Thank you to those who attended last week’s Oregon Wine Symposium. You helped set another all-time record for seminar and technical session attendance.
To make sure you are on our distribution list for the slide presentations delivered at Symposium, and to help us make next year’s event even better, please give us your feedback via this online survey.
And if you wanted one last chance to give your input for the vineyard and winery salary survey previewed at Symposium, click here today. It’s not too late for your data which will help Linfield’s Jeff Peterson develop a valid and reliable snapshot of compensation levels specific to Oregon for a range of vineyard and winery positions.
Finally, for those who heard the Wine Board’s brief marketing overview at Symposium last Tuesday, here is an updated Oregon Wine Month toolkit which now includes the Oregon Wine Month webinar presented just last Friday. Oregon Wine Month starts in just nine weeks.
OWA Government Relations Director Jana McKamey has worked with water management experts and attorneys at Davis Wright Tremaine to get ahead of a critical issue relevant to Oregon wineries: wastewater handling and disposal. Here is Jana’s summary of the steps OWA has taken over the past few months on behalf of all winery owners regardless of whether or not they are OWA members:
“The state’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is renewing the 1400A and 1400B General Water Quality Permits. The permits allow wineries to beneficially reuse process wastewater (1400A) or discharge process wastewater to a subsurface disposal system (1400B). Currently, around 130 Oregon wineries hold a 1400A or 1400B permit, although many more may need one but have not yet applied and will want to do so after DEQ begins renewing permits.
Key proposed changes include establishing a threshold level of minor activities that do not require a permit, requiring permit holders to submit an annual report to DEQ, new setback restrictions for land application of process wastewater, and treatment of stormwater that mixes with wastewater. Additionally, for the 1400B permit the revisions include process wastewater strength limitations for land application and increased monitoring for potential pollutants in process wastewater.
On Feb. 2, the OWA submitted comprehensive public comments related to the proposed permit revisions on behalf of the industry to highlight areas of concern. It’s important to note that DEQ is not going to undertake enforcement action while the permits are being renewed. While current 1400A and 1400B permits expired on Oct. 31, 2017, these will remain in effect until DEQ notifies the winery that the permits have been renewed. Wineries that should have a permit but do not are advised to wait until DEQ issues the new permits before seeking permit coverage.”
Shifting the focus now to Salem and news from this year’s legislative session, Jana and OWA’s lobbyist, Dan Jarman from Crosswater Strategies, are lacing up for a victory lap as soon as Governor Brown signs House Bill 4088 into law. This measure passed unanimously in both chambers of our state legislature. It was sponsored by legislative wine caucus Co-chair Rep. Paul Holvey and establishes some fundamental protections for winery owners who have sometimes had to endure aggressive and intrusive business interruptions from those challenging the music selections playing in winery tasting rooms. These agents represent music composers and performers and, according to the new state law, will:
Be required to publish a searchable online database of the specific artists they represent;
Be prohibited from badgering business owners at home or after hours;
Potentially be referred to the winery’s attorney at the discretion of the business owner;
Be subject to a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation.
We’ll keep you updated with further news on HB 4088 and other items of interest as this year’s 35-day legislative session moves toward conclusion next month.
Thank you again to all the winemakers and growers who attended Symposium and remain so actively engaged in our statewide wine enterprise.
Cheers,
Tom Danowski
President
Oregon Wine Board
SYMPOSIUM
Share Your Feedback to Access Symposium Content
Thank you to all who attended the 2018 Oregon Wine Symposium this week. The Oregon Wine Board relies on the constructive feedback and perspectives of attendees to build a valuable experience for all who participate year after year. Please take the survey by March 2. Everyone who attended the Symposium and completes the survey will gain access to the presentations and video recordings by mid-March. Take the survey.
MARKETING
Oregon Wine Month POS Orders Due March 1
To ensure we have professionally printed material ready and shipped to your tasting rooms and distributors in early April, Oregon Wine Month POS orders must be received by March 1. Order forms for both wineries and distributors can be found on the toolkit, along with all Oregon Wine Month assets and program elements. Order POS now.
Submit Oregon Wine Month Association Events and Promotions
If your AVA or association is having a special event or promotion in April or May please share those event details with Kai McMurtry by March 9. Multi-winery events or promotions provide both OWB and media with events that can be promoted on a broader scale. Submitted events will be include in our Oregon Wine Month featured events page, which will receive focused promotion to our owned channels. Read more.
