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When discussing reduced herbicide use or organic farming, a common argument made is that more tractor passes are required, which increases emissions and the carbon footprint of vineyard operations. However, that no longer has to be the case as electric tractors are entering the market that are competitive with, or even outcompete, conventional tractors. The 100% electric Monarch Tractor has been developed here in our backyard, and the development team includes Napa Valley Vintner and Monarch Co-Founder and Chief Farming Officer, Carlo Mondavi.
A Monarch Tractor in operation for 1,000 hours a year will prevent 53 tons of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere annually, when compared to a diesel tractor. Monarch also includes a digital plugin that can share your real-time emissions offsets on your website or in your tasting room.
The Monarch Tractor can be driven by an operator, just like a conventional tractor, or drive itself autonomously, freeing up workers for other tasks. There are two power options – 2WD and 4WD – with 10+ hours of operational run time. Monarch Tractor is currently conducting pilots in vineyards to determine how long the tractors can run with different attachments and on varying slopes. Each tractor is programmed for owner properties and actively “learns” as it operates in the vineyard. For safety when running autonomously, the tractor senses workers and stops until they are no longer in the path.
I expected some skepticism from our vineyard team, but they actually walked away very impressed. It could be especially valuable for mechanical weed control, a practice we’re relying upon more and more.
The cost of the Monarch Tractor is no obstacle, either. The Carl Moyer program provides incentives to trade out conventional tractors for electric models, and depending on the type of tractor you are trading out, can cover anywhere from 50-85% of the cost of a Monarch Tractor. Better yet, the Monarch Tractor team has dedicated members to help do the paperwork for you. With or without subsidy support you will see annual operational and emissions savings; you can find your estimated saving with their online savings calculator.
The 2WD Monarch Tractor is $50,000 and the 4WD is $60,000. The battery, which can be swapped by one person in under ten minutes, is charged using standard car charger plugs (J1772). Make your deposit now as there is already a waiting list until spring/summer 2022.
Down to Earth Month: Social Equity | Pine Ridge Vineyards, Hyde Vineyards and Charles Krug Winery are not only environmentally sustainable but socially sustainable as well.
Down to Earth Month: Climate Action and Electric Tractors | The 100% electric Monarch Tractor has been developed here in our backyard and vineyards are exploring how to be more energy efficient using new technologies.
Down to Earth Month: Going Green Energy & Incentives for EV Chargers | Energy efficiency is a core priority for Napa Green Members, Opus One Winery and Rutherford Hill Winery.
Down to Earth Month: Green Team Sustainability Leadership at Stagʹs Leap Wine Cellars | This Green Team has members across multiple departments to ensure that sustainability is integrated into day-to-day operations.
I've been at this for 30 years and this is the best, most well-thought-out program I've ever seen.
🌿 Did you know that less than 3% of philanthropic donations go to environmental work?
Please consider donating to Napa Green this giving season with one of several ways at any level!
Head to the link in our bio for details!
With gratitude and joy, we wish you a beautiful day & start to the holiday season from all of us at Team Green!
- Ben, Meghan, Anna, Marissa, Sierra & Megan
‘If not here, where? If not now, when?’
“The onus is on us as a world class wine growing region to be leaders in sustainability & climate action.”
- Executive Director of Napa Green, Anna Brittain
It’s been a big week at Napa Green and we want to take a moment to raise a glass to salute you all.
We are overjoyed to see so much support and invigorated interest in our mission towards sustainable practices and regenerative agriculture in the wine industry.
We have many more details, paired with educational & financial resources that are already up and rolling on our website. We will continue to share them all, one by one and in great detail here on socials as well.
For now please plan on joining us at our upcoming Town Hall meeting on Dec 7th at @stsupery. You can find more details at napagreen.org.
Cheers and Happy Friday Napa Valley. We are so proud to be a part of this amazing community!
⚠️ Important Announcement
Napa Green becomes the first sustainable wine growing certification to require the phaseout of Round Up.
