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The Winegrape Guidebook for Establishing Good

Neighbor and Community Relations

California Association of Winegrape GrowersKaren Ross, President

555 University Ave., Suite 250Sacramento, CA 95825

Phone: (916) 924-5370; Toll Free in Calif.: (800) 241-1800E-mail: info@cawg.org

Guidebook Author: Anne Chadwick

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Establishing Good Neighbor and Community Relations

The wine and winegrape communityfaces increasing challenges as itsneighbors and the general publicbecome more concerned about

environmental and social issues. California’sprojected population growth of more than20 million people in the next 25 years will put atremendous strain on the state’s resources,including water, energy, land, air andenvironmental quality. In the past couple ofyears, the headlines in California havedemonstrated growing pressure on vineyards andwineries to become better neighbors. Issues varywidely, including treatments for Glassy-wingedSharpshooter, farmworker housing, hillsideerosion, oak woodland habitat removal,increased traffic to tasting rooms, and hospitalityevents that create noise and light pollution.

This guidebook aims to help winegrapegrowers, vintners and regional associations takea proactive, collaborative approach toenvironmental and social challenges. It providesgeneral advice as well as specific examples,which demonstrate successful approaches to

issues facing more and more members ofAmerica’s wine and winegrape community.

The communications strategies described inthis handbook are only brief descriptions ofcomplex processes. The guide contains onlyskeletal information, and novices should doadditional research or seek professional advicebefore pursuing further media attention.

This guidebook is a living document. Readersare encouraged to add to it and help it grow. Itcan be a useful tool to make wine an integralpart of the American culture.

Why Collaborate?The wine community is a vital part of a

larger community with diverse interests andvaried perspectives. Collaboration is part ofrespecting the views of neighbors, consumers,environmental groups, and the general public.

Collaboration will bring more positive resultsthan the alternative, confrontation. Dr. Lori AnnThrupp of the U.S. EPA recommends thefollowing strategies when working withstakeholders on environmental and sustainabilityissues:

• Build awareness through informationexchange: increase understanding ofdiverse stakeholders’ views, interestsand visions;

• Establish informal or formalnetworking links;

• Identify common aims or mutualinterests (as well as areas ofdifference) to work toward a goal;

• Increase cooperation on sustainablemanagement of resources and/orenvironmental responsibility;

• Improve business opportunitiesthrough increased stakeholderinvolvement on environmental issues.

Collaboration will raise your credibility andlegitimacy, increasing the public’s trust andaccountability. It will also make you more

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knowledgeable about the issues and diversepoints of view. Collaboration leads to richerinput, yielding more creative and constructivesolutions.

Telling Your StoryThe wine and winegrape community has a

story to tell — one that will foster understandingand appreciation of its role in the community.Telling the story involves doing research,understanding and targeting an audience,developing a message, and delivering thatmessage in a clear, honest, persistent fashion.

The primary factor in an effectivecommunications strategy is developing positiverelationships. Whether you are communicatingwith your neighbor, a county supervisor, or anews reporter, your relationship counts. It mustbe based on honesty and it should be proactive,not defensive. You have a good story to tell.Most people just want to understand the facts, somake sure you’re providing them with the truth.Tell it like it is, not like you want it to be.

Doing the ResearchThe first step in developing an effective

outreach strategyis understandingthe mood of thecommunity. Thisstep involvesresearch andlegwork. Don’ttrust your ownpersonal opinion.

Researching the community’s mood can takethe form of a formal questionnaire, informal orscientific polling, one-on-one interviews, orvisiting with folks at the coffee shop or localservice clubs.

It’s also important to know your adversaries.Find out who they are, how they operate, whatthey want, and where you might have commonground. Read the news coverage of theiractivities, study their publications, learn howtheir opinions are shaped, and talk to them.Perhaps most important, listen carefully to what

they are saying!

Reaching Your AudienceWho are your

audiences?Neighbors? Newsmedia? Lawmakers?Environmentalgroups? Laborgroups? Governmentregulators?Scientists? The general public? Each audiencerequires specific communication tools.

Start with your neighbors. Develop a plan tobuild relationships with them and maintainsteady, positive contact with them.

Reach the news media, and eventually thegeneral public, through press releases,interviews, special events, public speaking,editorial board meetings, op-eds and letters to theeditor, vineyard and winery tours, newslettersand the Internet.

