From mary at lindsaypr.com  Wed Jun 20 10:55:32 2007
From: mary at lindsaypr.com (Mary Lindsay)
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2007 10:55:32 -0700
Subject: VASCM: Sustainability Self-Assessment Workshop in Aptos Next
	Wednesday
Message-ID: <46796A14.40000@lindsaypr.com>

  Reminder:  The Wine Institute's
Sustainability Self-Assessment Workshop: June 27, 1:00pm in Aptos (at 
the SeaCliff Inn, 7500 Old Dominion Ct.)

This workshop is for:
? Growers and winery operators who have already done the self-assessment 
- there are new topics & it may be time to update your assessment, and
? those who have not done the self-assessment.

There is no charge. Lunch at noon. RSVP required: Call Britta Purcell at 
the Wine Institute, 415-512-0151  or email to bpurcell at wineinstitute.org 
.  Reservations will be accepted up until the workshop by contacting 
Britta directly.

Morning sessions starting at 8:45am address tasting room topics, direct 
shipping laws and new legislation affecting winery operations.  

More About The Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices
And The Operations Assessment Workshop

Sustainability for vineyard and winery operations is good business 
practice, resulting in economic benefits and improved quality and 
operations. Sustainability addresses the pressures of growing grapes and 
making wine in an urban environment, meeting increasing population 
demands, legal, environmental and other requirements, while still 
producing a quality product. You can benefit from improved grape and 
wine quality, reduced costs, increased real estate and business values 
and viability, enhanced relations with your neighbors, community and 
employees. The Wine Institute and CAWG (California Association of 
Winegrape Growers) developed a Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices 
to encourage and educate winegrape growers and winery managers in 
sustainability strategies, and created the California Sustainable 
Winegrowing Alliance to implement the program.

This workshop is an opportunity for you to learn about the best 
practices implemented by other growers and wineries, the benefits of 
sustainability, and how you can apply them to improve your farming or 
winery operations. Workshop participants receive a free 500-page 
self-assessment workbook covering a broad range of operational topics 
including: soil management, pest management, ecosystems management, 
water and energy conservation, materials handling, human resources and 
community relations.

The workbook serves as a valuable tool for you during the workshop to 
identify strengths and areas for improvement in your operations. An 
instructor from the Sustainability Alliance conducts the seminar.

Sustainable practices have been adopted by major wineries in regions 
throughout the state, and have become the focus of a current public 
relations campaign launched by CAWG.

More information on sustainability and the workshop at
www.wineinstitute.org or www.sustainablewinegrowing.org


From mary at lindsaypr.com  Thu Jun 21 13:32:17 2007
From: mary at lindsaypr.com (Mary Lindsay)
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2007 13:32:17 -0700
Subject: VASCM: From CAWG: New State Ag Cargo Securement Regulations
Message-ID: <467AE051.6030504@lindsaypr.com>


Forwarding from the California Assn. of Winegrape Growers (CAWG): news 
about new state requirements for transport of agricultural cargo. Note 
the exemption, which is the part probably most applicable to us.
- Mary Lindsay

 

California Association of Winegrape Growers

June 20, 2007

Dear Regional Associations,

 

 

 

New ag cargo tie-down requirements to protect against shifting and 
falling cargo are part of recently adopted state regulations that will 
allow the state to comply with federal requirements and maintain 
eligibility for millions of dollars in highway safety funds.  At issue 
is how the new requirements will impact the efficiency and cost to 
transport crops in bins, tubs and boxes.  Many of the methods for 
securing agricultural bins, tubs and boxes - methods that have been 
safely and efficiently utilized for decades - will no longer be allowed 
and equipment will have to be retrofitted or alternative methods 
developed. Failure to comply with the new requirements will result in 
ticketing by the CHP with each violation subject to a fine of $700.

 

Earlier this month, a number of agricultural organizations requested an 
exemption from the new cargo securement standards.  An exemption was 
granted yesterday under the following conditions:

    * The exemption is only for intrastate transportation of perishable
      ag products transported in bins, tubs and boxes from the field to
      the first point of processing or packaging. 
    * All cargo must be properly loaded and containers properly secured
      with methods previously and successfully used to prevent shifting
      or load spillage.
    * Before utilizing the exemption, EACH motor carrier must request
      the exemption and provide their name; California Carrier
      Identification (CA) number; name and contact number; and,
      methodology of securement utilized via fax to:  CHP Commercial
      Vehicle Section, attn:  Officer Russell Lunley at (916) 446-4579.
    * A copy of the exemption must be carried in each vehicle and
      presented immediately upon request of an authorized employee of
      the CHP, sheriff department or local law enforcement agency.
    * Motor carriers utilizing the exemption must notify CHP within 72
      hours of any deleterious event involving shifting of containers or
      loss of cargo.
    * The exemption is valid only until December 1, 2007.  It can be
      extended or rescinded for good cause.
    * On a monthly basis, no later than the 15th of each month beginning
      July, 2007, motor carriers utilizing the exemption must report
      information for the previous month that includes among other
      things:  the number of loads by container type under the
      exemption; the number of miles driven; the number of on-highway
      accidents involving loads under the exemption; the number of
      off-highway accidents; the number of driver hours; and, the number
      of driver violations.  

 

The ag industry has agreed to work with the CHP to conduct a safety 
review of the previous cargo securement methods, including en 
engineering study to test the methods and the development of alternative 
methods of compliance.  The information from the new required monthly 
reports will contribute to the assessment of the safety of the previous 
methods.  Combined, the results of the safety review and engineering 
study will provide the basis for seeking a formal interpretation request 
and ruling of acceptability from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration (FMSCA) no later than December 1, 2007.

 

CAWG will be testifying at a CHP hearing about the new standards next week.

Thank you,

Karen Sig

Karen Ross

President


 


From mary at lindsaypr.com  Thu Jun 28 08:08:53 2007
From: mary at lindsaypr.com (Mary Lindsay)
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:08:53 -0700
Subject: VASCM: Next Meeting: July 11, on Gopher Control, at Hunter Hill
Message-ID: <4683CF05.4050407@lindsaypr.com>

Next VASCM Meeting is July 11 at Hunter Hill Vineyards & Winery, 3:00pm

Our speaker: Thomas Wittman, gopher expert extraordinaire - on the 
secret life of gophers, and how to effectively rid your vineyard of them
Plus, the latest on the light brown apple moth
And business meeting

Let's get together and catch up on the amazing growth in our vineyards 
this Spring, and regimens for the coming Summer.

As usual, please bring a bottle of wine to share
And be sure to drink and drive responsibly

- Prudy Foxx
- Mary Lindsay


Directions to Hunter Hill:  7099 Glen Haven, Soquel

 From Hwy. 1:
Take the Bay/Porter St. exit and go north
right on Soquel
left on No. Main
No. Main becomes Glen Haven
stay on Glen Haven for 2 miles to Hunter Hill on the left

directions at http://www.hunterhillwines.com/winery.html


