Grower Caucus

Grower Caucus. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

For the second year, the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers is hosting a Grower Caucus. Vicky Scharlau, Executive Director of WAWGG.

SCHARLAU: So the idea a couple of years ago, we have marketing and profitability committee and they talked about ways to help improve the industry bottom line but in particular growers and wineries. So they recognized the fact that the more information that the industry has and the more information they can digest over the course of the year and in particular after harvest, the better decisions they can make going into the following business year.

Last year they created the Growers Caucus.

SCHARLAU: The focus is on return on investment, market knowledge, margins, cash flow with a whole idea of asking the question, “are you making money?” And if you really know if you are or not. So the day will be focused on financial stability and in presentations about the overall wine and grape environment.

She says that entails a lot of questions.

SCHARLAU: Who’s buying wine, who’s buying grapes, what they’re buying, who’s selling, where the growth opportunities are, what it takes for a vineyard or winery to survive and do well and what information you need to make good decisions.

Tomorrow, more on the upcoming Grower Caucus to be held Thursday, November 15 at the Pasco Red Lion.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.