Meet with government officials on a regularbasis. Participate in local, regional and stateorganizations, such as the California Associationof Winegrape Growers, Wine Institute andFamily Winemakers of California to reachlawmakers and regulators.

Hold meetings with environmental or laborleaders in “neutral” places or invite them to touryour operations. Seek common ground and try todevelop mutual goals. Include them asstakeholders in your decision-making.

Decide who your audiences are and developcommunication strategies for each of them.

Identifying Your MessageOnce you have targeted a specific audience,

develop a message that will provide aconstructive connection. Your message must behonest, interesting and backed up with the facts.Be specific. Be relevant. Stick to the point. Useexamples.

Robert Mondavi Winery published abrochure highlighting its “Natural Winegrowing”philosophy and practices. It provides very

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Background: Napa Valley winegrapegrowers increasingly face hillside andwatershed issues, while wineries are feelingpressure on issues such as traffic, noise andlight pollution. Linda Reiff, executivedirector of the Napa Valley VintnersAssociation (NVVA) observed thatmembers may have mistaken theirconsumers’ affection for wine for theirneighbors’ affection for their practices.NVVA responded with an aggressivecommunity relations program, and the firststep was to get a handle on communitysentiment toward winegrape growing andwine making.

Challenge: Research, not personal opinion,is essential to understanding communityvalues. Guesswork and intuition do notprovide an adequate basis for buildingsuccessful strategies.

Action: NVVA sent a mail survey to30,000 Napa County households. Of 436responses, 176 had comments.While thecomments were useful, NVVA wanted toconduct more thorough research beforedeveloping a game plan. They built a teamof industry members to conduct one-on-oneinterviews with 100 people in the NapaValley.

Results: The one-on-one interviews werekey to connecting with the community.Their findings formed the basis of a

Connecting with Community Values

proactive community relations program. Inaddition, the personal contacts establishedduring the interview process grew intoproductive industry relationships withcommunity and environmental leaders.

By working with environmental leaders,NVVA developed a joint position with themon watershed task force recommendationsand is pursuing a Green Certificationprogram for Napa County vineyards.

Among the negative feedback was concernabout lack of farmworker housing. NVVAresponded by supporting an industry self-assessment to increase funding for housingprojects.

To help educate neighbors and earn theirtrust, NVVA developed a mailer about thewine industry’s practices and contributionsto the community. Some of the mostpositive feedback reflected appreciation forthe industry’s charitable giving. The NapaValley Wine Auction over the past 20 yearshas raised $30 million for the localcommunity.

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� Use sound practices.� Tell neighbors why our practices work.

Have a plan for working with neighbors.Reach out to them when they first move in— or you do. Touch base frequently,person-to-person. Meet on the front porch,

in the kitchen, or at themailbox. Listen to theirconcerns. Talk aboutwine and your passionfor growing grapes.Inform them aboutyour cultural practices

and explain your commitment to soundpractices. Share your philosophy, and whyyou’re committed to sustaining the soil,preserving surrounding habitats, minimizingthe need for pesticides, and maximizingquality.

Result: Growers and vintners are workingwith neighbors, building bridges, andearning support. “Our worst failure will beour silence,” Opatz warns. “Get involved!”

Background: Pete Opatz, former chairmanof the Sonoma County Grape GrowersAssociation, advises wine industry membersto be aware, be involved and be courteouswith their neighbors. “It’s now consideredcommon courtesy to explain your farmingpractices to your neighbors,” Opatz said.“If you’re not doingthese things, you couldbecome the nextheadline.”

Challenge: “Walk afew steps in yourneighbor’s shoes,” Opatz proposes. Engagein a little “viticultural therapy” to ease yourneighbors’ fears and increase theirunderstanding and empathy. Let them knowwhy, how, when and what you’re doing.

Action: The Sonoma County GrapeGrowers Association developed a detailedplan for winegrape growers to communicatewith their neighbors. It begins:� Listen and respond to our neighbors.

specific information about different aspects ofwinemaking, from grape to glass, includingpractices that protect the health and safety ofworkers, community and the environment.Specifics on vineyard management include:

• Integrated Pest Management, withinformation on what it is, how itworks, and how Cal-EPA hasrecognized Mondavi’s leadership inthis area;

• Planting cover crops that improve theland’s natural fertility, controlerosion and host beneficial insects;

• Creating a biodiverse habitat in thevineyard by planting trees and othervegetation to attract beneficial insects

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Common Courtesy, Common Sense

and predators;• Conserving soil through composting

and manual weeding; and• Conserving water and water sources.

