Meet Pedro Trigueros! Sunridge Nurseries' very first intern.  This year, Sunridge launched an exciting opportunity for students and recent graduates to gain hands-on experience in a commercial nursery environment through our summer Horticulture Internship program. This initiative was designed to provide comprehensive knowledge of all stages of plant growth, emphasizing essential aspects such as nutrient management, lighting, and pest control, all vital for cultivating thriving plants. Under the expert mentorship of Horticulturist and Agronomist, Linsi Luckett, the program offered Pedro the chance to engage in a variety of responsibilities and enrich his learning experience by mastering irrigation techniques, assisting with plant applications, monitoring plant growth, and engaging in essential testing procedures, just to name a few. “Pedro has been an exceptional asset and is rapidly becoming an integral member of our Horticulture and Agronomy team,” stated Lins

The Sustainable Ag Expo isn’t just about earning CE hours—it’s a gathering place for wine industry professionals to learn, network, and celebrate the future of sustainable farming. From morning burritos to student-led research and vintage tractor showcases, this year’s Expo is packed with unique opportunities to make your experience more meaningful and memorable. Here are six can't-miss events happening alongside the seminars: 1. Monday Kick Off: Farming for the Future 🗓️ Monday, Nov 10 | 5:00–7:00 PM 📍 Center of Effort Winery Sponsored by Inland Desert Nursery Start your week with an evening of connection, SIP Certified wines, and gourmet hors d’oeuvres. Expo headliner Dr. Chris Chen, will lead a forward-looking conversation on vineyard management in a changing climate. 🎟️ Free for ticket holders (while supplies last), requires separate reservation; additional tickets $50.  2. Breakfast Burritos & Coffee = Day 1 Fuel 🗓

Napa, CA (September 30, 2025) – Dickenson Peatman & Fogarty (DP&F) is pleased to announce the addition of three new Associate Attorneys: Leslee Carroll, Nick Conti, and Elena Moreno. DP&F Litigation Group Grows by Two DP&F’s Litigation group, led by firm partner David Balter, grew by two associate attorneys this summer. This expansion serves DP&F’s commitment to delivering effective, efficient, and results-oriented solutions to help clients navigate civil litigation disputes. Leslee Carroll joined DP&F from a firm focused on construction litigation and has experience in all manner of civil litigation, including contract claims, tort actions, and property disputes. She received her law degree from the UC Davis School of Law, and her B.A. from UC Santa Barbara. Leslee is a member of the Richard M. Sangster American Inn of Court and serves on the board of Napa County Women Lawyers. Nick Conti worked in the field of special education law prior to j

We’re proud to share the third annual Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship Impact Report! Since 2015, your support has helped us invest over $436,000 in college scholarships for the children of California’s vineyard and winery workers. These students are breaking new ground—98% are the first in their families to attend college. The road isn’t easy. Three out of four first-generation college students don’t graduate. Many face challenges like limited guidance, financial pressure, and the emotional weight of leaving family behind. That’s why this scholarship does more than cover tuition—it also provides mentorship, helping students stay on track and build a future rooted in service and leadership. Take a look at what we accomplished together last year! ¡También disponible en español! Thank you for your continued support.

Are you interested in an undergraduate or graduate Business degree with a Wine Business Concentration?  You may be eligible to receive a Wine Business Institute (WBI) Inclusive Excellence Scholarship! These scholarships aim to foster diversity by supporting women and individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups who are interested in the wine industry.  Applications are open for the 2025-2026 academic year for both current and incoming Sonoma State students. To apply, complete the WBI Scholarship Online Form by March 30, 2025.  Awards will be announced April 8, 2025. Apply here: sonoma.education/WBI-Scholarship  Email stb@sonoma.edu with questions

The Vineyard Team's Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship Published in Wine Business Monthly February 1, 2025 The Vineyard Team, a non-profit organization, has been around for 30 years, and from the beginning its focus has been on providing education in sustainable winegrowing. "Something that we talk about a lot is the three P's: people, planet and prosperity. The scholarship program is our way of giving back to the people," explained Beth Vukmanic, The Vineyard Team executive director. "And it's really just been wonderful to see it grow over time." Launching in 2015 with money raised from a food and wine event, the scholarship program has since grown, awarding a total of $350,000 in scholarship funds. SHARE THIS OPPORTUNITY Funds for the program now come from direct donations to the scholarship. In 2022 Must! Charities-a Paso Robles-based non-profit that helps fundraise and support programs in the area-decided to make an investment in The Vineyard Team'

Sustainable Ag Expo  I  November 12    I    10:30-11:15 am SmartFarm is an open source computing system that combines advances in AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing to support applications in digital agriculture. SmartFarm simplifies the use of these advances and can run on-farm (to keep farm data private) while it efficiently and intelligently controls on-farm operations (sensing, robotics, irrigation, and others). CE Approved: 1 CCA - PV GET TICKETS --- Chandra Krintz is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) and co-founder and Chief Scientist of AppScale Systems, Inc. She joined the UCSB faculty in 2001 after receiving her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Chandra has led a number of different research projects that have advanced the state-of-the-art in programming and distributed systems in ways that improve performanc

Vineyard Team's Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship Helping Children of Wine Industry Workers Higher education is important to many students but paying for college can be challenging. The Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship makes higher education investments in the children of California's vineyard and winery workers. The majority of awardees are the first in their family to attend college. First-generation students have more barriers when it comes to attaining higher education – they cannot ask their parents how to navigate the system, budgets are often tight, and they can feel guilty for leaving their families. This funding helps students and their families achieve their dream of becoming a college graduate and pursuing a professional career. More Than a Scholarship Because our goal is college success, the program includes multi-year scholarships to trade, two-, or four-year schools. We also provide a dedicated mentor to support the students throughout their collegi

Continuing a Legacy of Learning Vineyard Team proudly announces the selection of six new exceptional recipients of the Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship, continuing its mission of investing in higher education for the children of California's vineyard and winery workers. These students are set to embark on a transformative journey. This year's recipients, all first-generation college students, have been chosen for their academic achievements, financial need, inspiring stories, community involvement, and the potential to make significant contributions to their communities . Among them are a future viticulturist with a commitment to sustainable agriculture, a budding real estate developer with aspirations of owning their own farm one day, and a prospective legislator/politician, passionate about public policy and social justice. Congratulations to This Year’s Recipients: Daisy from Paso Robles, planning to attend California Polytechnic State University. David from Paso Ro

Like wine itself, a career in the wine industry is made through harmony and complexity, and both are created by design. Committed to this ideology is Sonoma State's Wine Business Institute (WBI), an education and research center in the School of Business and Economics with the only undergraduate and master's programs of their kind in the country.  Ray Johnson joined SSU as Director of the WBI in 2010 and will be retiring in May 2024. He was promoted to Executive Director in 2016 after overseeing the construction and opening of the Wine Spectator Learning Center on campus. Under his leadership, the WBI Board of Directors raised over $8 million to create the center. Considered an international leader in wine business education, Johnson said with the North Coast of California producing some of the best wine in the world, the WBI is poised to create student success. "We're in the major leagues here. Consequently, if you get your footsteps into this area, then you'