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The vineyards at Spottswoode Winery in Napa in 2016. The winery is among a handful of growers that has phased out its use of synthetic herbicides. Gabrielle Lurie/Special to The Chronicle
Roundup products for sale at a hardware store in San Rafael. A Napa nonprofit that ceritfies sustainable wineries hopes to phase out the controversial weed killer. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images
A first-of-its-kind winegrower sustainability certification program in Napa Valley is changing its rules to require that vineyards eliminate the use of synthetic herbicides.
Napa Green, a nonprofit established in 2004, announced Tuesday it will require members to phase out their use of Monsanto-made weed killer Roundup by 2026, and all other synthetic herbicides by 2028. The program currently has around 90 participating wineries.
“It’s not enough to just ban Roundup, or glyphosate, because alternatives exist,” said Anne Brittain, Napa Green’s executive director.
The move makes Napa Green the first of about 20 sustainable winegrowing certification programs worldwide to phase out synthetic herbicides. It also represents a change in position for Napa Green. Last year, Brittain told the San Francisco Chronicle that she feared banning Roundup would alienate growers.
Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, has been linked to cancers such as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma with repeat exposure. Because the potent herbicide can be bought at hardware stores for people to use on pesky weeds in their backyards and home gardens, its use isn’t limited to massive agricultural settings.
Still, earlier this month, a federal appeals court ruled that California could not place a Proposition 65 cancer warning label on Roundup. That was because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a state health agency have both concluded that glyphosate is not carcinogenic (although an arm of the World Health Organization previously found that the substance was a probable cause of cancer).
A 2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found 80% of adults and 87% of children in its sample had traces of glyphosate in their urine, demonstrating how ubiquitous the product’s main active ingredient can be. In wine production, migrant workers and people of color, who largely work as field laborers, are the most commonly exposed to these herbicides .
“Not only does glyphosate get into the water system, but it destroys the biological activity in the soil and in our environment,” said Phil Coturri, whose company, Enterprise Vineyards, manages grape-growing properties in Napa and Sonoma counties. Coturri has been farming without herbicide for over 40 years, instead making use of cultivation tools like tractors, tillers and herds of hungry sheep, among other tactics.
The move makes Napa Green the first of about 20 sustainable winegrowing certification programs worldwide to phase out synthetic herbicides. It also represents a change in position for Napa Green. Last year, Brittain told the San Francisco Chronicle that she feared banning Roundup would alienate growers.
Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, has been linked to cancers such as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma with repeat exposure. Because the potent herbicide can be bought at hardware stores for people to use on pesky weeds in their backyards and home gardens, its use isn’t limited to massive agricultural settings.
Still, earlier this month, a federal appeals court ruled that California could not place a Proposition 65 cancer warning label on Roundup. That was because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a state health agency have both concluded that glyphosate is not carcinogenic (although an arm of the World Health Organization previously found that the substance was a probable cause of cancer).
A 2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found 80% of adults and 87% of children in its sample had traces of glyphosate in their urine, demonstrating how ubiquitous the product’s main active ingredient can be. In wine production, migrant workers and people of color, who largely work as field laborers, are the most commonly exposed to these herbicides .
“Not only does glyphosate get into the water system, but it destroys the biological activity in the soil and in our environment,” said Phil Coturri, whose company, Enterprise Vineyards, manages grape-growing properties in Napa and Sonoma counties. Coturri has been farming without herbicide for over 40 years, instead making use of cultivation tools like tractors, tillers and herds of hungry sheep, among other tactics.
Making the commitment to third party certification takes time and effort, but it is worth it to demonstrate our commitment to the community and to protect our watershed, our land and the air we breathe.
Social Justice, Equity & Inclusion. Perhaps our most important pillar of our six pillars of sustainability leadership.
Thank you for the beautiful description @growresiliently!
Register now at the link in our profile! 💦
May 23, 2024
Silver Oak Winery, Oakville
9:00 am - 12:15 pm
One of the most critical agricultural concerns with our changing climate, and more frequent & intense weather extremes, is precipitation and water availability. The good news is opportunities abound to optimize irrigation efficiency, and implement regenerative practices that improve soil health, water infiltration, and retention.
Join us for The Future of Water, with highlights including a keynote from Peter Gleick, one of the world’s leading water experts, and Mimi Casteel, not only a viticulturist and winemaker, but also a forest ecologist with a vision for water resiliency.
