PENN YAN, N.Y. — Vineyards in New York can expect to receive a survey during the first quarter of 2024. The study will address an industry need for a range of accurate information about new acreage, bearing acreage, non-bearing acreage, varieties, tonnage, average price, and data by growing region. The Penn Yan–based New York Wine […]
PENN YAN, N.Y. — Vineyards in New York can expect to receive a survey during the first quarter of 2024.
The study will address an industry need for a range of accurate information about new acreage, bearing acreage, non-bearing acreage, varieties, tonnage, average price, and data by growing region.
The Penn Yan–based New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) is partnering with Agency 29 to lead the statewide vineyard-survey initiative, according to a Nov. 28 announcement.
Ag Access and Deep Planet will also partner with NYWGF and Agency 29 on this collaborative effort.
Deep Planet — headquartered in London, England — is a global Agri Tech startup using machine learning and satellite imagery to help the wine industry adapt to climate change. The company has a U.S. office in Alameda, California, per its website.
NYWGF works to promote the image of New York grapes and wines to “responsibly benefit” farmers, producers, and consumers through innovative marketing, research, communication, and advocacy. Agency 29 describes itself as a brand-building firm with offices in Rochester and Geneva.
Ag Access conducts agricultural market research through a research-logistics process and its Ag Access insights community, according to the announcement. Ag Access is headquartered in Steelville, Missouri, per its LinkedIn page.
“This historic collaborative effort is designed to accurately document New York State’s grape acreage,” Sam Filler, executive director of NYWGF, said in a news release. “Each of our partners brings unmatched expertise in different areas, and we are confident that will result in an invaluable report for our community. It is critical to the industry’s continued strategic growth that stakeholders have this data to inform planting, investment, research, and marketing decisions. We are proud to champion this process for all New York growers.”
Data collected from the vineyards will create a baseline for changes in New York’s grape industry. Survey data will facilitate strategic decision-making for both NYWGF and the private sector, as well as provide benchmark figures required to compare New York State with key domestic and international wine-growing regions.
This survey will gather data in 2024 and 2025 with the goal of ensuring an “accurate and consistent” record of acreage and grape varietals grown throughout New York state. The intention is for the survey to continue into the future beyond these two years.
“We’re thrilled to work with NYWGF and grape growers from across the state to develop this critical information,” Maureen Ballatori, founder and CEO of Agency 29, said in the release. “We’re looking forward to collaborating with Deep Planet, who will use satellite data to provide a statewide scan to identify all vineyards, and Ag Access to conduct the agricultural market research through a proven research logistics process.”
“New York’s wine industry continues to set itself apart as a leader in innovation, research, and growth, producing some of the very best wines in the world,” New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball said. “At the Department, we’re proud to be able to support the work of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation as they kick off a new statewide Vineyard Survey. This is a critical effort that will help us to better meet the needs of the industry moving forward so that our wineries and grape farmers can continue to thrive.”
This project is made possible by grant funding from the Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. It will be the first comprehensive statewide vineyard survey conducted since the 2011 survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service.