Grower News and Alerts

By last report from a local grape grower, the Clean Off-Road Equipment (CORE) voucher incentive program still has a few vouchers left for equipment opportunities. This is one program where you do not have to swap out your old equipment to participate. For more information go to: https://www.monarchtractor.com/blog/california-core-subsidy.

Grape Growers are invited to attend Duarte Nursery’s 2023 Clonal Field Days. This is an excellent opportunity to observe, touch and taste the 70 clones and 16 varieties grown at the Duarte Georgetown vineyard. Clonal Field Days begin at 9AM and are guided by experienced field reps who discuss specific grape varieties and clones and their benefits. Attendees are treated to a complimentary lunch and wine tasting featuring wines off the ranch and of some specific clones. RSVPs will be required.

On August 24 of this year, the El Dorado County Department of Agriculture released the results of the 2022 Wine Grape Survey. As of the date and time of this posting, this information had not yet been added to the edcgov.us website. Here’s your sneak preview: https://www.edcgov.us/Government/ag/Documents/2022%20Wine%20Grape%20Sur…

Funds to replace old agricultural equipment and vehicles are available starting August 1, for 15 of California’s air districts. Replacement with cleaner equipment helps reduce emissions of harmful diesel exhaust and greenhouse gases and improves local air quality. Applications for the Shared Allocation Pool will be accepted August 1 – August 31. For the Application and Shared Allocation Reporting Tool, go to: https://farmer-admin.my.site.com/s/ To be eligible, vehicles and equipment must be engaged in agricultural operations.

Our local UCCE Food Systems Advisor, Hardeep Singh, is requesting grape grower and farmer input through a needs assessment survey to help document the needs of growers in the Central Sierra Foothill region for the purpose of designing a research and education program for the coming years. This is a voluntary and anonymous survey that will take approximately five minutes to complete. Participants may skip any questions they prefer not to answer.

We all know how destructive wildfires have been in our county in the past few years. As wine growers, we also know how devastating smoke from wildfires can be to our crops. The good news is that local Fire Safe Councils are banding together and getting grant money to begin the gigantic task of reducing potentially hazardous vegetation in parts of El Dorado County. In the Fair Play area, the first stages of grant work is underway for the South County Fuels Reduction Project. This project hopes to clear hazardous brush and trees along portions of Mt.

Greg Stanton, Deputy Director of Environmental Management of El Dorado County, recently contacted EDWGGA about the possibility of generating biochar through the forestry fuels reduction efforts that are being contemplated (see notice above). He is seeking the level of county agriculture’s interest in using this soil amendment. Like the compost program that is likely ramping up, this could be a potentially valuable soil amendment for growers. Greg will be keeping EDWGGA in the loop as the potential program develops.

The bees are out and hungry after our long, cold winter and spring. It's important to protect our precious pollinators by providing nutritious sources of pollen and being aware of your spray techniques and timing. Are your spray nozzles calibrated correctly? Did you check your irrigation system and emitters for uniformity of volume throughout the system and proper placement of the drip during application? By whichever method, it is important to avoid puddles of product which may attract pollinators and follow bee friendly guidelines.

The El Dorado County Department of Agriculture conducts the Pesticide Use Enforcement and Monitoring Program in cooperation with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Pesticide use is monitored to protect public health, the environment and to ensure worker safety. Department staff enforces state regulations, issue use permits, compile use data, perform outreach with the public and investigate complaints. This link will take you to contacts, forms and various links related to pesticide use and helpful information to keep you in compliance and safe.

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) is offering emergency farm loans for winter storm damage and crop losses sustained after February 21, 2023. Applications must be made by December 14, 2023.