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 Research & Integrated Outreach Effort to Help Solve a Statewide Challenge.” This critical funding has helped us discover practical mealybug and virus management strategies and communicate them through hands-on outreach.
“The PD/GWSS program is much more than critical research into Pierce’s Disease and viruses like leafroll 3. PD/GWSS funds and efforts go towards waging war against glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS) infestations in the South Valley – some as close as Fresno – and they are successfully holding them in check from moving to other grape growing regions like ours.”
– Aaron Lange, LangeTwins Family Vineyards and Winery, PD/GWSS Board Member
From the PD/GWSS Website and Newsletter:
California winegrape growers have until June 8th to vote on whether or not to continue the Pierce’s Disease and Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter (PD/GWSS) Assessment to fund research and outreach on Pierce’s Disease, the glassy-winged sharpshooter, and other designated pests and diseases of winegrapes through 2026.
Ballots were mailed in April to winegrape producers that paid the assessment on grapes crushed in 2019. At least 40 percent of the eligible voting entities must cast ballots for the referendum to be valid. The last time growers voted, over 80 percent favored the continuation of the assessment.
In 2001, an annual, value-based assessment on winegrapes was established to fund PD/GWSS research and related activities. The PD/GWSS Board was also established at that time. The Board advises the CDFA Secretary on the best use of assessment funds, ensuring dollars are spent wisely and productively to find solutions to PD, GWSS, and other designated pests and diseases of winegrapes. Over the years, the assessment rate has averaged $1.39 per $1,000 of crop value. Over $45 million has been spent on research since 2001. The assessment rate for the 2019 harvest is $1.00 per $1,000 of value.
FOR EVERY $1 GROWERS INVESTED, AN ADDITIONAL $9 from federal, state, local government and industry has been committed.
In today’s global economy, California’s winegrape industry is constantly under the threat of new pests and diseases. Quick action is essential for addressing emerging threats. The PD/GWSS Board and winegrape grower assessment gives the winegrape industry the ability to respond rapidly, without the need for additional legislation or other delays. This puts key decisions for funding research and outreach in the hands of the winegrape growers.
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$45.4 MILLION invested in research to find solutions to PD/GWSS and other winegrape pests and diseases since 2001
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225 GRANTS for research and outreach funded by the PD/GWSS Board since 2001
Winegrape assessment funds have supported research and outreach on Pierce’s Disease as well as other designated pests and diseases of winegrapes, including brown marmorated stink bug, European grapevine moth, grapevine fanleaf disease, grapevine leafroll disease, grapevine red blotch disease, and mealybug pests of winegrapes.
For more information, you can visit these websites:
CDFA PD Control Program — www.cdfa.ca.gov/pdcp
PD/GWSS Board — www.pdgwss.net
Pierce’s Disease Research — www.piercesdisease.cdfa.ca.gov
Featured Image: Photo by Dale Goff
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