Cal/EPA Environmental Management System Project
Meeting Summary: Northern California Working Group
November 14, 2000 Glen Ellen, California
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A new phase of the California EMS Project is underway. Regional Working Group meetings are being organized to facilitate a dialogue between pilot project participants and stakeholders regarding facility EMS design and implementation. Pilot facilities are sharing information on EMS implementation, providing a facility tour, answering questions, and receiving feedback. Thirty representatives from government agencies, other pilot companies and interested businesses, academia and public interest groups were in attendance at the November meeting of the Northern California Regional Working Group.
On November 14, 2000, the Northern California Working Group met at Benziger Family Winery in Glen Ellen, Sonoma County. The meeting highlighted Benziger’s Natural Farming Methods and their certification in the Sonoma Green and Bay Area Green Business Programs. Benziger’s goal is to produce world-class wines that reflect the unique character of the place in which the grapes are grown. In order to reach that goal, Benziger has applied a combination of methods to establish natural processes in the vineyard to maintain soil vitality and health and manage pests. They have eliminated the use of synthetic pesticides and herbicides from their vineyard, saved two million gallons of water per year through recycling, and recycled forty-one percent of their waste stream. In order to enhance their environmental business practices, Benziger and Davis Bynum wineries are now developing an Environmental Management System with the assistance of Cal/EPA.
- Introduction
- Role of Working Group
- Reasons for Involving the Wine Industry in the Cal/EPA EMS Project
- Winery Background
- Natural Farming Methods
- Bay Area Green Business Program and Sonoma Green Business Program
- Environmental Management System Pilot Project
- Local Working Group
I. Introduction
Benziger Family Winery is one of two wineries participating in the EMS Pilot Project. On November 14, 2000, Benziger hosted the Northern California Working Group for a meeting and tour of their vineyards and winery. This meeting and tour was the second in a series of visits by the Northern California Working Group to each of the pilot projects. The purpose of the visits is to provide the participants of the working group with an in-depth presentation of each EMS and a first hand experience of the operations. The Working Group will visit the other winery project, Davis Bynum Winery, in Spring 2001.
II. Role of Working Group
The facility visits also assist the Working Groups in fulfilling their role as participants in the Cal/EPA EMS Project. This role includes advising the pilot projects in the development, design, and implementation of their EMS and assisting Cal/EPA in answering the questions posed in PRC § 71045 et. seq. During the meeting at Benziger Winery, over 30 people from local, State and federal government, non-government organizations, local residents and other businesses were asked to comment on portions of the Benziger and Davis Bynum EMS projects. After hearing each winery present their draft Environmental Policy, the Working Group participants broke into groups and discussed the policies and made suggestions. The small group then reported their comments to the larger group. The Working Group was also presented and asked to critique the draft aspect and impact analysis for winery operations and vineyards. Participants were invited to provide additional comments.
III. Reasons for Involving the Wine Industry in the Cal/EPA EMS Project
Cal/EPA chose to include the wine industry in the EMS project for several reasons. Prior to selecting the pilot projects, the working groups advised Cal/EPA to include agriculture in the EMS project. Agriculture is an important part of California’s economy, and California wine is the number one finished agricultural product in retail value, with $12.3 billion in retail sales for 1998 (Wine Institute, “Economic Impact of California Wine” January 20, 2000). Significant environmental impacts are associated with wine grape growing, including chemical application, water use, energy use, waste generation, the conversion of other agricultural crops to grapes, and the loss of natural habitat though vineyard development. There are also many efforts in the wine industry to develop more sustainable agricultural practices. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and organic farming have successfully been implemented in vineyards. Inclusion of the wine industry in the pilot project also provided the opportunity to link agricultural processes with the industrial process of making wine. This provides an opportunity to evaluate the movement of materials, such as water and organic waste, within a system that includes both the farm and the wine maker.
IV. Winery Background
The Benziger Family Winery is located on the east side of Sonoma Mountain, above the village of Glen Ellen, where it is bordered by Jack London State Park to the west. The Benziger family has operated their winery and vineyards at this location since purchasing the 85-acre Sonoma Mountain Ranch in 1980. Sixty-five acres of vines are planted at the ranch. Another three acres of vines are planted at their Imagery Winery in nearby Sonoma Valley. Grapes are also purchased from more than 60 growers. Benziger operates two wineries, one on Sonoma Mountain and the other in Sonoma Valley. The Benziger Family Winery is a medium-sized winery producing 180,000 cases of wine per year. The Benziger Winery has been employing environmentally responsible business practices in their winery and vineyard for several years. The winery is currently developing an ISO 14001-based Environmental Management System.
