Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group
About NSWG
Mission Statement
To identify and promote winegrowing practices that are economically viable, socially responsible, and environmentally sound.
The Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group promotes viticultural land stewardship through educational outreach to:
- optimize ecological stability and winegrape productivity and quality by understanding and emulating natural processes such as biodiversity, carbon and nutrient cycling, and plant-soil interactions.
- reduce pesticide inputs through cultural practices, biological control, and use of alternative materials.
- promote soil health through erosion control, reduced tillage, soil analysis, and the amendment of soils with cover crops and compost.
- enhance returns on investment by promoting the value-added nature of sustainable winegrapes along with terroir and increased vineyard longevity.
Awards, Projects, Funding
In 2004, NSWG was awarded the "Integrated Pest Management Innovator Award" from the California Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-Department of Pesticide Regulation.
In 2002, NSWG published the book Vineyards in the Watershed: Sustainable Winegrowing in Napa County, by Juliane Poirier Locke. The book is written for the farming and non-farming community and describes sustainable farming practices used by local farmers in Napa County. The book's goal is to increase public awareness, instill respect for farmers who are trying to do the right thing and trigger curiosity in farmers to venture into new areas of sustainability. Vineyards in the Watershed-Sustainable Winegrowing in Napa County presents case studies of local growers who are attempting to grow grapes in an economically feasible, socially responsible, and environmentally sound way. Since publication, the book has been distributed as far as England and Australia.
From 1998 through 2001, NSWG's primary funding source was the USDA-NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Between 2002 and 2007, NSWG's primary funding came from their annual fundraiser "Celebrate Sustainability". Currently, funding is provided by member contributions. All funds raised are directly returned to the community by educating local Spanish and English speaking grapegrowers on sustainable farming practices through the means of workshops and educational materials.
In 1997, NSWG published the "Integrated Pest Management Field Handbook for Napa County".This handbook was funded by a grant from the California Environmental Protection Agency's Department of Pesticide Regulation.
History
NSWG was founded in October 1995, to identify and promote integrated pest management practices in Napa County, California. The group is comprised of members representing Napa winegrape growers, vintners, and local government and educational organizations.
The Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group represents over 23,000 acres of farmed vineyard land and over 45,000 acres of un-farmed/wild land as of June 2008.
NSWG is committed to be non-biased and non-political. Members participate in monthly meetings and in community outreach programs, such as workshops, NSWG's annual fundraisers, or other local events. All publications of the Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group are exclusively educational. With the understanding that each property and its challenges are site specific, the group does not suggest specific measures of controlling certain problems. Instead, workshops are designed to offer a wide variety of ideas and measures, allowing the grower to pick the best solution for his or her situation.
Some NSWG members were also involved in the creation and implementation of a local watershed wide program, called the Fish Friendly Farming for Napa County. This program has established voluntary environmentally friendly watershed management guidelines for local grapegrowers to allow businesses to market their product as a sustainable product.
The Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group continues its mission to educate the local farming and non-farming community on sustainable farming practices and good watershed management as long as funding sources will make it possible.