Mondavi’s message is effective because it isspecific, truthful and it responds to the interestsof neighbors, regulators, lawmakers, and theconsuming public.

Reaching the News MediaThe first thing to keep in mind in working

productively with the news media is thatreporters want something newsworthy to writeabout. You can start by developing yourmessage and by examining what you hope toaccomplish by getting media attention.

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Developing the Message

Sonoma County Grape Growers, in aneffort to reach out to vineyard neighbors,developed a values statement. Membersuse the values statement as a guide whentalking to their neighbors about theirstewardship of the natural resources,production practices, and the connectionbetween good management and excellentwine.

Values Statement: Grape growing is ourbusiness. We follow responsible practicesin order to sustain the land and build asense of community with our neighborsby:� Being considerate and courteous,

reaching out to neighbors to keepthem informed of vineyard practicesand goals.

� Supporting our workers with ongoingtraining, competitive compensationand housing.

� Notifying residents adjoining ourvineyards who want to know whenwe will be dusting sulfur or sprayingand being aware of our possibleimpact on others.

� Using integrated pest management sothat pesticides are only applied whenpests pose economic risks. Wechoose materials that are effective,yet have low environmental impacts.

� Recognizing water as a preciousresource and striving to conserve it,keep it clean, and use it efficiently.

� Sharing our experience with ourgrower colleagues to ensure that allgrowers – new and experienced – arefamiliar with regulations and utilizebest farming practices.

� Responding conscientiously if ourneighbors have questions orconcerns.

We are committed to farming so thateveryone benefits today and tomorrow.

The next step is choosing the right tools tocommunicate. According to Mike Miller ofBrown-Miller Communications, yourcommunications effort might include one, two orall of the following tools:

• Press releases• Press Kits• Press Conferences• Interviews• Editorial Board Meetings• Media Events• Op-eds and letter to the editor

Writing a Press ReleaseThe press release is a short, factual

description of, or point of view on, an event orissue prepared for the media. Keep it to one ortwo pages, and make sure it’s newsworthy. Itcan announce a special event, present a positionon specific issues, or deliver facts on the statusof harvest, weather effects, production practices,conservation measures, etc.

The essentials of a press release are:• Who?• What?• When?• Where?• Why?• How?

Be sure to includecontact information onthe top of the pressrelease (name andphone numbers) anddon’t forget the date.Every news releaseshould contain thephrase, “For ImmediateRelease.” Under theheading, start the release with a headline that isquick, catchy and explanatory.

The first paragraph of the press release mustclearly state the main point of your issue orevent in an interesting manner. A reporter mightnot get past the first paragraph if it doesn’tcapture enough interest, so don’t bury the punchline at the bottom.

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Background: The Lodi-WoodbridgeWinegrape Commission (LWWC)recognized the need to open direct lines ofcommunication with local government, thecommunity, the news media and the wine-consuming public.

Challenge: To create more local awarenessof the contributions the wine industrymakes to the community.

Action: The Commission developed a three-part strategy:

Delivering the Message to Policymakers, Media, Public

� LWWC board schedules formal jointmeetings with Lodi City Council on anannual basis.

� LWWC staff conduct an annual circuitof speaking engagements at localservice clubs.

� LWWC staff and growers areproactive in relations with press.

Result: Their strategy enables strategicpartnering on mutually beneficial projects,such as the Conference and Visitors Bureauand the Wine and Visitor Center.

Fill in the rest of the release with all thepertinent facts on the issue. Use quotes. Useshort sentences. Keep the words active, easy andpersonal. Be factual. Be concise.

Distribute your release carefully — to theright people, at the right time, and with theproper follow-up.

Creating a Press KitA press kit is a collection of related printed

material (releases, fact sheets, photos, speeches,background materials, etc.) provided to themedia for their publication, broadcast orbackground use. The kit is a useful hand-out fora tour, special event, press conference ormeeting.

