summer 2010
Napa Neighbor Newsletter
News from the Napa Valley Wine Industry
New Moth Eats Grapes from the Inside Out
Napa County has recently been invaded by a new destructive grape pest commonly known as the European Grapevine Moth (EGVM). During the 2009 harvest EGVM caused significant damage to crops including the total loss of an eleven-acre Chardonnay vineyard in the Oakville area.
According to Napa County Agricultural Commissioner, Dave Whitmer, “This is an invasive moth, something that doesn’t belong in Napa County or anywhere in the country. We are doing all we can, working with our state and federal partners, to implement a plan to combat this pest in Napa County.”
As part of the overall strategy, the Ag Commissioner’s office is leading the efforts of the Napa Valley wine industry to ensure vineyard operators are indeed treating for EGVM and have hired additional staff to work with growers in treatment methods. Treatment includes applying pesticides—including organic compounds – regularly on vineyards in infested regions and attaching pheromone mating disruption twist ties to confuses male moths on the location of female moths.
The good news is that treatment seems to be working. The Chardonnay vineyard referenced above has undergone insecticide treatments and mating disruptions, resulting in what appears to be complete control of the infestation in that vineyard. However, recent trapping has shown that the moth has spread throughout Napa County and has been found in Fresno, Solano, Sonoma and Mendocino counties. To determine if you live near an area with a high infestation please visit the Napa County Ag Commissioners website.
The Napa Valley Vintners continues to work with all Napa Valley vintners and growers in understanding quarantine regulations and treatment methods with the overall hope that we might be able to fully eradicate EGVM from Napa County!
In order to do this, we need the help of the entire community. If you have any sort of grapevine—table or wine—you could be providing a safe place for EGVM to eat and thrive. In assisting eradication efforts residents can either treat their grapevines with an appropriate insecticide (organic products are available) on a regular schedule or fully remove and discard all flowers and fruit from your grapevines for this year. Please share information regarding treatment of EGVM with your friends and neighbors.
It is only by working together we can hope to fully eradicate this dangerous and invasive pest!
For more information on how to treat your vines, please contact your local nursery or garden store or:
Napa County Ag Commissioners Office at 707-253-4357
http://www.countyofnapa.org/AgCommissioner/EGM/
UC Cooperative Extension at 707-253-4221
http://cenapa.ucdavis.edu/sbdisplay/stafflist.cfm?county=1650
NVV Napa Neighbor Program
Are you staying close to home this summer? The best news is that we live in Napa Valley, one of the most incredible places in the world and you can get out there and enjoy it for free—but how? Consider visiting some of Napa Valley’s renowned wineries and tell them you’re a “Napa Neighbor.” Napa Valley Vintners’ members extend special invitations to their Napa County neighbors—simply show your local driver’s license to enjoy product discounts, and complimentary tours and wine tasting.
For more information on participating wineries visit:
http://www.napavintners.com/programs/pe_2_discounts.asp
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