Central Coast Vineyard Team:
Over a Decade of Leadership
in Sustainability Issues
Kris O’Connor, M.S.
Executive Director
Central Coast Vineyard Team Background
•
•
•
•
Collaborative Partnership
Non-profit Grower Group
Broad and Diverse Group
Need for more progressive
information
• Limited information specific to
Central Coast
• Desire to “push” the envelope
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Mission Statement
The Central Coast Vineyard Team will identify and promote the
most environmentally safe, viticulturally and economically
sustainable farming methods, while maintaining or improving
quality and flavor of wine grapes. The Team will be a model for
wine grape growers and will promote the public trust of
stewardship for natural resources.
Our Values
Conservation • Innovation • Learning • Sharing • Integrity
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Positive Points System
Foundation of Programs
What is the PPS?
• 1,000-point protocol for evaluating
the extent of sustainable practices
• Soil, Water, Pest, Viticulture
Management & Wine Quality and
Human Resources
• Whole farm, “systems” approach
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Positive Points System
Purpose
Educational Tool—educate and guide growers
towards more sustainable practice
•
•
•
•
Identify areas of strength and weakness
Provides “How-To” information
Document adoption of practices
Process is educational
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Positive Points System
Results
•
•
•
•
•
750 evaluations collected since
1996
Over 30,000 evaluated acres
Continuing growers have higher
scores than 1st year grower
Scores on a given block are
improving
Overall scores increasing over
time
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
From Assessment to Education
Grower to Grower Outreach
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Newsletters
Resource Library
Tailgate Meetings
Workshops
Spanish Outreach
PPS Wall Calendar
Annual Educational Meetings
Sustainable Ag Expo
Support Growers in Participating in
Conservation Funding Programs
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
From Education to Demonstration –
Biologically Integrated Farming
• Intensive weekly monitoring
and recording
• Action plans based on target
pest and material
• Reduce or eliminate high risk,
broad spectrum materials
• Alternative weed practices
• Alternative, low risk materials
• Beneficial releases, insectary
refuge, compost, cover crops
• Tolerate higher pest levels
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Changes in PPS Scores
BIFS vs. Non-BIFS Growers (2002 – 2004)
893
900
Average PPS Score
880
860
840
820
819
818
796
800
780
760
740
BIFS (N=9)
CENTRAL COAST
Non-BIFS (N=26)
VINEYARD TEAM
2002
2004
BIFS FQPA I Contact Herbicide Use
(paraquat dichloride)
100
90
80
70
ZBL - PARAQUAT DICHLORIDE
WLF - PARAQUAT DICHLORIDE
SJN - PARAQUAT DICHLORIDE
PCV - PARAQUAT DICHLORIDE
CRL - PARAQUAT DICHLORIDE
CHB - PARAQUAT DICHLORIDE
CHA - PARAQUAT DICHLORIDE
CCA - PARAQUAT DICHLORIDE
BNC - PARAQUAT DICHLORIDE
EIQ Per Acre
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2002
2003
2004
Year
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Central Coast Winegrape Pesticide Use
Lbs AI/Planted Acre
Chlorpyrifos
Diazinon
0.20
≈ 18,000 Lbs AI
0.15
0.10
≈ 7,200 Lbs AI
0.05
0.00
1993
1998
1999
Source: DPR PUR 1993 - 2003
CENTRAL COAST
2000
2001
Year
VINEYARD TEAM
2002
2003
BIFS Pesticide Use
Chlorpyrifos & Diazinon Per Acre Basis
BNC - CHLORPYRIFOS
SJN - DIAZINON
BNC - DIAZINON
WLF - CHLORPYRIFOS
CHA - CHLORPYRIFOS
SJN - CHLORPYRIFOS
8
7
Total Lbs Applied/Acre
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
2002
2003
2004
Year
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Pesticide Use
BIFS vs. Central Coast (lbs/ac)
71.0
75.0
80
61.2
70
32.1
20.7
11.4
11.3
20.4
16.8
22.0
14.1
6.4
8.9
7.0
5.1
0.7
5.2
3.9
5.3
6.0
3.8
16.0
13.1
16.6
10
19.1
16.0
2002 CC Regional
AI/Ac = 36.8 lbs/ac
20
42.6
45.9
20.9
21.5
30
2003 CC Regional
AI/Ac = 39.6 lbs/ac
6.3
40
30.3
50
40.7
Applied AI (Lbs/Block Acre)
60
0
BNC
CCA
CHA
CHB
CRL
CST