Holding a Press ConferenceThe press conference is an event for the

media to communicate information about anidea, activity or program. It enables reporters toask questions and pursue their areas of interest ina subject. It can take place anywhere — in aroom, in front of a building, in a vineyard or at awinery. The location will depend on theinformation you want to convey.

Start by sending a brief news advisory, withcontact information, informing the audience ofthe purpose, place, time, date and principalparticipants in the event.

The conference should start with a briefopening statement, brief introductions of keyparticipants, and then short remarks (less than 5minutes) by each participant. Finish by invitingquestions from the media.

Granting an InterviewAn interview is the basic tool of news

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Checking Your Values - A Five-Step Test

Honesty and sincerity are keys to asuccessful community relationsstrategy.

Paso Robles Vintners and GrowersAssociations developed a five-waytest for upholding member valuesand standards:

� Am I producing the best quality wineand/or grapes possible?

� Am I respecting the environment andusing our natural resources wisely?

� Have I considered my impact on our

gathering. It is not a conversation. The reporterwants news, and you can provide expertise andinsight to make the story complete. The reportermay ask tough questions and it’s easy to feeldefensive. Don't be. Answer the questionshonestly and convey your message. Use it as anopportunity to disseminate the message you havecarefully developed. The California FarmBureau Federation offers the following tips oninterviews:

• Make the interview worthwhile. Tellyour story!

• Deliver key points.• Don’t get angry with a reporter.• Challenge efforts to put words into

your mouth.• Don’t be evasive. “No comment”

signals you have something to hide.• There’s no such thing as “off the

record.”• Always consider microphones and

cameras to be “on.”• If you don’t know the answer, say

so, and then offer to find the answer.• Be reachable for follow-up.• Return calls promptly.• Tell the truth. A half-truth is a lie.

• Be positive!

Visiting the EditorsEditorial meetings can be helpful to inform

newspapers, radio and television programs aboutsignificant issues. The editorial meeting shouldtake place at the newspaper office or radio ortelevision station. It may involve the entireeditorial staff or a couple of reporters.

Keep the meeting brief. Provide as muchprinted material as possible (by now you’ve

What is Newsworthy?

� Something out of the ordinary —something unique

� The beginning of a project or event� An anniversary of an event or issue� A progress report� Significant progress toward a

solution� A human interest story that evokes

emotion

industry and my neighbors?� Am I doing my part to give back to the

community?� Are high ethical standards being

practiced in my place of business?

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already developed a good press kit.) If you can’tanswer a question, say so, and promise to getback to them with an answer. As always, behonest and positive.

Showing AppreciationMany state and regional associations build

media relations by staging special events. These

can be farm tours, media appreciation dinners,awards banquets to recognize an outstandingreporter, or informal backyard barbecues.

Have articulate leaders of your communitythere, prepared to help deliver your message.The relationships that develop at these eventswill likely lead to news stories in the future.Hand out your press kit and send them homewith a nice bottle of wine!

Background: The Central Coast WineGrowers Association chose to take aproactive approach with neighbors,politicians, regulators and environmentaladvocates. “We’re a high profile industry,”CCWGA President Kevin Merrill said.“People want to know what we’re doing.”

Issues: Central Coast growers faceconcerns ranging from pesticide use andrun-off to preserving endangered speciesand oak woodland habitat.

Program: CCWGA conducts “Hear ItThrough the Grapevines” vineyard andwinery tours toenhancecommunicationand understanding.The tours usuallyinclude threevineyards or threewineries and covertopics ranging from sustainable farmingand endangered species to traffic andnoise.

Craig Macmillan of Royal Oaks Wineryhas these thoughts on putting together asuccessful program:� Make sure the invitation list includes

the right people: Invite your biggestdetractors (environmental activists,irate neighbors, skeptical politicians)

— don’t just preach to the choir. InviteCounty Supervisors, State Legislators,Members of Congress and their staff.Include the news media. Don’t forgetlocal business leaders, chambers ofcommerce. Include your neighbors.

� Open the dialogue before a problememerges. Meet often and regularly.

� Use qualified, well-prepared speakerswho have anticipated concerns andissues. Pair growers with outsideexperts (University of California, U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service, etc.)

� Pick the hottest issues and face themhead-on.

