August 2026

Sheep’s wool as a compostable cover*

People often ask me if I use AI to put together NGRA’s monthly newsletter. The answer is no. To the degree that it’s possible to produce a digital product manually, that’s how it’s done.

The newsletter is the result of all the grape-research-related things I’ve seen, read or experienced throughout the preceding month. Basically, if I found something interesting (or it seems like others did), I figure you might, too! I write substantially all of the article summaries, highlighting the scientific aspects of each piece. Two wine writers—Kathleen Willcox and Robin Shreeves, whose bylines you may see in the popular wine press and in communications from the New York Wine & Grape Foundation—help proofread and format the newsletter for publication each month.

What’s in This Issue?

Scroll down for these stories and more

• Senators support spotted lanternfly research
• ASHS honors grape scientists
• Sheep’s wool as mulch?
• Podcast-style news roundup

Have I tried using AI? Of course. I’ve fed some articles into an AI app to see how well it could summarize them. I was deeply disappointed—and disturbed—by how many things it got things wrong…and made up. For example, it assumed an article about swarming drone technology was about bees! I realize that some of AI’s failure here has to do with user-error—e.g., I could probably learn to give it better prompts. But there will always be the need to check its work, which seems just as time-consuming as writing the copy myself. As it stands now, there’s no way I could use AI to produce a publication that wouldn’t embarrass us or betray your trust as a reader. (Never mind the stark warning Bill Gates issued this month regarding the impact AI will have on society and the world if left unchecked.)

But I do know others using AI to great effect. Grape pathologist Katie Gold, ag engineer Yu Jiang and their team at Cornell have created the Aleks agentic AI system to “integrate domain knowledge, data analysis and machine learning…to autonomously conduct data-driven scientific discovery.” They view Aleks as an “autonomous collaborator” helping to enrich and accelerate their research. “Once provided with a research question and dataset,” they explain, “Aleks iteratively formulated problems, explored alternative modeling strategies, and refined solutions across multiple cycles without human intervention.”

And check out this short video, “How I Use AI in Extension Work,” by extension enologist Andreea Botezatu at Texas A&M Agrilife Extension. She explains how she uses AI tools to transform complex technical research into accessible resources like fact sheets, podcasts and visual aids for her wine-industry stakeholders, “reducing friction in communication.” Note that it’s impossible to tell if she’s narrating the video or if it’s AI. (Watch the clip to find out.)

Two grape growers I talked with this month said they love the NGRA newsletter. “But it’s a lot,” they admitted. So, when another colleague told me that, rather than reading long documents she needs to be conversant on for meetings, she uses an AI app to give her an auditory brief while walking her dog, I had a thought. Maybe there’s another way AI could help with the NGRA newsletter—not to make it easier to produce, but to make it more palatable to consume.

So, please jump down to the In the News section (or just click here) for a beta test of a podcast-style summary, about 23 minutes long, of the science headlines we cover this month. If you’re a farmer who’d enjoy geeking out to grape research news while you’re driving the tractor, this functionality is for you! Will this feature be available every month? Will we try a different flavor of AI next month—like straight narration vs. this conversational style? Will we use AI to voice more—or all—of future editions? It all depends on you and your feedback! So, take a listen and let me know what you think!

This month, a multi-state group of U.S. senators introduced the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act to designate the spotted lanternfly a significant threat to our nation’s agricultural economy and a high-priority research initiative for the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The senators backing the bill are John Fetterman (D-PA), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). SLF is not only a threat to grapes but also fruit and nut crops, hops and more than 80 other agricultural crops. The breadth of its palate is expected to boost the chances of the Act’s passage.

Prior to leaving for the August recess, the Senate passed a continuing resolution (CR) to extend government funding through Dec. 11, 2026. Its version would delay the OMB rule on federal grant funding until that date, versus the effective date of Oct. 1, 2026, noted on the Federal Register. The House previously passed its own CR that would extend funding through Dec. 4, but did not address the OMB rule. Congress will have three weeks after they return from the recess to finalize a funding agreement before the federal fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. In the meantime, in late June, the National Science Foundation issued guidance on its own grant awards, which appears to apply many of the detrimental new OMB policies in advance of their passage.

