California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance

Economic Tools to Assess Costs & Benefits of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices

The following economic tools can be downloaded and used by growers and vintners to assess the costs and benefits of adopting specific practices. Each tool includes an Introduction page, How to Use the tool page, the tool itself, and a Summary page that can be easily printed and used for internal discussions and for tracking over time. The Trunk Disease Tool is a web-based tool, which also allows you to print and compare results. All other tools are Excel-based, and you can simply click on the links and download to save the Tools for your own use.

The tools were developed as part of a California Department of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant project to help demonstrate the business case for adoption of sustainable practices and guide decisions about which practices to implement. The project was led by an Advisory Group* of agricultural economists and other experts and included substantial feedback from growers and vintners on the Sustainable Winegrowing Joint Committee.

Vineyard Economic Tools

Trunk Disease Management Tool: Grapevine trunk diseases eventually infect every vineyard in California and can significantly reduce yields in mature vineyards, often leading to premature replanting. If adopted in young vineyards, preventative practices can reduce these negative effects. This web-based tool is designed to help growers assess the costs and economic benefits of implementing various preventative practices at different ages of vineyard maturity.

To see a video demonstration on how to use the tool, go to: https://vimeo.com/227788450

Sprayer Decision Tool - Air Blast vs. Electrostatic Sprayers: This tool assists growers in comparing the financial cost of air blast dilute sprayers (fan assisted) and electrostatic sprayers. While electrostatic sprayers can cost up to twice the price of air blast sprayers, they may allow vineyard managers to reduce the material applied in the vineyard up to 25% without decreasing efficacy in addition to documented water savings. Once completed, the tool provides a summary of the present value for the two sprayer types allowing growers to determine potential payback periods for each sprayer.

To see a video demonstration on how to use the tool, go to: https://vimeo.com/227817745

Dust Mitigation Methods Comparison Tool: This tool has been designed to aid in creating and implementing an effective and cost efficient dust control strategy to protect air quality. The tool provides helpful information on different dust control techniques, types of palliatives commonly used, a simple worksheet for tracking your dust control strategies over time, and a cost comparison calculator that will help inform you of the most cost effective method for you to maintain unpaved roads.

To see a video demonstration on how to use the tool, go to: https://vimeo.com/227818777

Vineyard Sustainable Water Management Tool: This tool is designed to help growers create an effective sustainable water management strategy that helps save both water and money, as detailed in Chapter 5 of the California Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Workbook. An efficient sustainable water management strategy contains many complex decisions and is highly variable across regions, varieties, and grape growing goals. This tool can be used to establish a baseline for tracking decisions over time to better understand the economic impact of different water management decisions. The tool includes sections on: vineyard layout, irrigation scheduling, monitoring (water quality, irrigation system, moisture), and other water uses (frost protection, dust control, cover crops, and summer cooling).

To see a video demonstration on how to use the tool, go to: https://vimeo.com/227821527

Certification Cost Benefit Evaluation Tool: This tool allows potential certification applicants to evaluate the expected benefits and investments associated with the first year of certification. Some expected benefits include meeting new market needs and improving sales relationships. The tool was developed by sustainability experts at thinkstep and is modeled on their well-established Business Value of Sustainability System ^TM. The tool development was guided by feedback from current certified participants who attained multiple benefits of certification.

To see a video demonstration on how to use the tool, go to: https://vimeo.com/227775555

Winery Economic Tools

Winery Water Efficiency and Hot Spots Tool: This tool walks users through the steps needed to identify the highest water using activities ("hot spots") at the winery, and results in a conceptual facility water balance to understand where water is being used throughout the winery. This information can be used to promote discussion among staff about where and how water is used and can focus water efficiency improvement projects to target hot spots. The tool also helps users consider the tangible and intangible costs of water and the multiple benefits of improving water use efficiency. After using this tool, a vintner can use the supplemental Winery Water Budgeting Tool (below) to estimate the complete cost of water.

To see a video demonstration on how to use the tool, go to: https://vimeo.com/227814995

Winery Water Budgeting Tool: This tool can be used to estimate your current cost of water, including the costs of acquiring water, using the water, and disposing of that water. Use this tool after first completing the Winery Water Efficiency and Hot Spots Tool.

To see a video demonstration on how to use the tool, go to (starts at 4:15): https://vimeo.com/227814995

Solid Waste Audit: This tool provides wineries with easy-to-follow steps for estimating the volume of solid waste generated at their facility by type: pomace and lees, diatomaceous earth, barrels, glass, cardboard, paper, capsules, cork, plastic, wood pallets, packaging, bins, food, landscaping yard waste, and metals. Creating a baseline for solid waste is the first step in creating a solid waste management strategy as outlined in Chapter 12, Solid Waste Reduction and Management, of the California Code of Sustainable Winegrowing. The tool covers how to collect available information, how to conduct a solid waste audit, identifying disposal practices, and estimating the costs and revenues for managing each waste stream.

