Winegrape grower approaches farming like an evolving science

Issue Date: April 15, 2009

By Steve Adler

Monterey County winegrape grower Steve McIntyre believes in using best management farming practices, which are sometimes organic and sometimes conventional.

When it comes to farming, Monterey County winegrape grower Steve McIntyre believes in using the best management practices available. Some are conventional and some are organic. Bottom line-they're sustainable.

McIntyre, whose office is in Soledad, farms about 800 acres of winegrapes in the county, which is fast becoming one of the state's premier winegrape growing regions. When asked what grape varieties he farms, McIntyre responds: "We used to call it 31 flavors, but we are down to about 20 to 21 different varieties right now for 30 different wineries."

His view of agriculture is that it is continuously evolving for the benefit of farmers, consumers and the environment.

"I see farming as a self-correcting discipline. We aren't always going to be farming the way we are doing now. It is already a lot different than it was when my dad was farming and when I started farming. But even with that, there is a lot of room for new innovations," he said.

McIntyre has been farming in Monterey County since 1992 when he and his partners created Monterey Pacific, Inc., of which he is president. Monterey Pacific farms winegrapes for a large number of wineries and also bottles its own wines, including the higher-end McIntyre Vineyards label, which has just been picked up by the Wine Warehouse for statewide distribution.

"I look at farming like I do science. If something comes along organically that becomes a best management practice, like composting for example, it eventually gets adopted into conventional farming, if you have any experience at all," he said. "To me, farming organically or biodynamically is like farming in a box. There are too many rules if you don't have the opportunity to use the latest and best science to lower your carbon footprint."

McIntyre points to weed control to illustrate his point of where organic farming has its limitations.

"When you cultivate the weeds in the vineyard, new weeds germinate and come roaring back fairly quickly, as opposed to using a good herbicide, which results in the weeds coming back much slower.

"If you cultivate you have to make two or three trips through the vineyard, as opposed to one trip with a sprayer," he continued. So with conventional farming, you have less equipment, less air pollution, fewer natural resources to build the equipment and power the equipment.

"So if you look at weed control with a carbon calculator, there is a huge difference," he said. "If you look at organic weed control, the carbon footprint for that is two or three times greater than the carbon footprint of a good herbicide."

Successful farming-particularly the growing of premium winegrapes-requires a combination of conventional and organic or biodynamic cultural practices. He cites his cover-cropping program as an example. By delaying the mowing of the cover crop until late in the summer, he is able to create an atmosphere in the vineyard that is more favorable for the grape plants. The tall cover crop creates a microclimate that prevents troublesome weeds from germinating while at the same time creating a haven for beneficial insects.

McIntyre feels very strongly about maintaining a good composting program. He mixes compost from a nearby mushroom farm with manure, gypsum or whatever else the soil may need as indicated by soil testing.

"We have a staff Ph.D. agronomist, Doug Beck, who has come up with a really good fertility program. We are fortunate to have his expertise," McIntyre said.

Interestingly, McIntyre said he hasn't seen any big yield differences between organic vineyards and conventional vineyards unless it is related to a winery's suggested bottle price.

"If we are growing for a producer that has a bottle price in excess of $20 per bottle, he or she is going to want lower yield and higher quality than someone who is making $10 to $12 wine. They want good quality too, but we can hang more tons out there because the price we are getting for that grape is less than the high-end grapes."

McIntyre said he enjoys being part of an agricultural sector that is so aggressive about being sustainable.

While farmers have always practiced sustainable farming, California's winegrape sector started conveying this message to the general public in the early 1990s, much earlier than in other segments of agriculture. Growers in areas like Lodi, the Central Coast and Napa Valley started adopting practices that were not only economically sustainable, but also protected water, soil, wildlife, conditions for workers and the community at large.

For example, statewide statistics reveal that applications of agricultural chemicals in the winegrape sector declined by 50 percent between 1994 and 2006. Growers implemented canopy management and leaf removal to control several pests and diseases. They also began using cover crops to reduce soil erosion and provide habitat for beneficial predators that helped control winegrape pests without chemicals.

The California Sustainable Winegrowing Program began in 2001 under the guidance of the California Association of Winegrape Growers and Wine Institute. The program works with local winegrape organizations to help growers develop sustainable practices. Some of those local groups include the Lodi Winegrape Commission, the Central Coast Vineyard Team, the Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group and Fish Friendly Farming in Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa and Solano counties.

The Sustainable Winegrowing Program's Code of Sustainability Values lists the following goals:

• Produce the best quality wine and/or grapes possible.

• Provide leadership in protecting the environment and conserving natural resources.

• Maintain the long-term viability of agricultural lands.

• Support the economic and social well being of farm and winery employees through training and competitive compensation.

• Respect and communicate with neighbors and community members; respond to their concerns in a considerate manner.

• Enhance local communities through job creation, supporting local business and actively working on important community issues.

• Honor the California wine community's entrepreneurial spirit.

• Support research and education as well as monitor and evaluate existing practices to expedite continual improvements.

"The bottom line is that sustainability has to work in a business model," said Karen Ross, president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers. "The fundamental reasons to change practices are increasing quality and marketability, and decreasing costs."

(Steve Adler is associate editor of Ag Alert. He may be contacted at sadler@cfbf.com.)

Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation when reprinting this item. Top