About Vinebalance
Program History
In
2004, industry groups from throughout the state asked regional Cooperative
Extension grape programs to develop an outreach and education program to
promote the adoption of sustainable viticultural practices in New York
vineyards. New York State’s sustainable viticulture program is a
cooperative effort between industry groups, the Finger Lakes Grape Program,
Lake Erie Regional Grape Program and Long Island’s grape extension program. It
is designed to both document sustainable grape growing practices already
in place and promote sustainable practices throughout the industry. The
foundation of the program is its grower self-assessment workbook – 134
questions in 8 sections covering the multitude of management decisions
made by New York State grape growers.
The workbook sections evolved from materials of two earlier programs in
New York: NYS Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) worksheets and
the Long Island Sustainable Practices Workbook. Throughout the winter
of 2005-2006, a steering committee composed of extension, research, industry
and grower representatives (from National Grape Cooperative, Centerra Wine
Co., and Finger Lakes and Long Island vineyards), reviewed and developed
questions that encompass the practices used in the varied growing regions
of New York. The workbook acts as a roadmap for evaluating viticultural
practices, addressing the diversity of the state’s grape growing industry
with a broad range of questions.
During the summer and fall of 2006, five growers from each of the three
cooperative program areas volunteered to field-test the workbook and provide
feedback on possible improvements with the content, format and style of
the first draft. Final revisions were made, and in 2007, VineBalance’s
New York Guide to Sustainable Viticulture Practices
Grower Self-assessment Workbook was published.
Development of the workbook was funded by grants from:
- Northeast
Center for Risk Management Education
- New
York Farm Viability Institute
- Lake
Erie Regional Grape Program, Inc.
- New
York Wine and Grape Foundation
Continued outreach has been funded through a grant from the New York Farm Viability Institute.
