Program

AGGRI is an industry-funded mechanism (via grapevine nursery assessments) that creates a reliable, grower-directed source of funding (proposing a 2.5% assessment on grapevine nursery sales generating approximately $3 million per year). This would enable:

• Funding dedicated to post-doctoral researchers focused solely on industry-prioritized trait(s),
• Investment in functional proof infrastructure, like phenotyping platforms and gene editing technologies, and
• Applying knowledge to mechanization-friendly traits, disease and virus resistance, and climate resilience.

AGGRI will be governed by a board of 15 members appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.  Board make-up is as follows: 

Five (5) producer (nursery) members:
Three persons representing west coast states, one representing all other states, and one at large position.

• West coast states means California, Oregon, and Washington;
• All other states means any of the other 50 United States not including California, Oregon, or Washington;
• At large means the entirety of all states rather than a specific state or states

Ten (10) consumer (grower) members:

• One representing table grapes
• One representing juice grapes
• One representing raisins
• One representing northwest winegrapes including:
  • Alaska
  • Washington
  • Oregon
  • Idaho
• Three representing California winegrapes, one each from:
  • North Coast
  • Central Coast
  • Interior
• One representing southern states
• One representing central states
• One representing northeast states

Additionally, the board will select up to four (4) ex officio advisors:

• Advisor means a person who has skills and expertise related to the needs of the board.