The NYWGF is pleased to announce the release of Version 2 of VineBalance 2022 as the latest edition of New York’s statewide code of sustainable winegrowing. “I am humbled by the generous the contributions of time and knowledge that the New York wine community have dedicated to Version 2 of VineBalance 2022” said Sustainability Program Manager, Whitney Beaman.
Version 2 of VineBalance 2022 was reviewed, workshopped, and revised through a robust six-month stakeholder engagement process involving over 40 New York viticulturists, winemakers, grape growers, and conservationists with the support from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service and Yates County. The resulting workbook is designed to broadly apply to all winegrowing regions and grape varieties of New York State.
The goal of the workbook is to codify a comprehensive manual of sustainable winegrowing best practices for New York and provide a pathway for growers to achieve continuous improvement. In the spirit of continuous improvement, the workbook will be updated annually to reflect the last science-based recommendations, best management practices, and technologies for sustainable winegrowing.
The mission of the NYWGF Sustainability Program is to advance the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of New York’s wine and grape industry through regionally defined sustainability standards, third-party certification, grower education, and stakeholder engagement. The vision of the program is to elevate New York State as a world class wine and grape region that protects the environment, conserves natural resources, and improves the lives of stakeholders.
Version 2 of VineBalance 2022 will serve as the foundation of the Sustainability Pilot Program, and future iterations will be the basis for New York’s first statewide sustainable winegrowing certification. Over 30 grape growers are registered for the Pilot Program, which will engage growers to perform a vineyard self-assessment using Version 2 of VineBalance 2022 followed by third-party verification performed by a Sustainable Vineyard Inspector. Participation in the Pilot Program is a voluntary, cost-free, educational opportunity that will put growers on track to become certified when the Certification Program launches in 2023. Registration for the Pilot Program is open, and grape growers from across the state are encouraged to participate. Registration will close on Monday, February 28th.
