The Guardian reported that the continued threat of wildfires in Napa Valley has winemakers on edge, as insurance rates to protect their grapes soar and more crops are affected by smoke.
What's happening?
As more wildfires spring up in California's wine-growing region, the risk of destroyed crops and financial losses has increased for vineyards.
Although grape vines are moist enough not to be flammable, smoke and heat damage can wipe out entire crops of grapes. Additionally, because grape vines are nonflammable, vineyards are sometimes utilized by firefighters for controlled burns meant to control wildfires.
The Robert Craig Winery recently lost an entire crop due to wildfires, resulting in a $4.5 million loss of revenue. Additionally, the cost of replacing the lost vines could be hundreds of thousands of dollars.
On top of that, the cost of crop insurance related to fire and smoke damage has increased so much that some farmers say it is unattainable.
As Elton Slone from the Robert Craig Winery explained to The Guardian, "It's financially a devastating situation."
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Why are fewer grape crops concerning?
Fewer grape crops not only mean less wine available to consumers, but it also means farmers stand to lose a substantial amount every time wildfires destroy their crops. They also stand to lose more by replacing lost crops and purchasing crop insurance that's exorbitantly priced.
"Northern California wine country is one of the treasures of the United States," said Slone. "It's something that I think all Americans should be concerned about because it's a uniquely American thing."
At some point, all these costs adding up may cause farmers to lose or give up their farms, resulting in a permanent reduction in grape crops.
Additionally, grape crops aren't the only crops facing trouble right now. With an increase in extreme weather events, like wildfires, drought, and hail, crops of all kinds are facing decreased yields. As global temperatures continue to rise and cause more extreme weather events, growing food will only become more difficult.
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Definitely 👍 Besides the financial challenges these events bring to farmers, it also means there will be less food in grocery stores, resulting in increased food scarcity around the globe, as well as increased prices for what food is still available.
What's being done about grape crops?
Vineyards have implemented a wealth of strategies for preparing for wildfires with the help of scientists from nearby universities and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Thus far, they have utilized small-lot fermentations to assess the impact of smoke on the grapes after fires, experimented with barrier sprays designed to reduce smoke uptake, and completed annual testing to determine the grapes' baseline smoke marker levels.
Scientists are also looking into which varieties of grapes are more tolerant of being exposed to smoke. Additionally, winemakers created a smoke exposure task force after wildfire losses in 2018.
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