Sep 18, 2024

Latino winegrape education offered

The Washington Winegrowers Association (WWA) is working to help Latino vineyard workers receive education.

WWA is partnering with Wenatchee Valley College and Yakima Valley College to present the Latino Agriculture Education Programs (LAEP), this year at Levels 1 and 3.

The programs introduce students to all areas of a full growing season, including but not limited to plant science, soils, plant nutrition, site selection and vineyard establishment, irrigation scheduling and management, fruit set, and crop load management, fruit maturation, harvest planning and management, pruning, and pest control programs – all supported with current technologies and hands-on practices.

Level 1 – Introduction to Viticulture, and Level 3 – Vineyard Management/Integrated Pest Management (IPM) are designed to educate students on the principles and practices of winegrape production/management and related industries. At the end of the program, students should be able to understand the “why” (the science behind the “how to”) of the different winegrape production practices applied on commercial vineyards of Washington state, according to a news release.

Level 3 integrates the administrative side of a vineyard operation, and it also includes personnel management, budgets, cash flow, business plan, etc. Both programs are complemented with basic English terminology, math, civics, and computer programs.

Program details:
Both Levels (1 and 3) are Certificate programs to be offered at the Yakima Valley Community College Grandview Campus Workforce Education Building, adjacent to the wine tasting room, 500 W. Main Street, Grandview, WA 98930.

Classes begin Nov. 8, and end on March 21, 2025. Classes meet once a week, on Fridays Class cost is $325 per student.

WWA will be registering students, for both levels, until the end of September.