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Sustainable Winegrowing with Vineyard Team


Sustainable Winegrowing with the Vineyard Team brings you the latest in science and research for the wine industry. This on-the-go, sustainable farming educational resource provides in-depth technical information on topics like integrated pest management, fruit quality, water conservation, and nutrient management from experts like Dr. Mark Fuchs of Cornell University, Dr. Michelle Moyer of Washington State University, Cooperative Extension Specialists, veteran growers, and more. Our podcasts will help you make smarter, sustainable vineyard management decisions to increase efficiency, conserve resources, and maximize fruit quality.

May 9, 2022

Since 2016 we’ve brought you the latest science and research for the wine industry. These bi-monthly podcasts help you care for the people and planet but we wanted to address that third P of sustainability: prosperity.

We know customers are looking for wines labeled as sustainable. In a recent systematic review of 30 studies, consumers reported a higher preference for ecolabel and social responsibility labels compared to nutrition labels. To help you communicate your sustainable practices with customers were going to add Marketing Tip Mondays from SIP Certified to our lineup.

These will be short, with no intro music, no-frills episodes. Just a quick overview of our latest marketing tip so you can show your customers that you share their values.  

On to today’s tip:

Are you talking about your sustainability efforts?

More Americans than ever are making environmentally conscious decisions when it comes to the products they buy and the businesses they support. Consumers want to support brands that share their values and take action to preserve the health of the planet. It's important to let them know that your brand protects the people and the planet!

Kyle Coots of Ancient Peaks finds that his customers love hearing about how they utilize, benefit, and protect various animal species:

Many sustainable practices involve our animal friends! So, you can talk about:

  • Attracting birds of prey to keep vertebrate pests at bay
  • Creating wildlife corridors that provide native species with safe passage through your property
  • Attracting and releasing beneficial insects to keep down insect pests and reduce the use of pesticides
  • Planting cover crops and native plants to attract those beneficial insects
  • And…Bringing in sheep to graze the vineyards, thus reducing the use of tractors and machines

You can also communicate these practices by making an informational pamphlet to include in your wine club shipments or keep at the tasting room for your members to enjoy. Another great way to showcase your sustainability is with a dedicated page on your website.

On your podcast player, scroll down to the show notes to read the full article and see some great website pages dedicated to sustainability from our members.

You can also subscribe to our Marketing Tips eNewsletter to get the latest consumer trends, branding methods, and sales tactics delivered right to your inbox.

Thanks for listening to our first Marketing Tips Monday from SIP Certified. Let us know what you think of these micro podcasts by sending an email to podcast@vineyardteam.org.