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USDA California Climate Hub's Newsletter
Issue 3, 2024
In this issue: 

Feature

Sustainable Winegrowing Summit Features Keynote from Dr. Steven Ostoja


Headlines

USDA California Climate Hub Workshops Respond to Stakeholder Needs


Recent Research

Exploring the Impacts of Climate Change on Winegrape Development Across California


Forecasts, Opportunities, and Events

Seasonal Forecasts 
Funding Opportunities 
Employment Opportunities 
Events

Sustainable Winegrowing Summit Features Keynote from Dr. Steven Ostoja

California is one of the world’s top wine producers, with 615,000 acres and over 110 winegrape varieties in production per year. However, climate change is projected to make California hotter, drier, and more likely to experience extreme weather, threatening the yield and quality of California winegrapes.

At their two-day 2024 U.S. Sustainable Winegrowing Summit, the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) featured a keynote presentation from USDA California Climate Hub Director Dr. Steven Ostoja. Dr. Ostoja discussed general climate trends, Hub-led research on the impacts of climate change on winegrape development, and research led by Hub collaborators on climate change effects on pest pressure. Dr. Ostoja also facilitated a panel discussion with industry leaders in sustainability focused on adaptation and mitigation strategies.

To access recordings of the summit’s presentations, click the link below. To learn more about the USDA California Climate Hub’s research on the projected impacts of climate change on winegrapes, funded in part by CSWA, scroll down!

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HEADLINES

USDA California Climate Hub Workshops Respond to Stakeholder Needs

The USDA California Climate Hub had a lively May and June, facilitating three workshops:

  • Technical service providers are an essential resource for agricultural producers, connecting them to knowledge, tools, and funding. To support technical service providers addressing climate impacts, the California Climate Hub designed a workshop, led by Climate Hub Fellow Dr. Kimber Moreland, that aimed to give technical service providers from across the state a foundational knowledge of climate change and hands-on experience with climate-related decision-support tools. 
  • Dr. Moreland also facilitated the first in a series of workshops titled “Climate Conversations,” which provides climate literacy training to USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) field staff. The workshop took place in Santa Cruz and gathered field staff from across NRCS California Service Area 2.
  • Led by UC Davis Professor Dr. Isaya Kisekka and supported by Hub staff including Drs. Moreland and Ostoja and Climate Hub Science Applications Specialist Jess DellaRossa, the “Implementing Groundwater Demand Management in Agricultural Regions” workshop brought together a community of stakeholders to develop a common understanding of Groundwater Demand Management (GDM). The workshop preceded the international conference Toward Sustainable Groundwater in Agriculture.
Participants sit in a semicircle formation and look to the front of the room, where a woman stands in front of a projector screen.
RECENT RESEARCH

Exploring the Impacts of Climate Change on Winegrape Development Across California

Viticulture is one of California’s most economically and culturally significant agricultural industries. The state produces more than 80% of U.S. wine, is the fourth largest global producer of wine, and the viticulture industry as a whole contributes over $70 billion to the state’s economy. Facing the mounting pressures of climate change, many winegrowers have questions about what they can do to prepare their operations for the future.

To better understand the impact of climate change on California winegrapes, the USDA California Climate Hub led a study that explores the effects of winegrape variety, growing location, and future climate conditions on winegrape development. The study uses climate model projections to analyze the impacts of 14 climate metrics on six winegrape varieties across 12 winegrowing regions.

Overall, winegrape development is projected to quicken as winegrapes as warmer spring and summer temperatures will hasten the maturation process. However, the degree to which development advances is dependent on winegrape variety and growing location. Faster development was most apparent in Cabernet Sauvignon and least apparent in Chardonnay. Geographically, bigger changes were shown in northern and coastal winegrowing regions, like the West Sonoma Coast, as compared to more southern and inland regions, like Lodi and Madera. 

While many questions remain unanswered about the future of California viticulture, this study can help winegrowers make more informed management decisions and variety choices. This research was funded by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance and the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture and supported by Hub collaborators Drs. John Abatzoglou, Isaya Kisekka, and Andrew McElrone.

A close up of a bundle of grapes before maturity, with a mixture of ripe red grapes and immature green grapes.
United States Department of Agriculture
Read the Full Article
DROUGHT UPDATE & FORECAST
Current Status

The state remains largely drought free with the exception of far inland Southern California, which
is expected to experience abnormal dryness.
Seasonal Forecast

Drought conditions across the state are expected to remain stable, with virtually no drought anticipated through the summer.

 
TEMPERATURE & PRECIPITATION FORECAST
Temperature Forecast

With the exception of far Northern California and the California coast, the state is likely to see above-normal temperatures through the end of July. Warmer temperatures can increase water demand for natural and agricultural systems.
Precipitation Forecast

July precipitation is likely to be below-normal in far Northern and inland California. Precipitation in the central coast has equal chances of being above- or below-normal. With its Mediterranean climate, summer precipitation patterns play only a minor role in California's water balance.
OPPORTUNITIES
Jobs

Assistant Project Scientist
University of California, Davis
Location: Davis, CA
Applications due: Jun. 28, 2024

Indigenous Food Systems and Foods Sovereignty Advisor
University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources

Location: Multiple
Applications due: Aug. 15, 2024

Funding

Regional Conservation Partnership Program Grants (RCPP)
USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service

RCPP is a partner-driven approach to conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural land. By leveraging collective resources and collaborating on common goals, RCPP demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships in delivering results for agriculture and conservation.  
Applications due: Jul. 2, 2024
Plant Genetics and Biotechnology Fellowship
USDA Agricultural Research Service
Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant will be trained on applying genome editing technology to knock out target genes to generate novel mutant lines with enhanced agronomic traits in wheat. 
Applications due: Jul. 12, 2024
EVENTS
Indigenous Voices and Stewardship in Urban Landscapes
USDA Forest Service Research & Development
Virtual

July 10, 2024
Learn more here

Creating Your RCPP Proposal Webinar
USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service
Virtual
June 27, 2024
Learn more here

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Want to get involved with the California Climate Hub? Have something you'd like us to include in our newsletter? Drop us a line!

Contact Hub Director Steven Ostoja (smostoja@ucdavis.edu) or Program Manager Lauren Parker (leparker@ucdavis.edu) to get started. 

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