It’s our last newsletter of the year and normally that would mean a round-up of the year’s best. But since I covered NGRA’s research accomplishments of 2019 last month, here, I thought I’d share three moments of pride or progress that help make NGRA a better organization or me a better steward of it, that […]
Projects Underway
Last but Not Least
The National Grape Research Alliance holds three Board meetings each year, the last typically in November. Accordingly, our End-of-Year Board Meeting took place on November 14, the day after the NGRA-ARS Sensor Technology Workshop (see story below). With back-to-back day-long discussions on research to advance the grape and wine industry, it was a banner week […]
A Hellish ‘New Normal’
The National Grape Research Alliance is based in Sacramento, California, two hours from Sonoma County, where the Kincade Fire has been burning since October 23. At this writing, the fire has scorched nearly 77,000 acres–an area more than twice the size of San Francisco, according to The New York Times. Gusty winds and kindling-dry conditions trigger […]
Cheers to Deadlines
Deadlines are a good thing. They create rhythm and flow to tasks and timelines, and establish a priority–often, urgency–to to-do’s. If ever there were a season for deadlines, it seems that, this year, September was the start of it. Here’s a sample of some deadlines we may share. Growers are responding to Mother Nature’s deadline, bringing […]
Bringing in the Bounty
I was in the lush, green state of Missouri (a big departure from dry, brown California) earlier this month for the North American Grape Breeders Conference. A grassroots effort of the breeding community, the conference takes place every two years at a different host institution–Missouri State University did the honors this year. It was a […]
Board, Not Bored
On July 19, in Geneva, NY, NGRA held our Mid-Year Board Meeting following the fantastic annual conference the American Society of Enology and Viticulture-Eastern Section and Nelson J. Shaulis Symposium on Digital Viticulture. Between the conference, symposium and meeting, it was a banner week for grape research! See a writeup of the symposium in Growing Produce, and read on for highlights […]
NVEELC 2019: Networking & Professional Development with a Dash of Southern Hospitality
On April 7-10, NVEELC 2019 gathered 40 extension and outreach specialists from 16 states and 30 grape-growing regions in Fredericksburg, the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Hailing from New York to New Mexico and many states in between and beyond, attendees represented a terrific mix of viticulture and enology professionals—some who are newer to […]
Efficient Vineyard: Making Sense of Sensors
By Dr. Terry Bates, Cornell AgriTech, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University The end goal for the SCRI Efficient Vineyard (EV) project is to achieve “spatial-data-driven variable-rate vineyard crop-load management.” It is a mouthful of a statement! Basically, it means that we gather spatial data from sensors, translate it into information, calibrate it against […]
New Vice Chair, Officers and Board Representatives Elected
NATIONAL GRAPE RESEARCH ALLIANCE ELECTS NEW VICE CHAIR Officers and Board Representatives Elected at Annual Meeting SACRAMENTO, CA, February 11, 2019 – The National Grape Research Alliance (NGRA) held its Annual Meeting of Members on January 28, 2019, electing Vice Chair Tom Smith (shown here) of E. & J. Gallo Winery to succeed outgoing Vice […]
Jerry Lohr Receives 2019 Rich Smith Award
At the annual Leadership Luncheon of the Winegrape Growers of America (WGA), held in Sacramento on January 30, 2019, Jerry Lohr was honored with the third-annual Rich Smith Distinguished Service Award. NGRA is pleased to collaborate with WGA, WineAmerica and the Smith Family to bestow the award, given in the name of the late Rich […]