By Kristen Bieler

In the fall of 2020, the grapes in Alison Sokol Blosser's vineyards were ripe—and she had no one to pick them.
Pandemic-related travel restrictions meant that none of her international harvest interns had arrived, and the local labor pool in Oregon's Yamhill County, where the winery is located, was essentially nonexistent. "We had to get the grapes off, so I pulled my kids out of school and my nephews and my parents—who hadn't picked grapes in 30 years—all worked in the vineyard."
Grappling with a similar labor shortage in 2021, Sokol Blosser, like so many desperate vintners across the U.S., turned to farm labor contractors for hiring needs, which drove up seasonal costs exponentially. "We need solutions; the labor crisis is not going away," she told Wine Spectator.

There is so much going on in our personal and professional lives right now. We want to make it easy for you to get a quick digest of what the Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG) and Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation (FWF) are doing for you this winter.
 
How NVG is Working for Members This Winter:

• With the ever-changing landscape of COVID-19 Regulations, we are reviewing all current resources to make sure you have the most accurate information at your fingertips. Don't miss our webinar on January 27!
• We are introducing more wildfire education and site tours led by our Wildfire Task Force to share best practices with members.
• Our 2022 Strategic Sponsorship Program has launched to highlight our partners in agriculture through ongoing promotion throughout the year.
• The 2021 Wages & Benefits Survey will go out to growers & vineyard manager members to analyze vineyard labor practices and compensation in our industry.
• Two Sustainable Vineyard Practices seminars will be held in partnership with Napa Valley Vineyard Technical Group (Vit Tech).
• We will continue to provide our Weather Alert, free to NVG members.

 
How FWF is Working to Support Farmworkers This Winter:

• The English Literacy Program begins in January for beginner and intermediate students.

• We are introducing a new Excel for Supervisors intensive course; intended for vineyard supervisors and managers who would like to improve their skills.
• After a 2-year hiatus, 2022 marks the 20th Anniversary of the Napa County Pruning Contest! We are revising the format of the event to adhere to all safety standards that will allow us to still celebrate the amazing skills of our vineyard workforce.
• Our first Train the Trainer workshop will start with a virtual Pesticide Safety certification.
• Due to popular demand, we have 3 days of CPR & First Aid training in Spanish.
• Finally, following the success of last year, we have launched our 2022 Strategic Partner Program for companies that want to join us in support of the Napa Valley farmworker community.
• Learn More about the Farmworker Foundation on their new, dedicated site!

​Step 1:
Review the latest Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS), effective January 14, including new testing, exclusion, and face covering requirements. ​For Spanish resources and information on updates and revisions, visit the Cal/OSHA website.

​Step 2:
Register for NVG's upcoming webinar: COVID-19 Updates for Employers with Erica Rosasco, Partner at McKague Rosasco LLP. Topics include Cal/OSHA's ETS, what to do when an employee tests positive, sick leave, return to work, testing, and vaccine policies, and more. 

​Step 3:
Order free rapid tests through USPS! Every household in the U.S. is now eligible to order 4 free at-home rapid tests. For more information and FAQs visit the covidtests.gov. 

Step 4:
Work with supervisors and foremen to ensure general COVID-19 safety protocols:

1. Review CDPH Guidance for Isolation and Quarantine at a glance
2. Provide face coverings when required and encourage the use of NIOSH-approved N95 masks; a list of CDC-approved sources can be found here
3. Utilize NVG COVID-19 resources for members in English and Spanish
4. Provide employees with access to testing when required; view testing options on NVG's COVID Testing page.

Step 5:
Encourage booster shots for all employees! Our partners at St. Helena Hospital Foundation continue to provide vaccine clinics. No appointments are necessary.