To see a video demonstration on how to use the tool, go to: https://vimeo.com/227816745

Certification Cost Benefit Evaluation Tool: This tool allows potential certification applicants to evaluate the expected benefits and investments associated with the first year of certification. Some expected benefits include meeting new market needs and improving sales relationships. The tool was developed by sustainability experts at thinkstep and is modeled on their well-established Business Value of Sustainability System ^TM. The tool development was guided by feedback from current certified participants who attained multiple benefits of certification.

To see a video demonstration on how to use the tool, go to: https://vimeo.com/227775555

Resources

INFORMATION GUIDES/SURVEYS

Cost & Benefits of Sustainable Winegrowing: As part of CSWA’s Economic Tools project, we’ve developed a four-page information guide for assessing the costs and benefits of sustainable winegrowing.
Top 62 High Impact Practices: This document identifies which sustainability practices have the highest impact on the triple bottom line (i.e., vibrant businesses, healthier environment, and stronger communities and workforce).
New CSWA Research Shows Sustainability A Growing Factor in Wine Trade Purchasing: New research, commissioned by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA), shows that a majority of the U.S. wine trade considers sustainability when making purchasing decisions and expects demand to increase over the next decade.
How to Conduct a DIY Vineyard Energy Audit: This DIY audit allows the individual winegrower to assess energy-consuming processes and equipment in order to discover potential changes in behavior or technology that can reduce energy consumption.
The Value of Sustainable Certification: A handout on the benefits of certification for growers and vintners and marketplace drivers for certification.
Weed Scouting Template: An excel weed scouting template and handout to help growers assess and identify their weeds.
Trunk Disease Prevention and Treatment: A handout about trunk disease prevention practices and the new Economic Tool that enables growers to compare long-term cost savings from early adoption.
Economic Thresholds and IPM Scouting Template: An excel based scouting template and a handout on identifying and treating hot spots, and using economic thresholds.

VIDEOS

What is Sustainable Winegrowing and Certification? (Video) Learn key elements of sustainable winegrowing and Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE).
The Value of Certification: (Video) Listen to Francis Ford Coppola Winery discuss the value, commitment and benefits of becoming Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE).
The Importance of Distribution Uniformity: (Video) Learn why conducting regular Distribution Uniformity (DU) tests is an important practice for winegrape quality.
How to Conduct a Distribution Uniformity Test: (Video) Watch how a Distribution Uniformity (DU) Test is completed in the field and learn how to use CSWA's field data sheet template to easily calculate your vineyard's DU. Download the written step-by-step guide here. Download the field data sheet template here.
Vineyard Trunk Disease Prevention: (Video) Watch this video to learn about vineyard trunk disease. Trunk diseases are the limiting factor of vineyard longevity and one of the main reasons why many vineyards are replanted after only 15 to 20 years.
“How To” Demonstration Videos are available for each of the Economic Tools listed above. The videos are hosted by the lead tool developer and review how to navigate, use and interpret the results of each tool.

CASE STUDIES/ARTICLES

Coppola Sees Value in Certification: This case study features an interview with Francis Ford Coppola Winery discussing why CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE is important to them. "Certification is the ultimate committment, because once certified, you can't stay stagnant. Every year you have to do better."
Creek Restoration Pays Big Benefits: This case study features an interview with Beth Novak, President of Spottswoode Winery. Spottswoode discusses the benefits of their endeavors in restoring a year-round creek on their property. "It has helped in promoting beneficial insects. Getting more native plants out there helps prevent any sharpshooters from taking hold and possibly spreading Pierce’s Disease."
Survey Reveals Wine Trade Views on Sustainability: This case study discusses the key take aways from a wine trade survey on sustainability and ways to communicate to trade. "Generally speaking, the trade, especially wholesalers, views sustainability as a product benefit and uses it to distinguish wines in the marketplace."
Winery Innovates with Solar Power Microgrid: This case study explains how a solar panel microgrid helps with the energy efficiency of the winery. "An early adopter of solar power at Tolosa, Baggett pioneered a microgrid system at Alpha Omega that launched last year. Together, the two wineries generate more than 1 million kilowatt hours of solar energy annually."
New Ways to Save Water: This case study examines the evolution of good water management decisions. "Water-wise farming is the new normal, and progressive vineyard managers are exploiting technology to make smarter irrigation choices."
Winery Practices Mitigate Risk: This case study explores risk management and sustainable practices. " ...as many California vintners and winegrape growers are learning, sustainable practices in the vineyard and winery can help manage risk—both the unforeseeable whims of nature and more controllable challenges like employee retention."

Acknowledgements:

*CSWA is grateful for the significant contributions of the project’s Economic Advisory Group comprised of agricultural economists from Cal Poly, Fresno State, Sacramento State, and UC Davis, and experts from Lodi Winegrape Commission, Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, San Luis Obispo Wine Country Association, Sustainable Conservation, thinkstep, SureHarvest, and Kennedy Jenks Consultants. The Advisory Group, along with grower and vintner members of the Sustainable Winegrowing Joint Committee, provided input on the development of the various Economic Tools and educational resources throughout the project.

CSWA would like to thank the California Department of Food and Agriculture for the Specialty Crop Block Grant that – matched by industry contributions – funded the development of these Economic Tools and resources.