USDA Asked to Help NY Grape Growers After Concord Contracts Canceled

In March, Refresco, a major processor of Concord and Niagara grapes, canceled all of its contracts with 126 growers across New York and Pennsylvania in the Lake Erie region. In a June letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) wrote, “Many of these growers contracted exclusively with Refresco and, without a buyer, now face the prospect of scaling back vineyard maintenance, suspending operations or abandoning Concord grape production entirely.”

On Aug. 25, Senator Schumer visited the Cornell Lake Erie Research and Extension Laboratory, calling on USDA to purchase Concord grape juice under Section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, which authorizes USDA to use “bonus buys” to stabilize agricultural markets, support vulnerable communities and supply nutritious food to those in need, as through school lunch programs. New York’s Chautauqua County is the leading grape-producing county in the state and the largest grape-growing county east of the Rocky Mountains. The Lake Erie Grape Belt region contributes upwards of $300 million in economic impact, and supports a fruit and vegetable processing industry that employs over 5,000 workers.

A weekly newsletter editorial this month by Research!America President and CEO Russ Paulsen raises the alarm about America’s scientific talent-in-training. “With the current climate of instability facing researchers in the U.S., it’s no surprise that our talented pipeline is looking fragile,” he writes. He cites a July 2026 study by the Association of American Universities (AAU) showing that major research universities accepted 15% fewer applicants to doctoral programs this fall vs. last fall. Another AAU survey of Ph.D. students found that only 44% said they would stay in academia. ”In the short term, this is harmful to local economies around the country that depend on a robust university presence. In the long term, this hamstrings our nation’s capacity for future innovation and discoveries,” he writes.

NGRA Brings Grape Perspective to NASA Meeting

More than 100 researchers, farmers, extension professionals, and industry leaders, including NGRA President Donnell Brown and Research Chair Nick Dokoozlian (GALLO), gathered for the 2026 NASA Acres Science Meeting, July 15-16, 2026, at the University of Maryland. Participants shared scientific advances, discussed emerging technologies, and identified new opportunities for NASA Earth observation science to better serve American agriculture.

The meeting opened with welcome remarks from NASA Earth Science Division Director Karen St. Germain, who emphasized NASA’s long-standing commitment to supporting U.S. agriculture through Earth observations and the importance of partnerships in translating scientific discoveries into practical solutions. As part of the joint farmer-researcher plenary session exploring where scientific capabilities and on-farm priorities intersect, Donnell introduced Katie Gold (Cornell) for her talk on how remote sensing can provide earlier awareness of grape diseases. The meeting concluded with collaborative breakout sessions where participants identified emerging scientific opportunities, discussed future research priorities and explored new partnerships. 

NASA Acres is NASA’s consortium designed to bridge the gap from space-to-farm and education-to-impact in U.S. agriculture. Launched in 2023, it is led and implemented by the University of Maryland in close partnership with NASA’s Agriculture Program Area. NGRA is a proud member of the consortium.

ASHS Recognizes Grape Scientists

Several grape researchers received well-earned recognition from the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) this summer. Huge congratulations to:

ASHS Career Awardees

Peter Cousins, GALLO – Outstanding Industry Scientist
This award recognizes a horticultural crops scientist working in the private sector who has made outstanding and valuable contributions to horticultural science, the horticultural industry, and the horticultural profession for a period of 10 or more years.

Amit Dhingra, Texas A&M University – Outstanding Researcher
With this award, ASHS recognizes a horticultural crops scientist who has had an outstanding record in research on one or more horticultural crops and in one or more areas of horticultural research for a period of 10 or more years.

Lifetime Achievement Awardee

John Clark, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of Arkansas

Here, ASHS recognizes an individual who has made exceptional, sustained and transformative contributions to the field of horticultural science throughout their career, and significantly advanced the understanding, practice and impact of horticulture, leaving a legacy in research, education, leadership, and/or public service. John’s legacy includes both the genetic improvement of fruit crops, including grapes and muscadines, and the development of a workable funding model to help ensure the future of public breeding programs, ASHS says.

AWRI’s Mark Krstic to Step Down

Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) Managing Director Dr. Mark Krstic will step down at the end of 2026, following seven years of leadership and a total of 15 years of service to the organization. Mark became Managing Director in December 2019, and “has led the AWRI through a period of considerable challenges and change, maintaining focus on practical, industry-relevant science and support,” the AWRI said in its announcement. “Mark has been a strong advocate for innovation and applied science, with a consistent focus on ensuring research outcomes translate into real-world benefits” for the Australian wine industry.