PCV
RLS
SJN
BIFS Block
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
WLF
ZBL
2002
2003
2004
Clean Water Project: Reducing
NPS Pollution from Vineyards
•
Goal – Demonstrate
practices that reduce NonPoint Source (NPS)
pollution from Central
Coast Vineyards
•
Watersheds listed for
agriculturally linked
impairments: nutrients,
sediment, pesticides
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Demonstration Site Results:
Paso Robles
Native filter strip
(pine blues grass,
Nodding needle
grass, purple
needle grass)
Buckwheat
•
•
•
•
•
BMP: Plant cover crop & native filter strip
Initial cost/acre: app. $300.00
Estimated Soil Loss w/out BMP = 24.50 tons/ac/yr
Estimated Soil Loss WITH BMP = 0.90 tons/ac/yr
Est. decrease in soil loss = 23.60 tons/ac/yr
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Demonstration Site Results:
Santa Maria
Cover crop (tall and
sheep’s fescue)
• BMP: Grade, plant cover crops and secure with
jute netting
• Initial cost/acre: app. $200.00
• Estimated Soil Loss w/out BMP = 32.50 tons/ac/yr
• Estimated Soil Loss WITH BMP = 0.75 tons/ac/yr
• Est. decrease in soil loss = 31.5 tons/ac/yr
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Highlights of Vineyard Oak
Conservation
• Cuesta Ridge
Vineyards
• Significant set aside
• Planting efforts in
additional areas
• Not one tree was
removed for
vineyard
development
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Luft Vineyards
• Set aside area
around oak
corridor
• Planting additional
area with Cal Poly
& CCVT
• 2007 Tailgate to
highlight
restoration area
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
James Berry Vineyards
• 1982 Conservation
plan with NRCS
(SCS)
• 10 acres of oak
woodland
conservation
• Refuge for anagrus,
birds, wildlife
• Highlighted at
tailgates
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Highlighting Grower Practices
through Education
• Newsletter Articles
• Highlight Grower Practices
• Oak Workshops (Southcorp
Vineyard - 2001)
• 2 Day with UCCE
• Included planting efforts
• Safe Harbor Meeting (Cuesta
Ridge - 2004)
• Reviewed development, planting,
and wildlife issues
• EcoSystem Workshops (2006)
• Coordinated with Statewide Efforts
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Current Projects
• Pesticide Mitigation
• Continuation of BIFS
• Focusing on reducing pesticides that impact water
quality
• Cover Crop and Water Quality
• Continuation of CWP
• Evaluation of 20 cover crops in SB and SLO
county
• Evaluation of runoff measurement devices –
comparison to estimated/modeled values
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Environmental & Regulatory
Recognition
• IPM Innovator Award from the
Department of Pesticide
Regulation
• Environmental Stewardship Award
– SLO Community Foundation
• Water Quality Award - RWQCB
• EPA Champion
• PPS Modeled by Statewide
Sustainability Efforts in
Winegrapes
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
New Programs
New Water Quality Grant
2007-09
On-Line Resource
Library
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Looking Forward
Certified Sustainable Standards
•
•
•
•
Conversion of PPS to Standards
Peer review – independently verified
Pilot project this year
Outreach to growers, wineries,
consumers, and trade
• Business plan – earned income ventures
• Focus groups and marketing research
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Looking Forward
• Bridge gap with consumers
• Bridge gap with other ag producers
• Build foundation for community
supporters and certified
sustainably grown products
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Our Unique Position to Affect the “Culture” of Farming
and Positively Affect Decision Makers
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Grass-roots, grower led
PPS Able to Adapt
Committed Core Group
Grower “Buy-In”
Community “Buy-In”
On-Farm Implementation
Bilingual Program
Community Connection
Decision-Maker Connection
Our Values
Conservation • Innovation • Learning • Sharing • Integrity
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM
Questions?
CENTRAL COAST
VINEYARD TEAM