� Follow up with seminars and forumson issues that the public perceives asproblems.

� Co-sponsor events with otherstakeholders (Environmental Defense

Center, CountyAgriculturalCommissioner) formore credibility.

Results: The tourshave generated alot of favorable

news stories, gained the understanding oflocal, state and federal officials, and forgedconstructive relationships withenvironmental leaders. “We’ve foundcommon ground and mutual goals,”Macmillan said.

Conducting Tours: “Hear It Through the Grapevines”

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Organic Farmers (CCOF).� Established company-wide recycling.

All bottles, cardboard, plastic, alu-minum, FAX paper, computer paper,antifreeze, waste oil, fluorescent tubesand glass are now recycled.

� Saved thousands of dollarsin dump fees by reducing theamount of material hauled tolandfills by 93 percent since1991, through company recy-cling and waste diversion pro-

grams. These efforts have been recog-nized by the State of California, withWaste Reduction Awards Program(WRAP) awards for the past sevenyears. In 1997, Fetzer Vineyards wasrecognized as one of the top ten recy-cling companies in the state.”

Opportunity: A web site can reach a vastaudience, including consumers, opinionleaders, policy-makers and the news media.

Environmental Success Story: An excel-lent web site example is www.fetzer.com,which portrays FetzerVineyards as “an envi-ronmentally consciousgrower, producer andmarketer of wines ofthe highest quality andvalue.” It describes thecompany’s quest tocontinually improvethe winery’s energy efficiency, vineyardpractices, and sustainability of general busi-ness operations. The site says, “From thetime this initiative began in the late 1980s,Fetzer Vineyards has:� Become the industry leader in farming

grapes organically. Fetzer Vineyardshas 360 acres of certified organicgrapes. The Fetzer family farms 1,100acres of certified grapes. Together weare the largest grower of grapes grownorganically on the North Coast and arecertified by the California Certified

Working with RegulatorsSome people from the government really are

there to help. You just have to find them. TheCalifornia Environmental Protection Agencyoffers a variety of grants, available to the wineand winegrape community, to encourageenvironmental stewardship. The Winegrape PestManagement Alliance (PMA), comprised ofgrower organizations from across the state,receives $100,000 a year from Cal-EPA tosupport adoption of reduced-risk pestmanagement. The California Association ofWinegrape Growers is responsible forimplementing the project, which focuses on

sustainable sulfur application and reduced-riskweed management.

Winegrape growers led the list of “natural”innovators honored in 2000 for their work inintegrated pest management (IPM). Cal-EPA’sDepartment of Pesticide Regulation recognizedthe Sonoma County Grape Growers Association,Vino Farms, and Wente Vineyards for workranging from harboring beneficial insects toreplacing pre-emergence herbicides withmechanical, cultural and post-emergencealternatives.

DPR Pest Management Grants went to UCCooperative Extension in Monterey County($15,451 for “Demonstration of Vineyard Floor

Building a Web Site to Tell the Environmental Story

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Management Alternatives); Central CoastVineyard Team ($30,000 for “Reduced-RiskVineyard Practices); and Sonoma County GrapeGrowers Association ($30,000 for “Promotionof Vineyard and Pest Disease Management andReduced-Risk Pest Management Practices inSonoma County.)

Cal-EPA is working with two wineries, DavisBynum and Benziger Family Winery, on pilotprojects to develop an EnvironmentalManagement System (EMS) for their vineyardsand wineries. Both participants are developingsustainable agricultural practices to producebiodiversity and soil health. The pilot projects

will test the theory that as environmental qualityincreases, so does the uniqueness and flavor ofthe wine and the ability of the vines to remainhealthy. The participation of both wineries in theSonoma Green and Bay Area Green BusinessPrograms is a unique aspect of the pilot. Theseprograms certify businesses that are incompliance with all environmental laws and areoperating beyond compliance by implementingpollution prevention and resource conservationactivities.

The Central Coast Vineyard Team alsoreceived a $250,000 grant from the State WaterResources Control Board to fund a three-year

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Accommodating Neighbors’ Concerns About Winery Events

Background: The Edna Valley Winery an-ticipated neighbors’ objections to eventssuch as concerts, weddings, and specialtastings. “We wanted to listen to our neigh-bors and also make sure that the CountyBoard of Supervisors and Planning Com-mission were fully aware of our activitiesand plans,” said Becky Gray, Hospitalityand Public Relations Manager for EdnaValley.

