Lake County growers renew funding for winegrape commission

Lake County winegrape growers have voted to keep funding their regional commission, a decision that preserves a marketing and research program designed to support the county’s vineyards and strengthen demand for its grapes.

The Lake County Winegrape Commission said Tuesday that the referendum, conducted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, passed after voting that ran from Feb. 2 through March 3. Under state law, the measure must be renewed every five years. The result means the grower-funded organization will continue its work promoting Lake County as a source of winegrapes for wineries across California.

Jenny Keller, president of the commission, said the vote showed that growers see value in coordinated spending on marketing, education and industry outreach at a time when competition for vineyard contracts remains intense. She said the commission’s role is to keep Lake County grapes visible and competitive while giving buyers more reasons to source from the region.

Lake County, in Northern California, has built a reputation among winemakers for grapes that offer consistency and value, along with fruit from vineyards planted at elevations and in soils that differ from many other California growing areas. The commission said its continued work will focus on expanding buyer outreach, improving tools that help growers connect with potential customers, investing in research and education, and supporting public relations efforts aimed at building confidence in the region.

The organization said it plans to keep aligning promotion, education and trade outreach into a single strategy intended to support long-term demand. That approach is meant to help growers in a market where wineries are increasingly selective about sourcing and where regions compete not only on price but also on proof of quality and reliability.

Founded in 1991, the Lake County Winegrape Commission represents winegrape producers in the county and is financed by growers. Its programs include marketing support, research initiatives and resources tied to sustainable farming practices. The commission said those efforts are intended to improve market access and profitability for local growers while reinforcing Lake County’s standing in the state’s wine industry.

The referendum result gives the commission another five years to pursue those goals as Lake County growers continue to rely on outside buyers for much of their crop and as California’s wine sector adjusts to shifting consumer demand, changing vineyard economics and tighter competition among growing regions.