Vineyard Improvement Program and Empire Brands Opportunity Presented at LERGP Virtual Coffee Pot Meeting

JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK (July 14, 2020) – Coffee Pot meetings have been a staple of the extension work done by the Lake Erie Regional Grape Program for many years. During these meetings researchers and extension associates come together with growers in a relaxed setting to share up-to-date information and advice on how to take care of the issues that arise in their vineyards as well as offering time for the growers to collaborate on what works and what doesn’t work. In addition, pesticide recertification credits are given for both New York and Pennsylvania growers. This year there has been a unique opportunity to move to an online platform by using Zoom to meet with the growers. Although they don’t get the traditional coffee and doughnuts, they are able to hear from a wide array of specialists that can help solve some of the problems they are facing in their vineyards and still get credits!

On July 22, 2020 LERGP will be holding the usual Wednesday morning meeting. At 11:00AM there will be a special presentation about the Vineyard Improvement Program and how growers/landowners can use it to turn an unwanted/underproducing vineyard into a more productive agricultural venture. The Vineyard Improvement Program is a reimbursement program available to owners of Concord vineyards in the Southern Tier, and Chautauqua, Erie (NY) and Niagara counties. It will reimburse applicants up to $3,000 per acre to remove unwanted Concord vineyard(s) and replant another agricultural crop. A representative from Empire Brands will also share their thoughts on the company’s vision to build a better more efficient food system for local agricultural products, how innovation will play a role in a post Covid19 world, and the opportunity for local farms and the promotion of the region.

Senator George Borrello (57th District), who will be among the meeting’s participants, expressed support for the program, noting that “the exchange of information by researchers, extension associates and growers is always important, but it is even more crucial this year as our agricultural sector works through the financial and operational disruptions caused by the pandemic. We are in a time of immense change and those who are informed and engaged will be in the best position to navigate both the challenges and the opportunities. I encourage all those in the Concord grape industry to join this valuable discussion.”

If you are interested in attending this meeting you can register by clicking this link or going to https://lergp.com/ and click on the purple EVENTS button. Click the link there to get signed up.

To view specialists from previous Virtual Coffee Pot meetings, visit https://lergp.com/2020-virtual-coffee-pot-meeting-guest-speakers

The list includes:

  • Dr. Terry Bates – Soil Health and Nutrition
  • Dr. Greg Loeb – Insect Management for Grapes
  • Dr. Katie Gold – Early Season Disease Management
  • Bryan Hed – Early Season Disease Management
  • Heather Leach – Spotted Lanternfly update from Pennsylvania
  • Dr. Terry Bates – Bloom Talk
  • Kevin Martin – Farm Safety Plans
  • Michela Centinari – Under Vine Cover Crops
  • Justine Vanden Heuvel – Canopy Management
  • Misha Kwasniewski – Flavor Development in the Vineyard / Pruning Level Impact on Concord Juice Flavor Development and Optimal Harvest Timing
  • Chris Gerling – Impacts of Late Season Sprays on Wine Quality
  • Dr. Terry Bates – How Grapevines Respond to Drought Conditions
  • The Lake Erie Regional Grape Program is a cooperative effort between Cornell and Penn State Universities; the participating Cornell Cooperative Extension Associations of Chautauqua, Erie, Niagara and Cattaraugus Counties in New York and Erie County in Pennsylvania; and participating industry partners National Grape Cooperative (Welch’s), Constellation Brands and Walkers Fruit Basket. The LERGP extension team provides research-based educational programming for commercial grape growers throughout the year at venues across the Lake Erie grape belt. For more information on LERGP, call 716-792-2800 or visit our website at http://lergp.cce.cornell.edu/

    The LERGP is one of many programs offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County (CCE-Chautauqua). CCE-Chautauqua is a community based educational organization, affiliated with Cornell University, Chautauqua County Government, the NYS SUNY system, and the federal government through the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, call 716-664-9502 or visit our website at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua. Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.

    Contact

    Jennifer Russo
    Team Leader, Viticulturalist
    jjr268@cornell.edu
    716-792-2800 ext 204

    Last updated July 14, 2020