Issues: Neighbors raised concerns aboutincreased traffic, noise from outdoor music,light pollution and park-ing problems.

Remedies: Edna Valleystarted by hosting“neighborly functions” forpeople who lived within aone-mile radius of thewinery. Winery staff listened, carefully andopenly, to neighbors’ concerns. They askedfor suggestions on how to accommodatethose concerns and came up with the fol-lowing solutions:

Noise: The winery has no outdoor concerts

and keeps all amplified music indoors.

Traffic and Parking: The winery has moni-tors to ensure that people leaving functionsare safe to drive. They work with thecounty to post directional signs toward win-ery parking and place staff on site to directcars to regular and overflow parking.

Lighting: All lighting faces down and iskept at low levels to avoid light pollution.

Events: The winery stopped having Fridayevening “Wine Down”events because neighborsobjected.

Results: Edna Valleycontinues to host quar-terly functions whereneighbors can enjoy the

winery and voice concerns. They informneighbors of upcoming events, includingtypes, times, music and number of atten-dees. “We haven’t had a single complaint!The main thing is to keep an open mind,and listen carefully,” Gray advises. “Don’tbe defensive. Be the rational one.”

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the 2001 Unified Wine andGrape Symposium about the

council’s “Sierra Nevada Wealth Index,” aperiodic assessment of the social, naturaland financial capital that sustains theregion. The index provides a benchmark ofmeasurable progress toward sustainability,increasing awareness of issues and targetingareas for attention and investment.

Take-Home Message for the Wine andWinegrape Community:� Learn from people in your industry

who are taking the lead insustainability.

� Take advantage of organizations likeThe Natural Step in San Francisco,which offers hands-on assistance anda roadmap for companies to achievesustainability.

� Get your overall company going in theright direction. Strive for small,sustained progress, not overnightmetamorphosis.

� Find or form a peer group of peoplewho share your goals and can benefitfrom each other’s expertise andexperience.

“You’ll be surprised how much yourneighbors, customers and employees willappreciate your efforts,” Blake said.

Background: California’s Sierra Nevadaregion hosts a wide range of businesses,natural resources, tourism, andenvironmental groups. There is potential forgreat conflict among the diverse interests.

Challenge: The Sierra Business Council(SBC) explicitly rejects the notion thatSierra communities must choose betweeneconomic and environmental health. On thecontrary, members view environmentalquality as key to the Sierra Nevada’seconomic prosperity, and natural resourceconservation as essential to buildingregional wealth.

Strategies: The SBC provides an excellentexample of diverse interests workingtogether toward a common goal. The SBCis a nonprofit association of more than fivehundred businesses, agencies, andindividuals working to secure the economicand environmental health of the SierraNevada region for this and futuregenerations. The council represents a newapproach. Its tactics are proactive andcollaborative. It operates on the belief thatcreative solutions rarely emerge withouteffective leadership.

Specifics: “Our approach is long-term andinclusive,” SBC President Lucy Blake said.“Nothing else will ensure our region’slasting prosperity.” She told an audience at

Finding Common Ground

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Who Are Stakeholders inthe Wine Industry?

� A stakeholder is any individual orparty (i.e. organization or company)who influences or is affected bydecisions and actions for theproduction of wine and winegrapes.

� Stakeholders include: industry(growers, wineries, retailers, etc.),environmental and consumerorganizations, labor groups,government agencies, scientists, andothers.

project addressing non-point source pollution.The CCVT will establish demonstration sitesaimed at reducing sediment and nutrient loss,and then monitor the effectiveness of themethods used. Members of the Central Coastviticulture industry contributed matching fundsof 40 percent.

The California Department of Conservationissued $2 million in grants to enable ResourceConservation Districts around the state to kick-start efforts that lead to cleaner water, scenicpreservation and improved natural wildlifehabitat.

UC’s Sustainable Agricultural ResourceEducation Program (SAREP) also issues grants,with details posted on its web site atwww.sarep.ucdavis.edu.

These programs not only provide the funds tolaunch sound environmental programs, but alsoadd credibility to your efforts. They give officialrecognition that you can incorporate into yourmessage.

