Biodiversity in the Vineyard - Southern Tour
2025-08-05 09:00 - 13:00 (America/Vancouver) | Thomas Ranch Vineyard, 4381 Oliver Ranch Road, Okanagan Falls, BC, V0H 1R2, Canada
Biodiversity in the Vineyard – Southern Tour
Event Date & Time: Tuesday, August 5, 2025 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM PST
Event Description:
Join us for the Southern leg of our Biodiversity in the Vineyard field tour, hosted in collaboration with researchers and viticulturists. This engaging field day invites you into active vineyard sites in Okanagan Falls and Oliver, where we’ll explore real-world applications of biodiversity practices that support healthy vineyards and resilient ecosystems.
Through hands-on demonstrations and open discussion, participants will gain insights into:

Cover crop projects
Soil health, beneficial insects, and nematodes
Equipment demos including the roller crimper
Tools such as the microBIOMETER® for on-site soil analysis

📍 Tour Stops Include:

Thomas Ranch Vineyard (Arterra Wines), Okanagan Falls – 4381 Oliver Ranch Road, Okanagan Falls, V0H 1R2
Diamondback Vineyard (Andrew Peller), Oliver – 500 Burrowing Owl Pl, Oliver, BC V0H 1T1

Contributors: Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, UBC, BC Living Labs, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food, BC Grapegrowers’ Association, BC Wine Grape Council + Sustainable Winegrowing BC.
📝 Registration is required. Register here
👉 View Full Itinerary
What to Bring: Comfortable walking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, water bottle, and a notepad if desired. Please arrive 15 minutes prior for check-in.
Questions? Contact: Dr. Mehdi Sharifi – mehdi.sharifi@agr.gc.ca Cell#: 250-609-1127

View our Northern Tour here

Biodiversity in the Vineyard - Northern Tour
2025-08-06 09:00 - 13:00 | Waldhof Viineyard, 5225 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna, BC, V1W 4J1, Canada
Biodiversity in the Vineyard – Northern Tour
Event Date & Time:Tuesday, August 6, 2025 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM PST
Event Description: Join us for the Northern leg of our Biodiversity in the Vineyard field tour, hosted in collaboration with researchers and viticulturists. This engaging field day invites you into active vineyard sites in Kelowna and West Kelowna, where we’ll explore real-world applications of biodiversity practices that support healthy vineyards and resilient ecosystems.
Through hands-on demonstrations and open discussion, participants will gain insights into:

Cover crop projects
Soil health, beneficial insects, and nematodes
Tools such as the microBIOMETER® for on-site soil analysis

📍 Tour Stops Include:

Waldhof Vineyards (Gebert Family), Kelowna – 5225 Lakeshore Road Kelowna, BC, V1W 4J1
Kalala Vineyards (Kalala Winery), West Kelowna – 3361 Glencoe Rd, West Kelowna, BC V4T 1M1

Contributors: Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, UBC, BC Living Labs, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food, BC Grapegrowers’ Association, BC Wine Grape Council + Sustainable Winegrowing BC.
📝 Registration is required.
📄 Full itinerary available here:
👉 View Full Itinerary
What to Bring:Comfortable walking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, water bottle, and a notepad if desired. Please arrive 15 minutes prior for check-in.
Questions?Contact: Dr. Mehdi Sharifi – mehdi.sharifi@agr.gc.ca Cell#: 250-609-1127

View our Southern Tour here

BCWGC Annual General Meeting
2025-08-07 12:30 - 13:30 | Zoom
Notice of AGM
August 7, 2025, 12:30 – 1:30 via Zoom
The BC Wine Grape Council Annual General Meeting has been set for Wednesday, August 7, 2025. Full agenda and details will be distributed in the coming weeks. Visit the AGM WEBPAGE for up-to-date information.

Register for the meeting here
____________________________________________________________________
BC Wine Grape Council (BCWGC) Director Vacancies
The following board positions are up for election:

Grower > 250 acres
Grower 20-250 acres
Grower < 20 acres
Winemaker

As a BCWGC Director you will have the opportunity to participate in committees that help shape the future of the BC wine industry through valuable technology, research and education projects. We are actively seeking individuals who are available and eager to be part of the evolution of our industry from both the grower and wine making perspectives.
If you would like to be considered for a board position, please complete the nomination form and return to Kate Durisek before email: info@bcwgc.org by August 4, 2025.
Download the nomination package: BCWGC Board Nomination Package_2025

