California Winegrapes: Regional Initiatives in Biologically Integrated Viticulture Systems in the 1990s

Janet C. Broome

Co-author: Kris O'Conner, Central Coast Vineyard Team

California produces 90% of the grapes grown in the United States and 7.7 % of grapes grown in the world. It supplies 81% of the nation’s crushed grape production and produces 52% of the grape concentrate. Estimated bearing grape acreage in California in 1998 was 691,664 acres, of which 342,547 (49.5 %) were wine grapes. Organic acreage accounts for about 1.5% of the total grape acreage, and is increasing. Grapes (wine, table and raisin) are California’s number two-ranked commodity in dollar value, following dairy production. In 1997, wine grapes ranked third among California exports and were valued at $374,900,000, having increased 79% from 1995 to 1997. In 1998, California’s wine grape crush was 3,200,000 tons, valued at about $1.6 billion.

Due to the importance of wine grapes to California, the industry and the university has invested heavily in grape production and pest management research and extension. In the early1980s numerous publications summarized the results of earlier research on California grape production and integrated pest management. However, in the early to mid 1990s several regional efforts were started to utilize the university generated, but also and of equal importance, grower experiential knowledge of Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS) in grapes. These projects’ goals have been to increase adoption of alternative whole farming systems that are sound viticulturally and reduce reliance on agricultural chemicals that have been found to cause environmental or human health problems in California. These projects expand integrated pest management to biologically integrated farming where the key biological component is soil health and the interactions of soil, pest, beneficial organisms, and the surrounding landscape. Unique to these efforts is the central role of growers. Many of the projects involve mentor growers (and organic growers have often served in this role) with on-farm demonstration acreage (lighthouse farms) of an alternative biologically based set of farming practices, which is compared to a conventional system.

The Central Coast Vineyard Team was founded in 1995 and funded through the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). The Central Coast Vineyard Team (CCVT) is a tri-county (Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara Counties) grower group whose mission is to promote sustainable vineyard practices on the central coast, to increase environmental quality, and reduce human health risks. CCVT members own or manage over 30,000 acres of Central Coast wine grapes. Team members developed the system based on their own experience as successful vineyard managers with technical input from University of California. The PPS is a 1,000-point assessment system to educate growers as well as evaluate adoption of sustainable farming practices for an individual block, farm and/or region. The PPS, through a series of questions, outlines a model vineyard that integrates soil, water, pest, and viticulture practices along with wine quality and continuing education; the highest points are given to practices that protect human health and the environment. The combination of a sustainable viticulture educational and assessment tool provides Central Coast grape growers the opportunity to develop a credible and transparent eco-labeling program.

Through DPR funding as well as extensive grower and winery matching support, CCVT developed the PPS and then completed 98 evaluations over three seasons from 1996 to 1998. These evaluations were done with 47 different growers and 60 different blocks that they farm. Total acreage evaluated exceeded 10,500 acres (18.5% of the published acreage in the 3 counties). Average total scores increased from 750 to 817 from 1996 – 1998. Average scores for water management and wine quality remained constant; however, average scores for pest, soil, viticulture, and continuing education increased. Increases in scores may be due to the increased educational activities of the team as well as growers learning more about the practices through using the PPS. Future research efforts will include a comprehensive evaluation of the pesticide use for the tri-county region, comparing PPS scores and pesticide use over time by enrolled growers compared to county averages.

Janet C. Broome, Associate Director
Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program
University of California
One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA 95616
Tel: (530) 754-8547
jcbroome@ucdavis.edu

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