CAWG eNews: Trump Blocks Canadian Alcohol Imports, Crop Insurance Reminder: Lighter Yields Reported, Election Watch

September 10, 2026

IN THIS eNEWS:

CAWG & Industry News:

Trump Blocks Canadian Alcohol Imports as Trade Fight Escalates
Crop Insurance Reminder: Lighter Yields Reported as Harvest Progresses
House Agriculture Committee to Hold Hearing on "Homegrown" Products
Newsom on Agriculture
Election Watch – Assembly Race in Fresno
France Bracing for 30-Year-Low Wine Harvest After Record Heat and Drought
Additional $775,000 Secured for California's Detector Dog Teams
To Withstand a Tough Market, Vineyard Idling May Be the Solution
Unified 2027: What’s on the Program for Growers?
CA’s Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter Fight Gets More State Funds to Protect Wine Grapes
New Research Explores Wine's Relevance Across Generations
Business Support for Napa Valley Growers
2027 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Call for Entries

Important Crop Insurance Reminder

If your yield appears lighter than expected or your harvested tons are below your anticipated yield, contact your crop insurance agent as soon as possible to discuss filing a Notice of Loss. Under policy requirements, a Notice of Loss must be submitted within 60 days after the last pick date, but growers are encouraged to contact their agent sooner. There is no penalty for filing a Notice of Loss.

A Notice of Loss does not determine coverage or guarantee an indemnity. Rather, it initiates the claims process and allows your insurance provider to determine the appropriate next steps.

If you will not harvest all or a portion of your crop, contact your agent to arrange an appraisal of the unharvested tonnage. An appraisal may also be appropriate if your yield is light, but you are unable to market the grapes. You do not necessarily need to harvest the grapes to utilize your crop insurance policy.

Because crop insurance requirements and claims procedures can vary by carrier, growers should work directly with their crop insurance agent or adjuster to determine the appropriate assessment process. Your agent can provide specific instructions based on your policy and circumstances.

It has been a challenging and uneven season for many growers. Early communication with your crop insurance agent, along with thorough production and harvest records, can help ensure a smoother claims process.

For questions, please contact CAWG or Kristine Fox with Relation Insurance at (559) 381-8981.

House Agriculture Committee to Hold Hearing on "Homegrown" Products

House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15) has announced a full committee hearing for Wednesday, September 16 at 9:30 AM ET, titled "Increasing Demand and Opportunities for Homegrown Products Here and Abroad." A witness list hasn't been announced yet.

Most federal conversations about demand for American ag products focus on exports, but California wine has a domestic problem too. No real federal program exists to promote American wine at home. Hopefully this hearing puts some attention on that gap, not just growth abroad.

Watch the hearing live.

Election Watch – Assembly Race in Fresno

With Election Day in California less than 60 days away, CAWG eNews will highlight some of the significant races to watch and examine how the outcomes could affect California winegrape growers. Over the next eight weeks, eNews will briefly profile one race of interest each week.

This week, we look at the Assembly District representing much of Fresno, Madera, and Merced Counties. This seat is being vacated by Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria (D), who is running for Senate to fill the seat of termed-out Senator Anna Caballero (D).

This is widely viewed as a safe-Democrat seat that is more moderate-leaning. Democrats have an 11-point lead in voter registration over Republicans, and nearly one in four voters have no party preference.

Running for this seat are Brian Pacheco (D) and Mike Murphy (R). Pacheco is a Fresno County Supervisor and a farmer who touts himself as a moderate who is much less partisan than many Democrats in the legislature. Murphy is the Mayor of Merced and a small business owner who seems to have a strong focus on local governance.

In this race, either candidate would likely be a strong voice for growers. Pacheco has the most diverse endorsements, including North Valley Labor Federation and California Farm Bureau. He seems most likely to have the clout needed to work effectively with the leadership in the Assembly to address problems facing growers.

Please consider a contribution to CAWG PAC to help us elect lawmakers who represent the interests of growers.

Newsom on Agriculture

This year has been particularly challenging for many California winegrape growers. While growers have looked to Sacramento for support, the Newsom Administration has taken few actions to address the challenges facing California agriculture. Instead, consider these recent actions by Governor Newsom:

In the last weeks of the legislative session, the Newsom Administration demanded the creation of new fines for violations by Farm Labor Contractors. AB 2227 (Connolly) was used to make that happen. The bill is on the governor’s desk and would create a mandatory fine of up to $50,000 for minor administrative violations of the Labor Code. This compares to proposed new authority for permissive fines of $1,000 against industrial cold storage facilities that have violations related to health and safety.

For the last two years, CAWG has pushed for $50 million in funding from the Greenhouse Gas Recovery Fund to support alternatives to open ag burning in the Central Valley. $0 was provided in last month’s funding measure.