American grape stakeholders may know Mark for his longstanding role in smoke taint research and emergency response. He led the AWRI’s response to major bushfire events in 2013, 2019 and 2020, and he and his team have openly collaborated with U.S. smoke exposure researchers to find solutions to this growing global issue.

Join UC ANR Cooperative Extension

A UC ANR Cooperative Extension Viticulture Advisor position is now open for the Northern San Joaquin Valley. This position will be headquartered in San Joaquin County with regional responsibilities in southern Sacramento County (the Lodi Appellation) and Stanislaus County. This Extension- and outreach-focused academic position offers the opportunity to develop applied research and educational programs, work closely with the grape and wine industry, and help address production challenges through science-based solutions. Learn more and apply by Sept. 22, 2026.

Work on Grapevine Viruses in Canada

The Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) at Brock University in Canada seeks a Senior Scientist in Grapevine Virology. The university is looking for an experienced scientist with a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology, Plant Production, Agriculture Engineering or related areas with a focus on grapevine viruses, pathogen eradication from grapevine, grapevine plant propagation and germplasm maintenance. Reporting to the CCOVI Director, this virologist will lead and participate in applied and field research, and as well as outreach activities to support the Canadian grape and wine industry. Learn more and apply by Sept. 18, 2026.

George Fox University Doctor of Business Administration candidate Carl Hays is asking members of the wine grape industry for their participation on a survey central to his dissertation examining why grape growers adopt some agricultural technology innovations while rejecting others. Hays’ dissertation uses automated wine grape yield estimation as a real-world case for studying this problem. “Even if you have little interest in automated yield estimation—or are skeptical of agricultural technology—that perspective is equally valuable,” Carl writes. Participate in the survey.

Sheep’s Wool: A Natural, Sustainable Mulch in Vineyards?

By Raoul Ferrer i Fernández

As climatic conditions create more frequent and intense drought episodes, efficient water resource management and improved soil health have become key challenges for the agricultural producers. At the same time, the livestock sector, especially sheep farming, faces a structural problem related to wool management, a byproduct that, in many cases, has lost its commercial value and becomes a waste product with difficult disposal options.

Sheep’s wool, traditionally associated with textiles, has physical and chemical properties that make it potentially useful for agriculture, especially as a novel mulch material. Among these properties are its high water absorption and retention capacity, nutrient content—especially nitrogen, and biodegradability, which allows for gradual integration into the soil without generating polluting waste.

In recent years, various studies have shown the potential of wool to improve water use efficiency, reduce soil evaporation, regulate soil temperature and promote soil biological activity. These effects are especially relevant in woody crops such as grapevines, where water availability significantly influences the crop’s vegetative and productive development.

Furthermore, the use of wool as agricultural mulch is fully aligned with the principles of regenerative agriculture and the circular economy, as it allows for the revaluation of a local livestock byproduct, reduces dependence on synthetic materials such as agricultural plastics, and contributes to improving the resilience of agricultural systems to climate change.

So, the author, a research pioneer on the use of wool cover-cropping in Spain and Europe, conducted trials over three years on different types of crops. These included grapevines, where a 10-month pilot test in 2025 yielded positive results.

Methodology

A vineyard with poor soils at Binitord, a sustainably farmed winery estate on the Spanish island of Menorca, was specially selected for the vineyard test plot. The trial, funded and supported by the Leader Illa de Menorca Association, began on January 22, 2025. First, weeds were knocked down via inter-row weeder, both in the rows intended for wool mulching and in the control rows without any cover. Then the wool was arranged manually, longitudinally along the crop lines, covering a total of six rows, with the existing drip irrigation lines under the wool layer. Approximately 162 kg of sheep wool was used—an adequate amount to ensure sufficient soil coverage and assess agronomic effects.

Real-time monitoring tools were used to measure soil temperature and moisture. Soil temperature and moisture sensors recorded data every 30 minutes, which were then stored in the data logger. The data logger sent this data hourly to a Globalsens cloud platform. A flow meter recorded the amount of water used during the pilot test. A technical partner, the company IG4 Andalucía, provided technical support and sensor monitoring for the project.

