(Washington, D.C.) — This week, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) in introducing new legislation to better protect winegrape growers in Washington, Oregon, and California—the top three states for wine production in the U.S.—against wildfire smoke damage. Bipartisan companion legislation was also introduced in the House by U.S. Representatives Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and Mike Thompson (D-CA).
Washington state is home to more than 1,000 wineries and 400 winegrape growers. When grapes in a vineyard are heavily exposed to smoke from wildfires, they can absorb a matrix of compounds that can result in smoky, ash-like flavors and aromas—compromising the quality of the wine and making it unfit for commercial sale. These smoke compounds can release as wine ages, meaning that a wine that is drinkable soon after bottling may become progressively less palatable over time.
The Crop Insurance for Wine Grapes Act would strengthen research and risk management efforts to better understand the impacts of wildfire smoke on winegrapes by investing in comprehensive research and fair insurance products for growers. The legislation directs the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation to research and develop a crop insurance policy to insure wine grapes against losses due to wildfire smoke exposure.
“Washington state is the second-largest wine producing state in the country, creating thousands of jobs and fueling tourism across the state,” said Senator Murray. “Washington is also seeing an alarming increase in wildfires year after year, which creates a serious smoke exposure problem for winegrape growers across the West Coast. Vineyards in Washington state and all the way down to California need a crop insurance policy for smoke-exposed winegrapes, rather than being forced to rely on ad-hoc disaster assistance from year to year — and that’s what this legislation will provide. I’m proud that research at Washington State University has played a leading role in studying the impacts of smoke exposure, and this bill takes a critical and needed step to protect our state’s vital wine industry.”
“Washington state’s wine industry produces some of the best wine in the nation and we need to keep it that way. Right now, the industry faces billions of dollars in losses from wildfires and smoke exposure,” said Rep. Newhouse. “I am proud to co-sponsor this critical legislation that will ensure our winegrape growers and producers get the necessary funding to be resilient and continue to produce high-quality wine.”
“As climate change intensifies and wildfires become more frequent and extreme, we need to protect winegrape growers and consumers against the damage caused by prolonged smoke exposure,” said Senator Padilla. “Winegrape growing regions are critical to our economy, especially in California. Growers, vintners, and consumers alike have a stake in the sustainability of winegrowing communities—these bills will help growers make informed decisions about harvesting and selling their crops.”
The 2020 wildfires alone are estimated to have cost wineries and winegrape growers $3.7 billion both from immediate fire-caused losses as well as losses in future sales due to unharvested grapes exposed to wildfire smoke.
Crop insurance is a critical risk management tool for Washington’s winegrape growers. Currently, crop insurance products do not allow growers to receive indemnity payments unless they leave their grapes on the vine, forcing growers to make uninformed decisions about using perfectly good grapes or losing potential profits.
A one-pager summarizing the legislation is available here.
The full text of the bill is available here.
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