Fungal pressures are complex in Michigan State’s humid continental climate. Andy Fles, Vineyard Manager at Shady Lane Cellars, uses a fungicide program that's about 50% organic, but he wondered if even softer products could keep diseases at bay. Andy got a Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grant and set up an experiment to test his usual program and softer products against four common fungal diseases: Powdery Mildew Downy Mildew Sour Rot Botrytis His conventional method included bacterium-based products and neonicotinoids, while his soft program leaned more on oils like stylet, neem, thyme, and orange; and a Lupin seed extract product. Andy counted infected leaves to assess mildew pressure. To assess botrytis and sour rot, teams from Michigan State University, Rufus Isaacs Lab, and Tim Miles Lab ran tests on clusters from each treatment. The project is ongoing, but results so far show that the soft products are keeping pace with his standard program.

Amid news of oversupply and decreased demand, the wine industry has an opportunity to adapt to the changing market. Audra Cooper, Director of Grape Brokerage, and Eddie Urman, Central Coast Grape Broker at Turrentine Brokerage, discuss key grape and wine industry trends, from oversupply and vineyard removals to the growing necessity of sustainable certification. They explore regional dynamics, bulk wine market shifts, and future trends, emphasizing innovation, industry collaboration, and better marketing to stay competitive. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST Resources:         258: 5 Ways Certification Makes Brands the SIP | Marketing Tip Monday 259: Winegrape Market Trends of 2024 265: How to Stand Out on Social Media in 2025 268: How to Tackle Leadership Transitions Successfully Turrentine Brokerage Turrentine Brokerage - Newsletter Vineyard Team Programs: Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Donate SIP Certified – Show your care for the people and planet   Susta

LISTEN IN to Sustainable Winegrowing's Marketing Tip Monday! What does it mean to farm sustainably? Sustainable farming is a collection of practices spanning from water and energy conservation, to soil health and biodiversity, and social equity. There are so many examples of sustainability in action to point to right outside of your window: Native landscaping: minimal irrigation and maintenance needs. Cover crops: promote soil health and provide refuge for beneficial insects. Alternative energy sources: reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Owl boxes & raptor perches: birds of prey feast on vertebrate pests. One topic that sustainable farmers get asked about often is pest management. In this Sustainable Story Marketing Tip, learn how Presqu’ile Vineyards utilizes technology to manage bird pests in a more environmentally and economically sustainable way. Safely Keeping Birds at Bay Birds like finches and starlings are common vineyard pests. They damage fruit and canopies,

Cheer to 30 Years! Thanks to our supporters and members, Vineyard Team has grown from a grassroots organization to a multi-award-winning leader in the sustainability movement. Since 1994, the non-profit has served farmers, winemakers, and industry partners by creating an educational network with the leadership of its staff and board of directors. We value your support over the last three decades and will continue to help you cultivate valuable relationships. Here is a Quarterly Update from our Executive Director, Beth Vukmanic: Events coming up in 2024… In 2023, we had 372 attendees at 8 Tailgates hosted by 7 venues (including one Webinar). 3/14 | Power Up: Sustainable Energy 4/10 | Vine to Wine Water Treatment 4/12 | Fungicide Spraying: Reduce Your Carbon Footprint & Financial Burden 5/15 | The Ins & Outs of Developing a New Vineyard Site Get registered for all of this year's Tailgates today.  Regulatory Relief Managers of SIP Certified vineyards can save ti

2024 Vineyard Team Membership is open! Get access to the latest field-tested sustainable viticulture & industry networking. Grower/Winery members get access to all Tailgates free of charge, discounts to the Sustainable Ag Expo, and the opportunity to network with like-minded farmers and ag professionals. Business members connect with farmers, ag professionals, and pest control advisors and network directly with upper-level agricultural decision-makers. Membership level $1,500 and up includes a booth at the Sustainable Ag Expo. *2024 booths are all claimed by renewed members! Email hayli@vineyardteam.org to join the waitlist. Click HERE to learn about all of our programs!

Celebrating 15 Years of SIP Certified Over 47k acres of certified vineyards, 5 wineries, and 60.3m bottles Nearly 30 years ago, a small group of like-minded grape growers started a nonprofit to guide and educate the industry toward sustainability. Today, one of the groups’ award-winning programs, SIP Certified, is recognized as the gold standard program for sustainable winegrowing.  In 1996, this group, known as Vineyard Team, wrote the first self-assessment for sustainable vineyard farming: The Positive Points System (PPS). By completing the PPS year after year, growers would evaluate and improve their sustainable practices on every level, from habitat protection to water conservation, soil health to human resources. Consumer demand to understand how their wine was made compelled the group to transform the self-assessment tool into an official certification program. Their goal was to develop a rigorous, third-party verified program so vineyard stewards could be confident t