Join us for The Future of Water Workshop, to explore our water future, with highlights including a keynote from Peter Gleick, one of the world’s leading water experts (all guests will receive a copy of Peter’s most recent book, The Three Ages of Water) and Mimi Casteel, not only a viticulturist and winemaker, but also a forest ecologist with a vision for water resiliency.
Wine grape quality is closely tied to the right amount of water, at the right time. One of the most critical agricultural concerns with our changing climate, and more frequent & intense weather extremes, is precipitation and water availability. We’ve swung from historic drought to atmospheric rivers. Our community has huge swaths of unmanaged, unhealthy forests full of non-natives and overrun by firs, amplifying fire risk and undermining one of the most critical systems for groundwater recharge.
The good news is opportunities abound to optimize irrigation efficiency, and implement regenerative practices that improve soil health, water infiltration, and retention. A watershed coalition has also formed in Napa County to pilot and model creek & forest restoration for localized water resiliency and climate cooling.
Come learn more on Thursday, May 23rd at 9:00am at @silveroakcellars.
Sustainably sourced ingredients with Chef Sarah Heller 🌱 Purchase your tax deductible ticket to our Opus One x Napa Green dinner at the link in our profile!
As we wrap up an amazing Earth Month, we want to thank you all for the support & for coming to see us at our events!
Let’s keep the momentum going and remember that Earth Day is Every Day! 🌎
Hear from @marisataylorwines about the importance of water efficiency & savings and what we can all do to conserve this precious resource.
Join us for a not to be missed dinner experience at @opusonewinery while supporting philanthropic efforts on behalf of climate action.
An intimate group of 20 guests will be in attendance on the rotunda overlooking the estate vineyards. Chef Sarah Heller will prepare a four-course, locally-sourced dinner paired with Champagne Barons de Rothschild, Opalie de Château Coutet, and three vintages of Opus One wines.
You will have the chance to share transformative conversations and form deep connections with industry leaders and change makers.
Please find full invitation details at the link in our profile.
Happy Earth Day Napa Valley! It’s an incredible joy to work with you all and see the forward progress being made all over this gorgeous place we call home. Thank you for caring, thank you for stepping up and thank you for making a difference!! 🌎💚
Thanks to everyone who came out to @earthdaynapa and visited us at the @napagreen wine booth!
Cheers to @amici_cellars @cakebreadcellars @domainecarneros @handwrittenwines @robertmondavi and @whiterockvineyards for donating the certified sustainable wines to raise money for the Environmental Education Coalition of Napa County and helping make it a great event!
We’re pouring some stellar Napa Green wines tomorrow at @earthdaynapa to include:
@cakebreadcellars, @domainecarneros, @whiterockvineyards, @handwrittenwines, @amici_cellars & @robertmondavi!
Come by the booth! 🍷🌎
What you can do in the vineyard & what you can do at home! 🌼🦋
#happyearthday #earthmonth #sustainability #biodiversity #pollinators #herbicidefree #napa #napavalley #cheers
Come get involved this Earth Month! 🌎🌱
🌷 Earth Day Napa - Saturday, April 20th 11am -4pm at Oxbow Commons
🌷All Things Bottle Sustainability Workshop - Friday, April 26th at @pineridgewine from 9am -12:30pm. Registration is $20
🌷 All Things Bottle Sustainability Dinner! Friday, April 26th at @neotempowines with Karen MacNeil & Chef Dave Cruz!
Message us directly or head to the link in our bio for info!
Exciting news from @amici_cellars!
In celebration of Earth Month, from now through May 11, use code NAPAGREEN for 10% off your wine purchase. Even better? We’ll donate 20% of each sale to @napagreen and their sustainable initiatives.
We are proud to be Napa Green-certified, joining their mission for environmental stewardship. Stay tuned this week to learn more about our certification and about how Napa Green is pioneering a greener future in our valley.
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#amicicellars #NapaGreen #Sustainability #WineLovers #napawine #makeyourdollarscount #deliciouswine #cabernet #winecollector
Economic benefits & ROI of workshops: In a time of changing consumer trends, we want you think of us as extended members of your team. We are here to help share information of ways to not only increase your sustainability but also share with you how these things bring with them ROI, decrease in cost, consumer approval & many other economic benefits.
Join us at our All Things Bottle Sustainability Workshop to hear from our panel of experts. Registration is $20 and the link can be found in our profile. Cheers!
