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!

Informational Webinar and How to Apply
Friday, December 17 | 10am​

​Applications will open soon for the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+), providing $10 billion in critical relief to growers and farmers who have suffered financial losses as a result of wildfires, smoke exposure, drought, excessive heat, and other natural disasters in 2020 and 2021.

In anticipation of this, the USDA Napa/Solano County Farm Service Agency (FSA) in conjunction with Sonoma/Marin FSA, is conducting a short webinar on this and other programs that offer disaster benefits to growers, farmers, and ranchers.

To register, contact Brooke Raffaele at Brooke.Raffaele@USDA.gov

The webinar will emphasize how to register farm records and what is required, including eligibility paperwork, in anticipation of program opportunities.

​The Patrick Foley Fields of Opportunity Summer Mentor Program was created by the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation (FWF) and the Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG) to prepare Napa County high school students for careers in our world class wine industry.  During the 8-week program, students gain first-class industry experience and develop professional skills in hospitality, wine production, grape growing, human resources, and accounting, with some of the world’s most forward-thinking wine producers.

Through the FWF and NVG’s ongoing partnership with the Napa Valley Unified School District (NVUSD), the program is promoted to high school students from a range of backgrounds. To apply, students must be 16 years or older, able to commit to an 8-week program, have interest in learning about a career in the wine industry, and a positive attitude and willingness to learn new skills. All applicants are put through an interview process, with priority extending to students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. When selected, students are placed with an employer mentor, and receive a soft skill workshop schedule covering topics, such as: financial literacy; mental health; resume writing; professional networking on social media; history of the Napa Valley; leadership stories and lessons; and goal setting.

Montserrat Granados, a student from the 2021 graduating class, said about her Fields of Opportunity experience, "I liked working outside, especially in the mornings. We did things like collect sugar samples or scouted for pests. Before this summer, I wasn't thinking about a job in this field, but now after working at Hall Wines under viticulturist Sarah Lansing, I am considering working in the wine industry.”  For Montserrat, the program left a lasting impression.

The large number of qualified applicants is a positive challenge; creating opportunity for more employer mentors to get involved. In 2021, for example, FWF and NVG initially planned to place 16 students with employer mentors. When 80 student applications were received, additional outreach was made to employers; in the end, 23 students were placed, all of whom completed the program. 

In 2022, the organizations hope to double student placements with support from new employer mentors who want to impact a young life by introducing them to the wine industry and sharing their passion for the field.

Past employers included many of Napa’s most recognized wineries and vineyard management companies such as: Foley Family Wines; Hall Wines; Hudson Ranch, Jericho Canyon Vineyards; Larkmead Vineyards; Napa Wine Company; Opus One; Pine Ridge Vineyards; Renteria Vineyard Management; Tres Sabores; V. Sattui Winery; Viader Vineyards & Winery; Walsh Vineyards Management; and Yount Mill Vineyards.

“Over the past 4 years, Napa Wine Company and Yount Mill Vineyards have thoroughly enjoyed supporting the Fields of Opportunity program through mentorship.  We feel it is crucial to support the next generation because they represent the future of our local community,” said Kendall Hoxsey-Onysko, business manager for Napa Wine Company and Yount Mill Vineyards.  “It goes both ways, though, through mentorship we learn how to continually hone our management skills, which reinvigorates our love for the business itself.”

“We highly recommend every business in Napa Valley participate as mentors for the Fields of Opportunity program.”

The Patrick Foley Fields of Opportunity Summer Mentor Program has begun outreach to employer mentors for the 2022 program, which will be held June 20 - August 5.  If you are interested in joining as an employer mentor, learn more here or email Jill Durfee, Farmworker Foundation Program Manager, at jdurfee@napagrowers.org. 

For press inquiries related to the Patrick Foley Fields of Opportunity Summer Mentor Program, please email Caroline Keller, NVG Marketing Manager, at ckeller@napagrowers.org.