Industry Updates: March 2024

Applications Open: Carl Moyer Subsidy Program
The Carl Moyer Program provides an opportunity to exchange your older diesel tractor for a substantial rebate towards a cleaner, more efficient vehicle. The program has approximately allocated $1 billion to date and continues to provide over $60 million in grant funding each year to clean up older polluting engines throughout California. Applications are accepted through March 28, 2024.

Learn More

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Input Sought for National Grape and Wine Survey
A nationwide project supported by the USDA titled "Enhancing regional grape and wine production and quality” is seeking engagement from stakeholders. The project aims to better understand issues impacting viticulture, enology, and winery business management. We encourage you participate in this stakeholder engagement process to ensure Napa County grower concerns are included.

Learn More & Participate

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Responses Requested for UC Davis Extension Survey
The UC Davis Extension team is seeking input to help them to identify the primary concerns and issues impacting the wine industry. Results will be used to assist the research team in providing the industry with new outreach (Extension) resources and information. The last day to participate is March 29.

Access Survey Here

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New Regulation: Beneficial Ownership Information Reports (BOIR)
Starting January 1, 2024, there's a new regulation that you need to know about: Beneficial Ownership Information Reports (BOIR).

What does this mean for you? If you own any company, even LLCs or Corporations simply holding your property, you're now obligated to submit beneficial ownership information reports to FinCEN.

See below for more information on this new regulation, provided by Engel & Völkers Real Estate Global Advisor, Philippa Ward.

More Information

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Neonicotinoid Regulatory Update
Title 3, California Code of Regulations 6990 (3CCR 6990)
On January 1, 2024, new regulations regarding the use of neonicotinoid (neonic) pesticides will take effect. In 2023, about 13,300 acres of production agriculture were treated with neonics in Napa County with 614 applications. This represents roughly a third of the farmed acreage in the County. Neonics are a synthetic insecticide chemically similar to nicotine. They were registered for agricultural use in the 1990’s as replacement for carbamate and organophosphate pesticides. Neonics are now the most widely used group of insecticides in the world, representing about 25% of agrochemical use. Unfortunately, neonics turned out to be highly toxic to bees and other pollinators in small amounts.

Neonics are used as a systemic broad-spectrum insecticide. The insecticide is absorbed by the plant and travels throughout the plant tissues to leaves, stems, fruits, and flowers. Pollinators exposed to pesticide residue can be harmed. The new regulations limit the amount of active ingredient applied, and the frequency and timing of applications with the goal of increasing protection of pollinators. These regulations apply only to production agriculture, not structural pest control or non – production settings such as parks and cemeteries.

​3CCR 6990 outlines guidelines across 16 crop groups. Each crop group has a table with application rate and timing restrictions for both foliar and soil applications. Napa’s winegrapes fall into the “berries and small fruits” group. For all groups, no applications may be made during “bloom,” defined as the period from the onset of flowering until petal fall is complete.

Imidacloprid, Clothianidin, Dinotefuran, and Thiamethoxam are the four specific neonic active ingredients included in 3CCR 6990. All are from the nitroguanidine family of neonic insecticides with similar characteristics and properties. Some of the commonly used pesticides containing these ingredients in Napa are Belay, Venom, Admire Pro, Macho, and Platinum. For grapes, the application rate and timing requirements for these active ingredients will be triggered by three scenarios:

1.  If “managed pollinators” are used, defined as bees introduced in a field to provide pollination services to crops in the field, additional timing restrictions will apply.
2. If both soil and foliar applications are made
3. If multiple neonic active ingredients are applied

In any of these instances, a total maximum combined application rate of 0.3 pounds of active ingredient (AI) per acre, per season may applied. Furthermore, the soil rate must not exceed 0.2 pounds of AI per acre, per season, and the foliar rate must not exceed 0.1 pounds of AI per acre, per season.

The product labels will not be updated with these new requirements. In some cases, the label may have a higher rate than the regulation. If there is a difference, the strictest requirement must be followed.

The complete guide to 3CCR 6990 from the Department of Pesticide Regulation can be found by clicking below.

NEONICOTINOID PESTICIDE USE IN BERRIES AND SMALL FRUIT CROPS