A few quick items to share in this final letter of 2020.
First, a reminder about Monday, Dec. 28. Oregon’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration set next Monday as the due date for three items: a risk assessment, an infection control plan, and employee training on workplace safety standards to minimize COVID-19 incidents. This 18-minute video on OSHA’s temporary rule reflects contributions from wine industry members across the state and was produced to answer some common questions about the rule’s requirements.
Second, we are about three weeks out from the Jan. 15 expiration of deeply discounted advance purchase prices on tickets for the Oregon Wine Symposium. The four-day program, Feb. 16-19, will be held completely online this year and the session summaries are available right here. After you have had a look, register today. Journalists have already begun writing about this year’s Symposium, promoting the wider range of topics and expert speakers made possible by the virtual format.
Next is some rich informational content related to wildfires that may be of interest to growers and winemakers. These recorded sessions from Dec. 8 are provided by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources. There is some material specific to our industry in Session III as well as some insights from experts on the outlook for wildfires in the years ahead and some of the progress being made in dealing with them.
Finally, it just wouldn’t feel like the holidays without a request for your participation in one final 2020 survey. Dr. Jeff Peterson at Linfield University has agreed to be of service once again and is fielding the Oregon wine industry’s salary survey. It requires about 20 minutes to complete, and all data gathered will be kept confidential. No IP addresses are collected from respondents, and no data will be shared with the OWB or any other third party.
In closing, let me express my appreciation for the support and guidance offered to our team at the OWB by industry members during this historic year. The Oregon Wine Board Directors and managers wish you a safe and memorable holiday, which we all deserve more than we have in a long, long time. And we look forward to seeing you in the Zoom room for our first all-industry gathering of the new year on Tuesday, Jan. 12 at 11 a.m. Save the date and look for the registration link in the next Grapevine newsletter on Jan. 5.
President
COVID-19 UPDATES
Reminder: Complete Your Exposure Risk Assessment, Infection Control Plan and Employee Training by Dec. 28
Last month, OR-OSHA implemented its temporary rule on COVID-19 Workplace Risks, which took effect Nov. 16 and continues at least through May 4, 2021. Employers are required to take action by Dec. 28 to prepare their workplaces and employees to help minimize COVID-19 risk.
Governor’s County Status Map Available to Embed
Governor Brown’s office recently launched a new COVID-19 portal displaying county risk categories and infection data, as well as statewide statistics. If your association is looking for an easy way to share county data with consumers, charts from the governor’s portal can be easily embedded into other websites. You can see how the OWB is using it here. The corresponding “Ways to Wine” table was produced by OWB and can be downloaded on OWB’s COVID-19 Toolkit.
MARKETING
Navigate New Instagram Features with Overview from Lunabean Media
Last month, Instagram made meaningful updates that may impact how your business can use the platform to its full potential. Lunabean Media offers a helpful blog post to explain the changes and offer advice on how wineries can adjust and make the most of new features like Reels, Keywords and Guides.
RESEARCH
Participate in the 2021 Oregon Wine Industry Labor Survey | Deadline: Jan. 20
Dr. Jeff Peterson at Linfield University invites all winery and vineyard managers to complete the 2021 Oregon Wine Industry Labor Survey. This will form the basis of the next Oregon Wine Salary Report. The study intends to mirror the Wine Business Monthly salary survey but focuses on Oregon, which is often underrepresented in the WBM report.
December 2020 Weather and Climate Forecast
On Dec. 3, Dr. Greg Jones of Linfield University published an updated weather and climate summary and forecast. This report looks back at November conditions and forecasts conditions for December, January and February.
EDUCATION
Don’t Miss the 2021 Symposium Keynote Speaker, “The Bald Futurist”
Extraordinary times call for extraordinary ways of thinking. Steve Brown, also known as the Bald Futurist, will present a no-holds-barred look at the future of the Oregon wine industry as the 2021 Oregon Wine Symposium’s keynote speaker. Register by Jan. 15 to take advantage of the 20% Early Bird discount.
WISE Academy Offerings for DTC Professionals | Starting Jan. 7
WISE Academy is offering several courses in the new year that may be of interest to direct-to-consumer sales professionals, including DTC Metrics Intensive and Virtual Tasting Fundamentals. Each of these offerings will take place over three sessions during January.
OWRI Webinar Series Recordings Available: Grape Red Blotch Disease
Recordings are now available from the OSU Oregon Wine Research Institute’s recent 8-part webinar series on Grape Red Blotch Disease.
OPPORTUNITIES
SevenFifty Offering Discount to Oregon Wineries | Deadline: Dec. 31
SevenFifty is an online marketplace and communications platform that helps importers, producers, distributors and retail buyers connect with each other. Any Oregon winery can unlock a 10% discount on a new account through Dec. 31. Contact Gia Bosco for more information.
Share Your Community’s Story with the OWB
The Oregon wine industry is full of clubs, committees, co-ops, partnerships, friends and neighbors. We want to get to know you and your community. One Tuesday afternoon each month, the OWB team will host representatives of 3-4 wineries for a 90-minute virtual happy hour. Sign up to share what brings you all together, your collective goals, challenges and, of course, your wines.
OTHER NEWS
2020 Vintage Reports: North Willamette Valley, Rogue Valley and Umpqua Valley
On Dec. 15, Dr. Greg Jones of Linfield University published a series of 2020 vintage reports for the North Willamette Valley, the Rogue Valley and the Umpqua Valley. The reports, which come from weather, phenology and grower comments from locations in each region, are available on the Industry Resources page of the Evenstad Center for Wine Education at Linfield University.
Oregon Micro Fund Accepting Loan Applications
USDA Rural Development renewed its investment in the Oregon Micro Fund (OMF), which provides loans up to $250,000 for businesses in rural Oregon focusing on craft beverages. OMF not only provides working capital but also invests time and resources in entrepreneurs and small business owners to ensure long-term success. OMF is now accepting loan applications. For more information, contact Quinton Jay.
Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Application Period Open | Deadline: Jan. 29
The Oregon Department of Agriculture is now accepting proposals for the USDA’s 2021 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Approximately $1.5 million is expected to be available to agriculture industry associations, producer groups, processors, commodity commissions, non-profits, for-profits, and local government agencies in Oregon. The application deadline is noon on Jan. 29.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The OWB’s industry website hosts a calendar that includes industry-facing events as well as events with significant industry participation. Consult it when scheduling or rescheduling events to avoid conflicts, and don’t forget to post entries as well.
Links to post to both the industry calendar and the OWB’s consumer-facing calendar can be found here.