Please find the link in our bio for the full press release and full suite of info & grower resources.
Join us on December 7th for our Napa Green Town Hall at @stsupery.
You’re invited to join us for a very special day at @dominusestatewinery on November 30th.
We’ll be briefly interviewing our speaker @nikki_silvestri right here on Instagram today at 2:00pm PST to hear more about what to expect at this event. See you then.
Curious to learn more? Join us at @dominusestatewinery on November 30th for a rare event and luncheon. Link in bio for details.
GREEN is the new black this season!!
Head to the link in our bio now and get your shirts, help a good cause and be an honorary part of Team Green this season! 💚
Let’s hear it for our Executive Director of Napa Green, the incomparable Anna Brittain for being named a 2023 Wine Industry Leader by @winebusinessmonthly!!
In their Sustainability Stewards section (which we love to see) we find Anna named in good company with inspired fellow leaders!
Head to our stories or the link in our bio for free access to the full November issue.
Cheers to the great work of our visionary Director Anna Brittain!!
Join us for the Soil & Shadow Implicit Bias Training on Thursday, November 30th at Dominus Estate with @nikki_silvestri.
‘Exploring what Regenerative Farming Systems can teach us about Regenerative Social Systems.’
This is a rarely-available, full-day leadership opportunity. For anyone who joined us for our 2022 & 2023 THRIVES/RISE Climate & Wine Symposiums and heard Nikki Silvestri speak our guess is that for you, like us, 60-minutes wasn’t enough.
Soil and Shadow works with C-Suite executives, leaders and teams to build the relational and professional development skills for high performance, diversity, equity and inclusion.
One of the elements that makes the Soil and Shadow expertise so relevant and valuable for Napa Green leaders is that their frameworks use living systems to model healthy social systems.
Napa Green will be covering half the cost of the tickets to this event. Register asap at the link in our bio.
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📸: Laine Kuehn
Congratulations to Napa Green Certified @boeschenvineyards on being featured in @pressdemo as a first to offer hazard pay and disaster insurance to seasonal agricultural workers! Read on for more and find the link in our bio to the full story..
“To Boeschen, committing to this small safety net in times of emergency isn’t just the right thing to do. It’s the way labor relations are headed in the wine business.
When vineyard crews showed up for this year’s harvest at Boeschen Vineyards, a small winery that operates largely out of a cave dug into a pretty hillside off Silverado Trail just north of St. Helena, they were asked to listen to a three-minute presentation.
Doug Boeschen, the business’ owner, informed these seasonal agricultural workers, among the most economically vulnerable in the North Bay, that the winery was now offering them a combination of hazard pay and disaster insurance.
Boeschen will provide an option to its workers — including the seasonal labor that pours into the region’s renowned vineyards for just a few days or weeks at a time. If the Air Quality Index climbs above 150, Boeschen’s workers will be able to choose between receiving time-and-a-half to remain on the job, or to take paid time off.
Boeschen will also pay its laborers if they are forced to leave a worksite under an evacuation order.”
This article also features other notable efforts on behalf of larger companies and regions working towards the same end. We highly recommend you read the full article!
Sierra is our Soil & Climate Specialist at Napa Green and her ask this year is that everyone consider donating to our small but mighty Team Green for Giving Season!
Here is more from @regenwithsierra:
“🎃 Happy Halloween Eve everyone! Today is my birthday, and I would be beyond thrilled if you would consider a donation to @napagreen to support a nonprofit focused on climate action in the wine industry 🍷🍾
@napagreen has the leading set of standards for sustainable practices, from soil to bottle. I am most proud of the work we do with winegrape growers to adopt regenerative agricultural practices in their vineyards.
Please consider supporting us in our mission! Click the link in bio for more! “
Thank you for having us @visitnapavalley! We had a great time talking to visitors about the many sustainability practices our Napa Green wineries and vineyards employ!
Stop into the Visit Napa Valley Visitor Center in Napa to learn more!