The Results

It should be noted that, in woody perennials like grapevines, the effects of changing management practices typically more become apparent in the medium to long term. Even so, positive effects were observed, particularly in the soil-plant system:

• The wool cover significantly improved water retention and infiltration in the soil, achieving moisture increases of up to +15% at a depth of 5 cm after rain or irrigation, compared to increases of less than +9% in soil without cover, while reducing evaporation and compaction.
• It acted as a natural thermal insulator, significantly reducing soil temperature fluctuations. During critical periods, such as June, uncovered soil experienced day-night temperature variations of up to +5.8°C; with wool, these fluctuations wre reduced to only +1.7°C, providing greater thermal stability in both winter and summer and promoting the resilience of the soil and the crop to extreme temperature events.
• It was highly effective in controlling weeds, maintaining weed incidence below 10-15% throughout the season and below 5% during the first six months.
• No significant differences were observed in either vegetative development or grape production. However, qualitative and visual differences could be seen in the bunches from vines with wool.
• As a slow-decomposing material, the wool was seen to undergo a progressive process of integration into the soil, especially in the fraction in direct contact with moisture, favored by the presence of actinomycetes and greater microbiological activity.
• A significant improvement in soil fertility, structure and nutrient availability was observed compared to soil without cover, highlighting its potential as a soil regeneration tool in viticulture.
• Soil chromatography confirmed that the wool covering improved soil structure and reduced compaction compared to the bare soil.

Clearly, the physicochemical properties of sheep’s wool—high water retention capacity, nitrogen content, and biodegradability—make it a potentially suitable material for use as agricultural cover crops in woody crops like grapevine. It also has potential applications for horticultural crops, ecological restoration, reforestation and soil stabilization after wildfires.

The author, Raoul Ferrer i Fernández, is an agricultural engineer, who holds a master's degree in Organic Agriculture, and works as an agricultural advisor specializing in holistic management, regenerative agriculture, wool application and agricultural technologies. He is recognized as a leading European and international specialist in wool mulch applications for agriculture and has been joined in this work by research centers and agricultural entities.

This story was lightly edited from the beautifully photographed original, titled “Comprueban Las Ventajas Del Uso De Lana De Oveja Como Cobertura Natural Y Sostenible En Viñedos” (or “Verifying the Advantages of Using Sheep's Wool as a Natural and Sustainable Covering in Vineyards”), posted April 3, 2026, on the digital wine journal, Punto Vid. Read it here. For a deeper dive, see the final research report, presented to the funding agency, Leader Illa de Menorca Association, Feb. 5, 2026. 

Funding Opportunities

Plant Protection Act (PPA) Section 7721

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is now accepting submissions for funding through two programs authorized under PPA 7721:

• The Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Program (PPDMDPP) supports projects that safeguard plant health by expanding surveillance, improving detection and helping communities respond quickly to emerging plant pest threats. PPDMDPP FY27 funding is set at $80 million. Project suggestions are due by Sept. 21, 2026.
• USDA also will invest $10 million to support the National Clean Plant Network (NCPN), which provides growers with healthy, disease-free propagation material for high-value specialty crops such as berries, grapes, citrus, fruit trees, hops, sweet potatoes and roses. NCPN project submissions are due by Oct. 19, 2026.

APHIS will host virtual training sessions throughout the open period to help users navigate the submission process. Click the links above for dates.

California Specialty Crop Block Grants

Each year, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) conducts a two-phase competitive solicitation process to award Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funds to projects that enhance the competitiveness of California specialty crops, including grapes. Grant awards will range from $100,000 to $600,000 per project; projects may last for up to two years and eight months. Non-profit and for-profit organizations; local, state, federal, and Tribal government entities; and public and private colleges and universities are eligible to apply. Phase one concept proposals for 2027 SCBGP funding are due by Sept. 21, 2026.

Penn State Plant Industry Grants

Penn State Extension and the Center for Plant Excellence is offering $133,937 in grant funding to support projects that grow career pipelines into the plant industries, address invasive species and plant health threats, strengthen business resilience and innovation, and expand industry visibility. Two funding tracks are offered. Track A is for R&D universities and colleges, agricultural extension programs, and agricultural high schools; deadline to apply is Nov. 4, 2026. Track B and is for career development by Pennsylvania-based employers, farms, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations; deadline is Oct. 5, 2026.

