Threat to the wine industry or just another bug in the vineyard? The ongoing argument about the dangers of the light-brown apple moth is, to grape growers in the quarantine area, a moot point. Regardless of your feelings about the pest, you’ve got to follow the rules.
“The laws are black and white,” said Nick Frey, president of the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission. “To do business, you need to be in compliance.”
Nearly one-third of Sonoma County’s 61,000 acres of vineyard are under the state-mandated quarantine, Frey said. The figure includes Sonoma Valley vineyards south of Madrone Road and into Carneros.
“It’s a hassle, but not a great cost,” Frey said. “Another thing to do and report.”
The moth caterpillar (LBAM) burrows into fruit and destroys it. Moths have been detected in Sonoma Valley, but there have been no reports of significant crop damage.
Sangiacomo Family Vineyards farms 1,000 acres in Sonoma Valley. “Last year, none of it was in the quarantine area,” said Mike Sangiacomo. “This year, all our vineyards are in it.”
The procedure for getting certified as a moth-free producer has been simplified since last year, according to Sangiacomo, as the more and more county land has fallen under quarantine. “The protocol has been streamlined,” he said.
Growers are required to examine their vines, something they would do anyway – for other pests, and document the weekly inspection. If a suspicious worm is found, the specimen is bagged and sent to the county for verification.
“At this point, we’re clean,” said Sangiacomo. “We have not found one.” As for the record keeping, “It’s more paperwork. It adds a few steps.”
The process calls for a county inspector to make a brief spot visit and sign off on the documentation. “It’s a more practical system,” said Sangiacomo. “You check your own vineyards and keep the records.”
Truckers who haul the grapes and the wineries that buy them must each undergo their own certification procedure.
“It’s one more complication during harvest,” Frey said.
