Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/144804
GRAPEGROWING Jack Kelly Clark, co urtesy UC Sta tewi de IPM Program North Coast IPM advisor Dr. Lucia Varela (left) examines leafhopper damage with a vineyard manager during the 2000 Pierce's disease outbreak. to a privately supported system has not resulted in improved outreach and extension; in fact, quite the opposite has occurred. It is crucial that cooperative extension advisors continue to emphasize farm visits and advising growers on practical farming. One of the great aspects of the system has been that advisors have spent so much time visiting area farms that they have experienced just about every problem that exists, making them valuable resources for growers encountering these problems for the first time. In conclusion, I think we need to do everything we can to ensure the cooperative extension system survives, but I realize that it will be much reduced in size. We are going to have to figure out how to make the new cooperative extension work for us. I think public/ private partnerships are one approach that will work. The California Table Grape Commission has generously pledged $840,000 to support the viticulture farm advisor position for Tulare, Kings and Kern counties. Trade associations and grower groups that organize meetings featuring UC farm advisors as speakers can be helpful by saving the advisor valuable time disseminating information. Other solutions include the multi-state teams of cooperative extension personnel partnering on grants, like the current Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) grant being led by Tim Martinson in New York. I am sure there are other promising ways of partnering with cooperative extension to ensure that its evolution benefits U.S. agriculture. Dr. Cliff Ohmart serves as vice president of professional services for SureHarvest. He is the author of "View from the Vineyard: A practical guide to sustainable winegrape growing," published by the Wine Appreciation Guild. Previously he served as research/ IPM director at the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission. Win es & Vin e s AU GU ST 20 13 87