Amount Requested: $2,500,000
The requested funds would support the Viticulture Consortium, which is administered by Cornell University, Pennsylvania State University and the University of California (Davis). It provides competitive grant funds for viticulture research across the nation. Competitive grant applications from east of the Rockies are submitted to Cornell where an advisory board of scientists and industry members select the most worthy proposals for funding based on scientific merit, peer review, and utility to grapegrowers. Matching fund prospects are a consideration and are usually part of successful applications.

The Viticulture Consortium (VC) was formed in 1995 to promote research and extension education programs that support the growth and competitiveness of the U.S viticulture industry.  Grape production increased from $2 billion in 1995 to $3.3 billion in 2005.  During the same time, the number of U.S. wineries – most of them small farm units – has more than doubled from 1,800 to almost 4,000.  Grape farming, development of value-added grape products, establishment of on-farm wineries and tasting rooms, creation of wine regions, and growth of agricultural tourism are important factors in stabilizing rural communities in upstate New York and across the country. The special grant is supplemented by federal and state sources and by several state and national viticulture industry groups. VC priorities for 2007 are being set in coordination with the National Grape and Wine Initiative.  NGWI is an industry-driven partnership with academic and government representation. It emphasizes research and extension to strengthen the competitiveness of America’s grape and grape product industries, with the ultimate goal of tripling the industry’s economic impact from $50 billion to $150 billion in 14 years.  All segments of the grape industry – juice, wine, raisin and table grape growers and producers – participate.  NGWI is working actively with VC members to identify new, permanent sources of funding for VC research initiatives.