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Hello Napa Green Community,
How is it already June, and when will summer weather arrive? I know it was a busy spring for all of us. We’re grateful to everyone who joined us for the RISE Climate & Wine Symposium in April. We had roughly 750 guests across the six events, with dozens of commitments to action, including leveraging our Irrigation Assessment services, working with NapaChar and the Clean Burn Company on climate smart burns to make biochar, exploring the use of Blue Morph UV tank sanitation, using kegs in the tasting room, lightening glass bottles, working with Conscious Container on closed loop glass reuse, joining Napa Green, and more.
Our team is here to support you in taking action. We want to keep the momentum going, so please reach out if we can provide support, and we’d love to hear about any successes. You can see the culminating RISE Press Release here.
On that note, for any of you transitioning to the Napa Green Vineyard certification, now is the time to reach out to Ben and Sierra if you need to schedule an Irrigation Distribution Uniformity Assessment. They will share a follow-up report with recommendations to improve the efficiency of irrigation to maximize vine health and grape quality.
Here is a favorite photo from a much-needed vacation back in Croatia. I drank my share of Malvasia, Teran and Plavac Mali while there.
Živjeli!
-Anna
Did you want to revisit one of the inspiring talks during RISE? Want to share the content with others in the industry? Or did you have to miss an event or two? Not to worry – all of the recordings and PowerPoint presentations have been posted. To access the slides look for the “Download Presentations” option at the top of each event page.
The Napa Green nonprofit and our RISE Symposium are dedicated to providing the support and resources to take action and level up sustainability and climate action leadership in the wine industry. Plans for our next RISE Symposium will be announced soon.
It has been two years since Napa Green launched the new, cutting-edge Napa Green Vineyard certification focused on social justice, regenerative carbon farming, and climate action. We are now working on our first standards update, editing some of the language for clarity, adding resources, and augmenting some of the standards. As a part of this update Napa Green has been working with our Pesticide Working Group and Board of Directors to consider important updates to our Prohibited & Restricted Pesticides list.
As we consider these updates, we are asking our members to please respond to this Roundup and Herbicide survey by June 16th. The survey should take a MAX of 10 minutes. https://forms.gle/
July 10, 17 & 24 – Do The Work series with Dr. Akilah Cadet: This series of workshops is specifically for leaders working on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging initiatives in the wine industry, who want to do the work of becoming accomplices and learn how to integrate anti-racism work into every aspect of their personal and professional lives. https://www.
August 23 & 24 – Acres Healthy Soils Summit in Seaside: Includes optional half-day farm tour to Paicines Ranch and Pinnacle Organically Grown Produce. https://www.acresusa.com/
Zero Foodprint has reopened their Restore Grants to fund farming practices that enhance soil carbon sequestration (e.g., compost, cover crops, hedgerows). Several of our grower members received small grants ($2-6,000) last year. Ben Mackie, our Vineyard Program Manager, can serve as your Technical Service Provider (TSP). There is an info session this Thursday, June 15th. Applications due July 20th. https://www.
Compost Connecter: Growers can apply for a compost reimbursement from approved facilities. You must have official approval from Zero Foodprint before your compost order. Rolling applications. https://www.
Napa Green partnered with three champion members to host a series of wine benefit dinners in April that raised a pool of matching funds for industry sustainability and climate action projects. We will be sharing qualifying projects and opening a call for applications in Sept/Oct. A total of $60,000 will be distributed to growers and vintners that show the greatest financial need and opportunity for change and impact. Rolling applications begin October 2023.
CDFA HSP & SWEEP: The California Department of Food & Agriculture is piloting a block grant program for the Healthy Soils and State Water Efficiency & Enhancement Program funding. This means that regional government agencies and ag nonprofits can apply for a lump sum of funds, and these organizations will then process farmer applications and administer funds to eligible growers. Napa Green is not applying because, unfortunately, no funding is included for administration. We will keep you updated if another regional organization receives a block grant. CDFA plans to reopen the HSP and SWEEP direct grower applications again this fall. Napa Green staff will be available to assist with applications and implementation.
All winery facilities are required to submit a Winery WDR enrollment application by January 20, 2024. There are potential exceptions in Napa County.
Napa County is still pursuing an MOU with the State and as such the State has granted the County the ability to provide a 3-year extension for SOME of the winery facilities in Napa County. The criteria for the County approving the extension request are:
Applications for continuation under Napa County’s Winery Waste Discharge Program must be submitted by August 1, 2023. Learn more and submit your application for continuation here.
Napa Green is grateful to our sponsors, who help fund our expanding operations and programs. If you are interested in becoming a Napa Green Sponsor please reach out to Napa Green Executive Director, Anna Brittain.