New 2018 Oregon Wine Touring Guide Available
The 2018 Oregon Wine Touring Guide is available now for complimentary order and delivery. This third edition of the guide is packed with new photography, editorial content and updated listings for more than 500 tasting rooms across the state. The 2018 guide is for wineries, hotels and other tourism related businesses. Order your case.
Oregon Wine Video Produced by GuildSomm
The launch of “The Wines of Oregon” video marks the culmination of a year-long partnership between the Oregon Wine Board and GuildSomm to produce multimedia Oregon wine educational resources for the trade. Learn more about this partnership and watch video.
EDUCATION
Fourth Annual Southern Oregon Grape Symposium March 13
The fourth annual Southern Oregon Grape Symposium is scheduled for Mar. 13. The program will be held at Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center in Central Point. The cost to attend is $25 for Rogue Valley Winegrowers Association members and $50 for non-members. View the schedule and register.
OWB Presents Three WISE Academy Sales Workshops in April
OWB is pleased to offer WISE Academy Seven Secrets of Sales sessions, which cover: leveraging your brand, understanding the buyers’ continuum, positive profiling, building rapport, buying signals, codifying your sales successes, wine club features & benefits, asking for the order & capturing data. Registration opens March 1, and the course will be offered April 16, 17 and 18 in different locations. Choose your date.
OWB Grape & Wine Profit Calculator Workshop Registrations Open
OWB is proud to open registration for the Grape & Wine Profit Calculator workshops taking place March 26-28. The Profit Calculator tool was developed specifically for Oregon producers and is free to all Oregon producers. Built with the help of Oregon grape growers, winemakers, sales managers and data from the annual census report, this tool is a first for Oregon’s wine industry and was developed by OWB Education Manager, Bree Boskov MW, in conjunction with Tim Hanni MW and his wine business simulator program. Learn more and register.
RESEARCH
February 2018 Weather and Climate Forecast
On Feb. 5, Dr. Greg Jones of Linfield College published an updated weather and climate summary and forecast. This report looks back at January conditions, provides an updated drought watch, and forecasts conditions for February, March and April. Read the report.
Research Update: Grape Powdery Mildew Management – Fungicide Timing and Selection
Dr. Walt Mahaffee, Research Plant Pathologist USDA-ARS-HCRL, has prepared an update on research he is leading into Grape Powedry Mildew fungicide application and optimization. This project receives funding from the Oregon Wine Board as part of its viticulture and enology research grant program. Read Dr. Mahaffee’s update.
Oregon Wine Economic Impact Study – Your Participation Needed
The OWB requests your active participation in updating our industry’s Economic Impact Study. This update, conducted every three years, provides documented evidence of our industry’s importance to the state’s economy. Only aggregated data gathered in these surveys will be used and no individual winery or vineyard data will be shared. Learn more and take the survey.
Participate in the Oregon Wine Industry Salary Survey
The OWB and Linfield College are joining forces to conduct the first Oregon-centric salary study of the wine industry. Please participate in this anonymous survey so that the data collected are as robust as possible. Aggregated data will be shared at the Oregon Wine Symposium. The deadline to take the survey is Feb. 9. Learn more and get survey link.
CALLS FOR WINE
Calls for Wine Submissions: March
There are many opportunities to get your wines in front of more people this spring, including influential global trials such as the Decanter World Wine Awards or the Cascadia International Wine Competition. New opportunities are listed with media too, such as Wine & Spirits, Wine Press Northwest and more. View all opportunities and details.
OPPORTUNITIES
Regional Cooperative Tourism Program Grant Funding Available
The Oregon Coast Visitors Association (OCVA), Willamette Valley Visitors Association (WVVA) and Central Oregon Visitors Association (COVA) have developed and launched grant programs funded through Travel Oregon’s Regional Cooperative Tourism Program to enhance, expand and promote the visitor industry. Applications are currently being accepted for all three programs. Learn more about each organization’s grant opportunities at their respective links above.
OTHER NEWS
List or Search Grapes for Sale on the Marketplace
If you are looking for a buyer for your grapes, or are interested in buying grapes, don’t forget to check out the Marketplace on the OWB’s industry website. The Marketplace also includes listings for bulk wine, real estate, equipment and job opportunities. Post items for sale or visit the Marketplace to search items for sale.
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