V. Natural Farming Methods
Benziger’s goal is to produce world class wines that reflect the unique character of the place the grapes are grown. Chemical pesticides and fertilizers reduce the unique and natural characteristics of a vineyard and its grapes. Building the natural processes that operate in the soil and vineyard, also referred to as biologic capital, enhances the unique qualities of the wine. In order to accomplish their goal, Benziger has employed what they call Natural Farming Methods, for several years.
The objectives of Natural Farming Methods are
- elimination or reduction of all vineyard chemicals,
- elimination of chemical fertilizers, and
- restoration of balance and diversification to vineyard properties.
These objectives have been met through a combination of methods that work to enhance the biologic capital of the vineyard. By increasing habitat for beneficial insects and vertebrates (insectaries and habitat corridors), synthetic pesticides are no longer used. Compost, created by combining waste from the winery with manure from a local dairy, is spread over the vineyard, thereby increasing both soil fertility and vitality. The resulting increase in the diversity of soil organisms eliminates the need for soil fumigants. Soil water holding capacity is also increased, reducing irrigation needs. Cover crops between vineyard rows serve to reduce soil erosion, fertilize soil through nitrogen fixation, and attract beneficial insects. All these methods combine to allow deep root penetration and a connection of the vine to its local environment. This results in quality grapes that reflect the characteristics of the location where they are grown.
Benziger buys the majority of their grapes from other growers. In order to improve quality, Benziger actively educates their growers in Natural Farming Methods. Through a yearly series of “hot topic” seminars, growers learn the techniques as well as costs and benefits associated with Natural Farming Methods.
VI. Bay Area Green Business Program and Sonoma Green Business Program
Environmental practices at Benziger include winery operations as well as farming practices. In 1999, Benziger was one of the first wineries certified by the Sonoma and Bay Area Green Business Programs. Both of these Green Business Programs require participants to demonstrate compliance with all environmental laws and regulations. Demonstrating the application of best practices in the areas of energy and water conservation, solid waste reduction and pollution prevention are additional requirements of the Bay Area Green Business Program. The Green Business certification is only given to wineries and does not extend to the vineyard.
As part of the Green Business certification process, Benziger demonstrated two million gallons in annual water savings through recycling all wastewater generated by the winery. The wastewater is biologically treated in a series of ponds and wetlands and supplies seventy-five percent of their vineyard irrigation needs. Significant reductions in solid waste were also shown. Currently, forty-one percent of the winery’s waste stream is recycled.
VII. Environmental Management System Pilot Project
The Vineyard/Winery EMS Pilot Project involves two wineries in Sonoma County, Benziger Family Winery and Davis Bynum Winery. While both wineries are recognized as leaders in environmentally responsible practices, they have chosen to implement an EMS for several reasons. First, both wineries see it as a logical next step in developing their environmental program. They also hope to organize their environmental programs into a system to allow better understanding of their environmental responsibilities and more strategic planning to meet those responsibilities. The potential cost savings and improvements in wine quality further motivate them. In addition, they hope to use the EMS as an education tool for their employees and suppliers.
Benziger and Davis Bynum wineries are cooperatively developing an EMS with the assistance of Cal/EPA. Work on the EMS began in April 2000. The pilots have completed their initial environmental review, legislative review, and gap analysis. Draft environmental policies were shared and discussed with the working group during the November 14 meeting. The policies are being revised to reflect some of the working group’s comments. The pilots are now in the process of determining their environmental aspects and impacts. Objectives and targets of the EMS should be completed by January 2001. Both wineries plan to implement their EMS by spring of 2001. Davis Bynum will host a Northern California Working Group meeting in the spring of 2001.
One of the objectives of the project is to develop a model EMS for vineyards and wineries that can be used by the wine industry in California. The EMS model is being developed concurrently using the experience gained at Davis Bynum and Benziger Family Winery.
VIII. Local Working Group
Both Benziger and Davis Bynum participate in the Northern California Working Group. However, in order to involve more local stakeholders, a local working group has been formed. The first meeting of the local working group was held on December 4, 2000 in Sonoma County. Cal/EPA introduced the winery pilots and provided an overview of the EMS Pilot Project. Representatives from Benziger and Davis Bynum provided background information about their wineries and discussed the reasons for participating in the EMS Pilot Project. In break out sessions, stakeholders discussed the role and purpose of the local working group. Stakeholders, including local business, government, and community members, attended the meeting. The next meeting is planned for January 2001.
Please contact Cal/EPA EMS Pilot Project Manager, Richard Corey, at (916) 323-1079 or by e-mail, at rcorey@arb.ca.gov for more information about the Northern California Working Group.
Environmental Management Systems, http://www.calepa.ca.gov/EMS/
General Public Contact, cepacomm@calepa.ca.gov (916) 323-2514