National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship

The USDA-NIFA NNF program provides funding to support outstanding new graduate (master’s or doctoral) students in building science competencies through research and extension/outreach activities, and completing their degrees in the food and agricultural sciences, helping to further USDA’s mission to increase the pipeline of domestic agricultural students. Fellows must be new graduate students, and citizens, nationals or permanent residents of the United States. Deadline to apply is Oct. 15, 2026.

Applying for a grant? Request a letter of support!

NGRA is pleased to provide letters of support for research projects that directly address our industry research priorities. Request a letter via our online request form at least two weeks prior to the grant deadline (or any internal deadline you may have). Late requests are not accepted.

Automated Platform for Sustainable Vineyard Pest Management 

Aug. 21, 2026 | Oregon Wine Research Institute

Computer scientists and entomologists at Oregon State University are collaborating on research to develop a precise pheromone-mediated pest disruption solution for vineyards. It combines species-specific pheromones with a sticky, slow-release oleo-gel formulation that can be distributed throughout a vineyard in small droplets. Rather than killing pests directly, the pheromones interfere with mate-finding behavior, helping suppress populations while using very small amounts of targeted, non-toxic material. It’s one of several cool projects that received seed funding from Oregon State. 

Why Great Wine Isn’t Enough: The Science of Liking 

Aug. 20, 2026 | Sustainable Winegrowing with Vineyard Team

Tune into the fascinating science behind what we like and don’t like in this Vineyard Team podcast with Zata Vickers, professor of Food Science and Nutrition and director of the Sensory Center at the University of Minnesota. Research with babies indicates that there are some taste sensations—sweet and savory flavors, in particular—we innately like; bitterness, not so much. Wine has qualities we aren’t naturally drawn to, including “trigeminal sensations” like “the burn of alcohol or the bite of carbon dioxide,” she says. But repeated exposure, positive social experiences and even the words used to describe wine influence our preferences. 

Dr. Universe Explains How Wind Moves

Aug. 20, 2026 | WSU Insider

Ever wonder what makes the wind move? A 10-year-old from North Carolina did and asked Washington State University’s cartoon cat scientist, Dr. Universe, to explain. Wind is air moving from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure—differences that form because the sun heats Earth’s surface unevenly, causing warm air to rise and cooler, denser air to sink. And “wind does important jobs,” says Dr. Universe. It helps to “regulate the temperature, moves moisture in the air so it rains, and it can blow away smog and wildfire smoke.”

Pest Known for Carrying Grapevine Killing Disease Spreads in California

Aug. 18, 2026 | Wine Spectator

Following the July incident in which glassy-winged sharpshooters were found in nursery shipments to Costco locations in California, the Pierce’s disease-spreading pests continue to cause concern. While state officials have yet to find GWSS in commercial vineyards, a confirmed find in a nursery in San Luis Obispo county on August 4 turned up the heat. CDFA committed $820,000 in emergency funding to support inspections and trapping for at least three years. California’s two U.S. senators, Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, asked USDA for $32 million in emergency funds to trace and trap the pests, but the request was rejected.

Pierce’s Disease Is Knocking at Europe’s Door

Aug. 17, 2026 | SevenFifty Daily

Europe’s first incidence of Pierce’s disease was on the Spanish island of Mallorca in 2016. A single infected grapevine in Portugal in 2023 signaled its arrival on the mainland. Historically, European winters were too cold for the pathogen to survive, but researchers now estimate that 41.2% of European vineyards are at climate risk of PD, up from 21.8% in previous models. Scientists fear that “by the time symptoms become obvious, the pathogen may already be established.”

‘Dakota Primus’: A Resilient White Wine Cultivar for Northern United States Agroclimatic Challenges

Aug. 14, 2026 | HortScience

Research led by Harlene Hatterman-Valenti and the NDSU Grape Germplasm Enhancement Project led to the official release of a new cold-hardy white winegrape designed for North Dakota’s tough growing conditions. Called Dakota Primus, its bud freezing tolerance is −32.4 °C, it breaks bud later in the season, shows low disease incidence in unsprayed field trials, and offers good wine quality with balanced sugar and acidity, and a citrus-forward profile featuring lemon and apricot notes.