To respond to this summer’s GWSS issue, CAWG sought $26 million in new state funding for county agricultural commissioners and CDFA. Instead, last week the Newsom Administration redirected $10 million of existing emergency funds at CDFA to county agricultural commissioners. That funding is from gas taxes paid by farmers.

Before Newsom leaves office in January there will be ample opportunity for him to demonstrate support for agriculture. But, if the above is any indication, there is not much reason to hold out hope.

Quote of the Week

"Forget the constant headlines warning us that young people are not interested in drinking – they are, but just in different ways to what we are used to."

Ross Sleet, in a recent article looking at how younger consumers are engaging with alcohol differently.

France Bracing for 30-Year-Low Wine Harvest After Record Heat and Drought

France's agriculture ministry is forecasting the country's smallest wine harvest in three decades, just under 34 million hectolitres, down 6% from last year and 17% below the 2021–2025 average — after the hottest summer on record.

Nearly half the country saw temperatures at or above 104°F this summer, with soil drought and heatwaves causing sun scald, scorching, defoliation, and wilting across vineyards. Champagne was hit hardest, with harvest expected to come in nearly 50% below last year, followed by Jura (down 37%) and Burgundy-Beaujolais (down a third).

There's a wrinkle familiar to California growers, too: wildfire smoke came within 9 miles of Bordeaux this summer, and producers are now watching for smoke taint in grapes that may have absorbed smoke through their skins, the same quality concern California vineyards have grappled with in recent fire-heavy years. Some regional producers, including Burgundy's own grower association, are pushing back on the ministry's figures as premature given harvest is still underway, so the final numbers may shift.

Additional $775,000 Secured for California's Detector Dog Teams

California's Detector Dog Program will receive a significant funding boost after USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) committed additional resources for FY 2026. APHIS's Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) division has committed $275,000 from the federal Canine Detection and Surveillance annual appropriation and $500,000 through the Plant Protection Act (PPA) Section 7721 Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Program.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has confirmed that the revised federal cooperative agreement has been executed, incorporating both funding increases. Together, the additions bring $775,000 in new funding to the agreement, raising the total available funding to nearly $5 million.

CDFA is now finalizing agreements with participating counties and expects to incorporate the additional funding into those county-level agreements. APHIS-PPQ will conduct a review in September of remaining Canine Detection and Surveillance Program and Section 7721 balances, which could result in further federal support for California's detector dog teams.

CA’s Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter Fight Gets More State Funds to Protect Wine Grapes

The California Legislature has directed the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to redirect $10 million in existing emergency funds to county agricultural commissioners for investigations, detection, and eradication of the glassy-winged sharpshooter.

The funding follows the discovery of glassy-winged sharpshooters on grapevines and ornamental plants sold at Costco stores in Sacramento County and dozens of other counties earlier this summer. Thousands of plants were sold and remain unaccounted for. The invasive pest is a serious threat to California vineyards because it can spread Pierce’s disease, which can kill grapevines.

The $10 million redirection is less than the $26.8 million in new emergency funding requested by CAWG and other agricultural industry groups to address the expanding threat. Industry representatives also raised concerns that relying on existing emergency funds could leave fewer resources available to respond to future pest emergencies, including the spotted lanternfly.

At a recent meeting of the Senate Select Committee on California’s Wine Industry, CAWG Director of Government Relations Michael Miiller emphasized the urgency of the situation and called for at least $10 million annually and ongoing for the Pierce’s Disease Control Program.

The Legislature’s redirection provides counties with resources to respond to the current emergency, but state officials and agricultural commissioners have emphasized that additional, sustained investment is needed. A 2026 report from the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association and CDFA identified more than $90 million in immediate one-time funding needs and $25 million in annual investments to strengthen California’s pest prevention system.

CAWG will continue advocating for the resources needed to protect California vineyards and prevent the establishment and spread of invasive pests.

Read more in an article published by the Sacramento Bee.

To Withstand a Tough Market, Vineyard Idling May Be the Solution

With changing market demand putting pressure on growers and wineries, some producers are looking at vineyard mothballing, or idling, as an alternative to removing productive acreage.

CAWG members Randy Heinzen of Vineyard Professional Services in Paso Robles and Charlie Hamilton of KG Vineyard Management in the Lodi Delta are among those helping growers evaluate the option. Idling allows growers to reduce production and management costs while keeping healthy vineyards in place until market conditions improve.

A 2025 study of 19 Oregon vineyards found that idling reduced management costs by an average of 38% per acre, with some vineyards cutting costs by half. But idling is not simply a matter of walking away from the vineyard. Maintaining adequate water, weed control, and vine health is important to ensure the vineyard can return to production.

As growers navigate the current market, vineyard idling provides another tool to manage costs, preserve viable acreage, and give producers time to evaluate what comes next.

2027 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Call for Entries

Registration for the 2027 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, the largest competition of North American wines, officially opens September 30, 2026.

The competition provides wine producers across North America an opportunity to gain recognition and showcase their wines. The competition will take place in January 2027.

Learn more here.