Quarterly Update from Beth Vukmanic | September

In the 14 years I have worked with Vineyard Team, growers’ constant drive to improve and innovate has always impressed me. In this year’s Tailgates, our community gathered in vineyards across the Central Coast to discuss their experience with mechanization, neighborhood Vine Mealybug management, and how to make compost without manure.

2023 Tailgate Meetings educated 382 growers across 5 counties.

Whether you need Continuing Education hours or want to grow your knowledge base, you have access to many more learning opportunities through the end of the year including Sustainable Winegrowing On-Demand, the Sustainable Ag Expo, and the Sustainable Winegrowing Podcast.

Our programs from Tailgates to SIP Certified, Sustainable Ag Expo to the Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship, are driven by Members like you, our Board of Directors, and our committees. The culture of sharing and the desire to learn make our community unique.

Thank you for promoting sustainable winegrowing with us.

Pop Quiz What is the name of the self-assessment SIP Certified evolved from? SIP Lite Positive Points System (PPS) The Elder Sustainable Evaluation

Pop Quiz

What is the name of the self-assessment SIP Certified evolved from?

SIP Lite
Positive Points System (PPS)
The Elder Sustainable Evaluation

Sustainable Winegrowing On-Demand | Western SARE

5 of 30 online courses on sustainable winegrowing are live! Sign up to learn about Soil Regeneration, Irrigation System Maintenance, Regenerative Agriculture, VitisGen2, and much more.

Did we mention it's FREE? Thanks to Western SARE.

Sustainable Ag Expo

We’re bringing you the world's top researchers and growers so you can earn continuing education hours and improve your business all while connecting with peers and agriculture companies.

Enjoy the perfect blend of in-person and online learning at the two-day seminar and 10+ hours of online education.

November 14-15, 2023 | In-Person - San Luis Obispo, CA
October 16 - November 30, 2023 | Online Courses

The Unexpected Role of Student & Caretaker

When tragedy struck, Blanca Flor didn’t hesitate to step up and become the caretaker that her family was losing.

Her mother was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer when Blanca was only 15. With their father working in the US and the family in Mexico, Blanca dropped out of school to care for her five younger siblings and ailing mother.

Today she is determined to become a cardiologist so that she can help members of her community who face similar hardships. She plans to complete her general education at Cuesta College before transferring to San Diego State University.

Blanca is one of 18 students selected to receive a Vineyard Team Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship this year. Thanks to generous donors, this year the program invested $58,000 in the children of California’s vineyard and winery workers so they can achieve a higher education.

Give a gift today to make a life-changing impact on a student like Blanca.

Mentor’s Message

“Several students have already taken advantage of their Fall check-in. During these conversations, I help the student with their biggest challenge. This has included transitioning from high school to college, preparing for the first week of class, reviewing the college budget, double-checking the financial aid checklist, setting up a LinkedIn profile, and updating a resume.”

Alex, Gonzalez | Scholarship Administrator

Struggling to Tell Your Sustainable Story?

If your brand has made the incredible achievement of attaining SIP Certified but you're not sure your staff knows exactly what that means, let alone how to communicate it with customers, we have the solution.

The 30-minute Sustainable Story online course helps your team learn what sustainability really looks like in the wine industry, identify 7 specific ways YOUR brand protects the people and the planet, and feel empowered to share their new knowledge in customer communications.

What's Up Next

The best ideas come from you! Take this 5-minute survey to share what you would like more of.

Look for a brand new kick-off event at the Sustainable Ag Expo.
More on-demand Sustainable Winegrowing courses (with DPR hours!).
December 6, 2024 Tailgate | Prepare for 2024: CA Department of Pesticide Regulation Changes & Bulk Wine Trends.
The Team (Beth, Hayli, and Whitney) with the support of our Board and committees are already planning the next round of incredible programming for 2024.

Sincerely,

Beth Vukmanic | Executive Director

P.S. The Pop Quiz answer is B: Positive Points System (PPS). Vineyard Team wrote the first self-assessment for sustainable winegrowing in 1996. The idea was to create a checklist of science-based practices addressing the whole business from habitat preservation to social equity, soil health to water conservation. Thousands of growers completed the award-winning PPS to evaluate their current practices and inspire new ones. Over the years, Vineyard Team found that this process of self-evaluation led to growers improving their framing practices. The PPS was the foundation for SIP Certified, a rigorous program for sustainable vineyard farming and winemaking. Want to know how your practices stack up? Take the self-assessment today.

P.S. The Pop Quiz answer is B: Positive Points System (PPS).

Vineyard Team wrote the first self-assessment for sustainable winegrowing in 1996. The idea was to create a checklist of science-based practices addressing the whole business from habitat preservation to social equity, soil health to water conservation. Thousands of growers completed the award-winning PPS to evaluate their current practices and inspire new ones. Over the years, Vineyard Team found that this process of self-evaluation led to growers improving their framing practices.

The PPS was the foundation for SIP Certified, a rigorous program for sustainable vineyard farming and winemaking. Want to know how your practices stack up? Take the self-assessment today.

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