-GRANTS SUMMARY-

USDA Risk Management Partnership Grant-$100,000

Risk Management Education program for grape growers in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington

The focus of this 2002-awarded USDA-RMA grant was to identify and prioritize "risks" facing wine and juice grape producers throughout Oregon, Idaho and Washington and included fact-finding through focus groups, surveys and roundtable discussions.  Highest risk topics were identified by growers and "Riskbusters" developed for each issue area.

WSU Extension Western Center for Risk Management Education-$25,000

Agricultural producer training

In mid-year 2003, the WWIF received a $25,000 "add-on" grant from the WSU Cooperative Extension Western Center for Risk Management Education Competitive Grants Program (based in Spokane) to take the risk management education program to the Pacific Northwest industry in the form of  hands-on risk seminars on marketing and contracts to support the training of agricultural producers and their families to use improved risk management practices.  The agenda of each seminar included an introduction to "Riskbusters" for lending, contracts, marketing plans, and insurance.

Risk Management Education-$128,800

Producer Education for Wine Grapes, Potatoes, and Tree Fruit

For Wine Grapes

Funds were used to extend the efforts for both insurance and lending riskbusters via the development and implementation of  hands-on seminars delivered in two growing regions of the state.  In addition, the Foundation developed the riskbuster template for water, soil, nutrients, cover crops, human resources and business plans.  For the business plan riskbuster, the Foundation hosted a day-long introductory seminar and keynote presentation at the annual Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers convention, and followed up with an all-day, hands-on business planning seminar for producers.

For Potatoes

Prepared and conducted workshops in the growing regions to assist producers in learning how to not only develop individual and collective marketing plans for fresh market potatoes but also to initiate/update their overall farming business plans.

For Tree Fruit

Grant helped to fund hands-on educational workshops at district meetings and annual meeting of the Washington Growers Clearing House.  Workshop leaders assisted growers in using the Cost-Of-Production Calculator for the eight major varieties of apples produced.  While the Calculator is available to all growers via a website, small group sessions increased awareness, generated interest, and promoted trial/adoption of the Calculator as a valuable decision-making tool.  Funds were also requested to sponsor publication of a Spanish-language Integrated Pest Management technical manual for cherry, pear and apple production.

USDA Risk Management Research-$743,050 with $265,000 Add-On as of 9-07

Data For Grower Decision-Making in Grapes and Tree Fruit

For grape and tree fruit industries to be better prepared by being better informed with current and coordinated data to help them face the challenges that lay ahead in an uncertain environment.  To help manage some of the inherent risks of production agriculture this partnership will provide: 1) Comprehensive industry database templates (i.e. acres, varieties, age, crush, wine inventory) and the associated reporting mechanisms for use in vineyards and wineries in ID, OR, and WA; 2) 'Cost-Of-Production Calculators' for organic and conventionally grown apples, cherries, grapes, and pears; 3) Automated crop load and yield estimation techniques (grapes); 4) Acerage inventories in WA by crop, variety, age and production to assist grape and tree fruit growers in their decision-making processes and reduce the impacts of year-to-year variability.