs. spur pruning.
CSWA Sustainable Winegrowing Workshop
WHEN: June 16 / 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
WHERE: Robert Mondavi Institute S
ensory Theater, UC Davis
Learn about programs and resources, including CSWA's new economic tools that can be used to assess the costs and benefits of adopting specific practices, including a trunk disease prevention tool and certification cost tool.
Lodi Vineyard & Wine Economics Symposium
WHEN: June 29 / 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE: Wine & Roses Conference Center, Lodi
Program features wine experts and influencers active in shaping the future of the wine business in Lodi and surrounding regions.
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