FARMING WINEGRAPES FOR PRODUCTION

FARMING WINEGRAPES FOR PRODUCTION

MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2020.  BY STAN GRANT, VITICULTURIST. In the California wine industry, the emphasis on grape quality has increased over the last couple of decades and for good reason – quality sets competitors apart in the grape and wine markets. However, for...
UC DAVIS V&E VIRTUALLY ON THE ROAD IN LODI RECAP

UC DAVIS V&E VIRTUALLY ON THE ROAD IN LODI RECAP

AUGUST 24, 2020.  BY UC DAVIS VITICULTURE & ENOLOGY DEPT. Dr. Karen Block brought together several UC Davis professors to share highlights of their recent research with the Lodi winegrowing community on July 13, 2020.  A video recording of their presentations is...
EFFECTIVELY MANAGING YOUR GROWER & FLC RELATIONSHIP

EFFECTIVELY MANAGING YOUR GROWER & FLC RELATIONSHIP

AUGUST 17, 2020.  BY AMY WOLFE, AGSAFE. As harvest gets underway for some and is in full swing for others, the issue around having sufficient labor persists.  The challenge drives many growers to use a farm labor contractor (FLC) as a means for ensuring there are...
MEALYBUG BIOCONTROL VIDEO PREMIERE 8/13

MEALYBUG BIOCONTROL VIDEO PREMIERE 8/13

AUGUST 10, 2020.  BY STEPHANIE BOLTON, PhD. In 2019, the Lodi Winegrape Commission and five local growers were awarded a $50,000 Professional + Producer grant from the USDA’s Western SARE program for “A Collaborative Beneficial Insect and Pheromone Mating...
FARMING WINEGRAPES FOR SUGAR

FARMING WINEGRAPES FOR SUGAR

AUGUST 3, 2020.  BY STAN GRANT, VITICULTURIST. In most grape purchase contracts, soluble solids are the principal criteria for scheduling harvests. Soluble solids are critically important for wineries because their concentration in the fruit determines potential wine...
HIRING DURING COVID

HIRING DURING COVID

JULY 20, 2020.  BY AMY WOLFE, AGSAFE. As the agricultural industry forges onward during the continually evolving COVID-19 pandemic, a wide variety of our day-to-day practices are impacted.  For many, harvest marks one of the busiest times of the year and with it, the...
NEW SAN JOAQUIN CO. PESTICIDE HANDBOOK FOR GROWERS

NEW SAN JOAQUIN CO. PESTICIDE HANDBOOK FOR GROWERS

JULY 13, 2020.  BY SAN JOAQUIN CO. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The San Joaquin County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office just updated the San Joaquin County Pesticide Safety Reference Handbook for Growers and Applicators to include recent regulatory changes. The...
RIPENING PERIOD VINEYARD MANAGEMENT

RIPENING PERIOD VINEYARD MANAGEMENT

JULY 6, 2020.  BY STAN GRANT, VITICULTURIST. The ripening period is the home stretch of the growing season.  During this time, grape berries experience dramatic physical and chemical changes as they transition from hard, green, acidic, and unpalatable to soft,...
ELAINE BROWN & TEGAN PASSALACQUA TELL THE LODI STORY

ELAINE BROWN & TEGAN PASSALACQUA TELL THE LODI STORY

JUNE 22, 2020.  BY WINE INSTITUTE. Telling the Lodi story is a task that the Lodi Winegrape Commission has set as a high priority for the next several years.  A small – but growing – number of people recognize the importance of Lodi in California...
CAL/OSHA PASSES NIGHT WORK IN AGRICULTURE STANDARD

CAL/OSHA PASSES NIGHT WORK IN AGRICULTURE STANDARD

JUNE 15, 2020.  BY AMY WOLFE, AGSAFE. After years of discussion, stakeholder meetings and financial review, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board finally passed the Outdoor Agricultural Operations During Hours of Darkness standard at its April 18, 2020 meeting.  The concept,...
IDENTIFICATION OF ANTS IN LODI VINEYARDS

IDENTIFICATION OF ANTS IN LODI VINEYARDS

JUNE 1, 2020.  BY KRIS TOLLERUP, PhD. INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT WHICH ANT SPECIES YOU HAVE IN YOUR VINEYARD?  DR. TOLLERUP HAS GENEROUSLY VOLUNTEERED TO HELP LODI GROWERS IDENTIFY THEIR VINEYARD ANTS! In California there are approximately 300 described ant species and...
PD/GWSS REFERENDUM – VOTE BY JUNE 8TH

PD/GWSS REFERENDUM – VOTE BY JUNE 8TH

MAY 21, 2020.  BY LODI WINEGRAPE COMMISSION. The Lodi Winegrape Commission and our Lodi Grapevine Virus Research Focus Group recently received funding from the PD/GWSS Board for a virus outreach project called “Grapevine Virus Management in Lodi: A Collaborative...