Collaborating with Stakeholders“Upholding sustainability means inclusion of

community interests and accountability to thepublic,” according to Dr. Lori Ann Thrupp ofthe EPA’s Agricultural Initiative. She urges the

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wine and winegrape community to learn whatmotivates stakeholders and be proactive indealing with them.

“Work on significant changes,” Thruppadvises, “Don’t just modify the image oradvertising.” She provides the following tips oncollaborating with stakeholders:

• Include local, regional, state ornational stakeholders, depending onpriorities and concerns to beaddressed. Try to pick cooperative,non-contentious individuals.

• Stakeholders can be active membersin a committee or groups (preferred),or serve as advisors (less desirable.)

• Invite stakeholders early in theprocess and build cooperation, trustand shared vision throughout theprocess.

• Encourage open participation andconsensus. (Independent facilitationhelps achieve this goal.)

• Strive for balance, seek win-winapproaches.

• Assure credibility (use third-party ifnecessary.)

• Clarify who, what, when, why, where

Clarifying Definitions

What is “sustainability?” Diversestakeholders in a planning session mighthave different definitions in mind. Use athird-party source, such as the UCSustainable Agriculture Research andEducation Program, to ensure allparticipants are operating under the sameassumptions.

“Sustainable agriculture integratesthree main goals — environmentalhealth, economic profitability, andsocial and economic equity.”

— UC SAREP

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and how you are working together(just like the press release!)

• Clarify terms and goals. Don’t relyon assumptions about definitions,principles, values, standards, orprocess.

• Be specific. Avoid generalities.• Be truthful. Do not overstate your

case or make exaggerated claims.• Find common ground. Collaborate

and communicate.

Kari Birdseye of Wine Institute says there aremany organizations that can help the winecommunity find common ground withenvironmental, labor and neighborhood interests.Wine Institute is already working with thefollowing groups, among others, to promotesustainability:

• California Environmental Dialogue— a collaborative process whererepresentatives from environmental,business and regulatory stakeholders

are working to address the issues ofenvironmental and economicbalances for the state.

• California Council for Environmentaland Economic Balance — a uniquecoalition of business and labor,working on long-term balance in thestate.

• California Futures Network — anorganization focused on growthissues at the state government level.

The result of successful collaboration withstakeholders, according to Dr. Thrupp, should beincreased credibility, trust and bottom-linebusiness interests.

Final ThoughtsSuccess means being proactive.

Procrastination won’t make it any easier to dealwith difficult issues.

Don’t Wait!Act Now!

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Acknowledgments

A January 25th general session at the 2001 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium,“Establishing Good Neighbor and Community Relations Programs,” inspired thepublication of this guidebook. Panelists for the session and others who contributed theirexpertise are listed below with their phone numbers. To order tapes of that session, contactTree Farm Tapes at 800/468-0464. Dr. Thrupp’s comments are taken from her presentationto the WineVision Sustainability Task Force (3/12/01.)

Unified Symposium PanelistsJuly Ackerman, Paso Robles Vintners and Growers Association — 805/239-8463Lucy Blake, Sierra Business Council — 530/582-4800Mark Chandler, Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission — 209/367-4727Pete Opatz, Clos du Bois, Sonoma County Grape Growers Association — 707/431-7826Linda Reiff, Napa Valley Vintners Association — 707/963-3388Karen Ross, California Association of Winegrape Growers — 916/924-5370Phil Wente, Wente Vineyards — 925/456-2400

Other ExpertsKari Birdseye, Wine Institute — 415/356-7524Joe Browde, Winegrape Pest Management Alliance — 707/776-4943Becky Gray, Edna Valley Winery — 805/544-5855Paul Dolan, Fetzer Vineyards — 707/744-7482Craig Macmillan, Royal Oaks Winery — 805/929-8909Kevin Merrill, Central Coast Wine Growers Association — 805/344-5594Herb Schmidt, Robert Mondavi Winery — 707/968-2218Lori Ann Thrupp, Ph.D., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — 415/744-1983

Advice on Public RelationsBob Krauter, California Farm Bureau Federation — 916/561-5550Mike Miller, Brown-Miller Communications — 800/710-9333

Many thanks to all of you!

— Anne Chadwick530/426-1850

May 2001