The Crush - May 2021 - 10

INDUSTRY NEWS

California Winegrape Acreage Down 2.4%
California's 2020 grape acreage (all types) totaled 895,000 acres, down from 918,000 acres
in 2019, according to results from an annual CDFA/USDA acreage survey. The estimated
wine-type grape acreage was 620,000 acres - 580,000 bearing and 40,000 non-bearing. In
comparison, estimated wine-type grape acreage was 635,000 in 2019 and 637,000 in 2018.
The top five winegrape varieties (bearing acreage):
1. Cabernet sauvignon
2. Chardonnay
3. Pinot noir
4. Zinfandel
5. Merlot

(90,677 in 2020 / 90,283 in 2019)
(87,106 in 2020 / 89,357 in 2019)
(45,925 in 2020 / 45,352 in 2019)
(38,557 in 2020 / 39,381 in 2019)
(35,584 in 2020 / 36,658 in 2019)

CDFA and USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service conducted the acreage survey
by mailing a questionnaire in October 2020 to approximately 8,900 grape growers,
followed by phone calls.

Upper Valley Lake AVA Proposed, Comments Sought
Upper Valley Lake
Clear Lake

North Coast

Upper Lake Valley is on track to be a new American viticultural area in California. The
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) on April 16 published a proposed rule
in the Federal Register for the establishment of the approximately 17,360-acre Upper
Lake Valley AVA in Lake County. The TTB also proposes to expand the boundary of
the existing 1,093-square-mile Clear Lake AVA so that the proposed Upper Lake Valley
AVA is wholly within it. The Clear Lake AVA and proposed Upper Lake Valley AVA are
entirely within the North Coast AVA. The proposal is in response to a petition from Terry
Dereniuk, on behalf of the Growers of Upper Lake Valley. Comments on this proposal
must be received by June 15, 2021.

CA Ag Leader Nominated for USDA Undersecretary
President Joe Biden nominated CDFA Undersecretary Jenny Lester Moffitt to be USDA
undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs. She will oversee two agencies
important to specialty crop producers: Agricultural Marketing Service and the Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service. Prior to CDFA, Moffitt spent 10 years as managing
director at Dixon Ridge Farms, her family's organic walnut farm and processing
operation in Winters. Additionally, Moffitt served on the Central Valley Regional Water
Quality Control Board, worked for American Farmland Trust, and graduated from the
California Ag Leadership Program. " In Jenny's seven years at CDFA (as undersecretary
and deputy secretary), she has shown herself to be a tireless advocate for agriculture
and the people of California, " CDFA Secretary Karen Ross said.

Leopold Conservation Award Applications Open
Applications are being accepted until July 15 for the California Leopold Conservation
Award. The prestigious award honors California farmers, ranchers, foresters and other
agricultural landowners who demonstrate outstanding stewardship and management of
natural resources. Award recipients receive a prize of $10,000. Nomination applications
focus on the categories of conservation ethic, resilience, leadership and communication,
innovation and adaptability, and ecological community.
10 MAY 2021

https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/California/Publications/Specialty_and_Other_Releases/Grapes/Acreage/2021/2020%20Grape%20Acreage%20Report.pdf https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/California/Publications/Specialty_and_Other_Releases/Grapes/Acreage/2021/2020%20Grape%20Acreage%20Report.pdf https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-07626 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-07626 https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2021/04/27/statement-agriculture-secretary-tom-vilsack-intent-nominate https://www.suscon.org/project/leopold-conservation-award/ https://www.suscon.org/project/leopold-conservation-award/

The Crush - May 2021

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