Managing Spotted Lanternfly with Biological Control

Aug. 6, 2026 | Sustainable Winegrowing with Vineyard Team

Anne Johnson, a postdoctoral researcher/entomologist at Michigan State University, shares new research on spotted lanternfly showing that there are natural “generalist predators” for the invasive pest, predominantly arthropods like spiders and praying mantises. Despite SLF’s bright coloration (nature’s “do not eat” danger signal), the scientific team found that birds will eat the pest, but only if it hasn’t been feeding on its preferred host, tree of heaven. More reason to remove tree of heaven—having birds help manage populations of SLF!

Northwest Wildfire Season Accelerates Rapidly

Aug. 3, 2026 | Northwest Wine Report

Last weekend (Aug. 1-2), the Spokane (WA) Complex Fire burned thousands of acres and 700 structures; some 60,000 people were evacuated. It is said to be the worst disaster in Spokane’s history. It also was the first time the National Weather Service issued its highest-level fire weather warning—Particularly Dangerous Situation—in the state. (The warning also applied to Oregon.) More than a dozen large wildfires are burning in Washington and 30 in Oregon. More than 1.7 million acres have already burned in Oregon this year.

Study Finds California Farmland Is Sinking Shockingly Fast

Aug. 2, 2026 | SFGate

A UCLA-led study found that, based on satellite observations, land sank as much as three feet in California’s Sacramento Valley from 2020 to 2022 due to increased groundwater pumping and did not rebound after those drought years. The rapid and extensive land subsidence points to a loss of storage capacity in the aquifer system in the region, and could indicate the Central Valley’s water problems could be spreading north. Land has sunk by as much as 30 feet in the San Joaquin Valley farther south.

America Hits Major Marijuana Milestone as Daily Weed Use Surpasses Daily Drinking

Aug. 2, 2026 | Fox News

According to the 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 21.4 million Americans use marijuana daily or nearly every day. Strangely, the annual federal survey applies to Americans age 12 and older, but shows that higher marijuana use is driven mostly by adults. The number of people aged 18 and over who use marijuana daily or almost daily is 20.9 million. Regardless, daily marijuana users vastly outnumber those who smoke cigarettes (19.9 million) or consume alcohol (17.2 million) every day. However, alcohol remains the most widely used substance overall. During the previous month, about 129 million people drank alcohol vs. 43.8 million used weed.

Impacts of Alcohol and Maturity on Sensory Traits

August 2026 | Practical Winery & Vineyard Journal in WineBusiness Monthly

Research led by Jim Harbertson at WSU addresses gaps in many de-alcoholization studies by isolating the influence of alcohol concentration from grape maturity to shape wine aroma and sensory perception. Using Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon wines, then controlling harvest timing and using both pre- and post-fermentation alcohol adjustments, the team found that winemakers may have more flexibility to meet demand for lower alcohol while minimizing the loss of aroma intensity or varietal character.

Can Vineyard ‘Mothballing’ Help Growers Weather Wine Market Collapse?

July 31, 2026 | UC ANR Food Blog

UCCE Viticulture Advisor Christopher Chen is studying the effects of mothballing, helping grape growers understand the path to putting vineyards on pause and bringing them back online. In the first year of his research in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, he’s made several significant observations about mothball-type management: 1) pests come back immediately; 2) the vines don’t appear to be water-stressed as a result of not pruning or managing the canopy; and 3) berry development slows under mothballing conditions—without pruning, there are more shoots and clusters and thus more berries, but they are smaller and with less sugar accumulation.

Why Is the Winegrape Crop in Some Parts of CA So Small This Year?

July 31, 2026 | CAWG via Substack

NGRA member-organization the California Association of Winegrape Growers sets forth several reasons why winegrape yields in some CA regions may be down as much as 50% this harvest. Hot weather during bloom, followed by a more seasonal cool, wet spring and ensuing flower shatter play a large role. Plus, “after a season with a heavier than usual crop like 2025, grapevines tend to regulate themselves by producing a lighter crop the following year,” they explain. In the context of the wine industry’s many challenges, they note, “perhaps nature working in tandem with California’s growers will help rebalance the supply of winegrapes.”

