QUESTION: What results , positive or negative, have you seen in your business since adopting sustainable management practices?

• Healthier vineyards and lower costs. Management intensive.

• Being new to grapes gives me less experience.  Adopting some softer spray methods for apples has allowed me to attract some workers who appreciate the environment.

• Better quality winegrapes and wine.

• Better soils,  more weed problems and less profitable, safer environment for workers.

• Challenges meeting certain time frames for sucker control and cost. Some weed control issues. Adaptability of some equipment also has presented cost issues. Have already seen some benefit in increased predator insect populations.

• Cut water usage by 70% while simultaneously improving fruit quality and uniformity.  Smaller crops meant less income.  Use of cover crop has reduced erosion and eased weed control and over tilling the soil.

• Elimination of Organophosphate and Carbamate chemicals, reduction in insect pressure, lower levels of fungicide use, elimination of herbicides, reduction of irrigation water use.

• Employees who stay with me over long periods and new development in new sprays.

• Excellent grapes that have produced award winning wines!

• Fruit quality has improved with better pesticide use, non-use or timing of use. People do a better job when their wage is supported with incentives.

• Having a complete business plan aids in planning detailed work activities.  It also helps when applying for operating lines at financial institutions.  Working with government agencies gives insights to practices performed by other growers.

• Increased labor, some appreciation by customers.

• Less cost of production, restoration of fish habitat in streams, presence of frogs again, more birds, fewer insect problems.

• Less pesticides being applied, better water holding capacity in the soil, reduction in fungicide use, all equal a reduction in expenditures.

• Mistakes and costs in learning sustainable practices.

• Moderated pest outbreak problems with softer controls.

• More consistency within the crops. Better understanding of implementing sustainable practices. Higher costs of production. More time away from the farm to understand sustainable practices.

• No Insect problems. Increased fruit set due to soil fertility. Better water infiltration and retention. Improved marketing opportunities for organic products. Positive public acceptance. Increased vineyard expenses.

• Quality has improved, costs are the same or less.

• Relationship with our winery is improved. We feel that long term, we are doing the right thing to sustain our vineyards.

• Some diseases are more difficult to control and timing of spray applications are more critical.  I have lost several blocks to mildew.

• Stability!

• The overall acceptance and company support, knowing we as an industry and a company are going in the right direction. It's the right thing to do!

• The winemakers are pleased with the use of no or soft pesticides.

• Time and money in the beginning.

• Inner peace.