The Economic and Cultural Stakes of Losing Ancient Vine-Training Systems

July 30, 2026 | SevenFifty Daily

From the alberata of Italy, to the hoyo system of Spanish island of Lanzarote, to Spain’s pergola method, known locally as emparrado, and pergola-alberata hybrid bellussera system, many of the world’s historical trellising methods are disappearing. They require too much labor and traditional know-how, and are not easily mechanized. But “their decline mutates historic landscapes (and) weakens local economies by eroding a distinctive attraction for visitors; diminishes cultural heritage through the loss of ancestral knowledge; and reduces the very viticultural diversity that’s proving essential in adapting to climate change, SevenFifty Daily reports.

The Grapevines All Around Us

July 28, 2026 | New York Botanical Garden

Due to ongoing challenges from climate change, invasive pests and more, vineyards increasingly rely on hybrids of V. vinifera and North American species for resistance. Plus, most wine, raisins and table grapes anywhere in the world come from grapevines grafted onto North American rootstocks. But many populations of wild species are disappearing as their natural habitats are lost to highways and houses, and most of the species are poorly represented in botanic gardens and other repositories. We are in serious danger of losing future opportunities to capitalize on these valuable genetic assets. A group of conservationists seeks to protect and preserve them. 

The Secret to a Cooler Fruit Zone? Vineyard Netting

July 27, 2026 | SevenFifty Daily

Vine netting is no longer used only to protect ripening clusters against hail, birds and other pests. Positioning netting around the fruit zone can temper heat and solar radiation, moderate ripening, and protect acids, anthocyanins and fruit quality in the critical lead-up to harvest. But netting also can alter the berry microclimate and create favorable conditions for disease. Understanding the tradeoffs can help grape growers successfully deploy “one of viticulture’s most versatile climate adaptation tools.”

Resource Announcement: Disease Resistant Grape Breeding Website

July 22, 2026 | Cornell CALS

The Cornell Grape Breeding Program led by Maddy Oravec has an extension mission to provide industry stakeholders with educational resources regarding disease resistance and new variety performance in grapevine—and to involve them in the development of needed new varieties. It also has a Ph.D. candidate, Aliyah Brewer, who identified a critical gap in the availability of current and accessible online extension resources in plant breeding and genetics. Through an Extension and Outreach Assistantship at Cornell AgriTech, she developed the Disease Resistant Grape Breeding website that launched in July. It serves wine consumers, viticulturists and winemakers, and supports research for other grape breeding programs, too. 

5 Wine Myths Debunked by a Texas A&M Wine Scientist

July 8, 2026 | AgriLife Today

Did you know that dried apricots and cranberries contain 10 to 100 times more sulfites than a glass of wine? This is one of the brilliant nuggets of knowledge shared by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Enologist Andreea Botezatu as she debunks five common myths about sugar-free wine, sparkling wine, tannins, sulfites and wine buying that “don’t hold up to science.”

Tree of Heaven Not So Heavenly

2026 | Rooted in Discovery

The “devilishly invasive” tree of heaven is the native host to the spotted lanternfly. Virginia Tech forest pathologist Carrie Fearer is leading a multi-institutional team of scientists to find out if Verticillium, a natural fungus that kills tree of heaven could be vectored by SLF. “The ideal scenario is that humans inoculate a tree with the fungus, and the spotted lanternfly picks up the fungus (and) transmits (it) to another tree of heaven,” either by feeding or by spores on the insect’s body. The hypothesis is, by reducing TOH populations, the prevalence of spotted lanternfly also will decline.

Find these stories and more, published every weekday on our Facebook and LinkedIn accounts.

Sept. 9, 2026

UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center

Drone Applications in Agriculture

Parlier, CA

Sept. 24, 2026

Artificial Intelligence in Crop Protection Symposium

Athens, GA

Oct. 20-22, 2026

FIRA USA

Yakima, WA

Nov. 10-11, 2026

Sustainable Ag Expo

San Luis Obispo, CA

Nov. 12, 2026

NGRA Year-End Board Meeting

Virtual event

Nov. 17-18, 2026

Northwest Center for Small Fruits Research Annual Conference

The Dalles, OR

Dec. 3, 2026

WIN Expo

Santa Rosa, CA

Jan. 14, 2027

Washington Winegrowers

Winter WineVit

Prosser, WA

Jan. 25, 2027

NGRA Annual Meeting of the Members & First-of-Year Board Meeting

Sacramento, CA

Jan. 26-28, 2027

Unified Wine & Grape Symposium

Sacramento, CA

National Grape Research Alliance

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