AgLife Connector Training - Penticton
2025-08-12 10:00 - 14:30 | Beem Credit Union Penticton, 251 Green Avenue West #101, Penticton, BC, V2A 7J8, Canada
The AgLife Connector Training:
Do you care about the mental health and wellbeing of BC producers? Do you want to learn how to make a difference?
The AgLife Connector Training is a mental health awareness and suicide prevention skills training designed specifically for BC agriculture. By taking the training, you will learn valuable skills on how to identify and support someone who is struggling with their mental health and how you can get them connected to supports. Throughout the training, you will learn an easy-to-remember three-step framework for supporting BC producers who may be struggling with their mental health. This is a unique opportunity to take a completely free mental health awareness and suicide prevention training that was entirely designed for BC agriculture. By taking the training and becoming a Connector you are joining a growing network of people who care about producer mental health and wellbeing and want to make a difference! The AgLife Connector training is intended for anyone who works in a role that supports and/or works alongside producers. This program is a collaboration between AgSafe BC and the Canadian Mental Health Association – BC Division.
Cost: FREE (with free snacks, coffee, and lunch provided)
Duration: 4.5 hours (30 minutes for lunch)
Location:

Penticton – August 12th 10:00 am – 2:30 pm at Beem Credit Union Penticton (register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1475001612529?aff=oddtdtcreator)

AgLife Connector Training - Kelowna
2025-08-15 09:00 - 13:30 | CMHA Kelowna, 504 Sutherland Avenue, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 2B7, Canada
The AgLife Connector Training:
Do you care about the mental health and wellbeing of BC producers? Do you want to learn how to make a difference?
The AgLife Connector Training is a mental health awareness and suicide prevention skills training designed specifically for BC agriculture. By taking the training, you will learn valuable skills on how to identify and support someone who is struggling with their mental health and how you can get them connected to supports. Throughout the training, you will learn an easy-to-remember three-step framework for supporting BC producers who may be struggling with their mental health. This is a unique opportunity to take a completely free mental health awareness and suicide prevention training that was entirely designed for BC agriculture. By taking the training and becoming a Connector you are joining a growing network of people who care about producer mental health and wellbeing and want to make a difference! The AgLife Connector training is intended for anyone who works in a role that supports and/or works alongside producers. This program is a collaboration between AgSafe BC and the Canadian Mental Health Association – BC Division.
Cost: FREE (with free snacks, coffee, and lunch provided)
Duration: 4.5 hours (30 minutes for lunch)
Location:

Kelowna – August 15th 9:00 am – 1:30 pm at CMHA Kelowna (register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1478368111819?aff=oddtdtcreator)

BCWGC August 21, 2025 R&D Committee Meeting
2025-08-21 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
CCLSP and the BC Decision Aid System (DAS) for Grapes Join us on August 21 to learn about the Cross Commodity Leadership Support Project (CCLSP) and how their Innovation & Technology Committee is working with the BC Wine Grape Council (BCWGC) and the Wine Grape Industry Task Force (WGITF) to pilot and launch the new BC DAS for grapes this coming year. Kellie Garcia, CCLSP Program Director, will give an overview of CCLSP and Galen Barnhardt, Barn to Bottle Consulting, will provide information on the DAS program, how it relates to grapes, benefits to growers, and how people can get involved.
REGISTER HERE: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/e57fEsfDSy6rJo-zvE39oQ

September 2025 BCWGC R&D Meeting
2025-09-18 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Dr. Mark Paul Selda Rivarez, UBC – An Ilarvirus with Five Names and the Need for On-site, High-throughput Virus Diagnostics in Grapes
Dr. Mark Paul Selda Rivarez, the new Assistant Professor of Phytopathology and Virology at UBC, will introduce a proactive approach to protecting the BC wine grape industry from a new generation of complex viral threats.
Using the recently discovered Solanum nigrum ilarvirus 1 (SnIV1) as a key case study, Dr. Rivarez will examine the challenges presented by emerging pathogens that can bypass traditional clean plant protocols. With confirmed detections in European grapevines and unconventional transmission pathways such as seed and pollen, SnIV1 emphasizes the need for more advanced diagnostic technologies to safeguard BC’s vineyards. The presentation will then introduce “PlantDx,” a Genome BC proposal for a portable genomic toolkit. This platform will utilize portable sequencing technology to bring diagnostics from the lab to the vineyard, allowing for rapid, on-site identification of both known and new viruses.
Join us to discover how this research can boost our clean plant initiatives, enhance biosecurity, and secure the long-term health and profitability of the BC wine grape industry.

Export Navigator Webinar
2025-09-24 10:00 - 11:30 | Zoom
Export Navigator invites B.C. alcohol producers to a free 90-minute webinar on navigating interprovincial trade and regulatory barriers.
Breaking Barriers: Navigating Interprovincial Alcohol Trade for B.C. Producers
Learn what it takes to grow beyond B.C., from D2C shipping limitations to labeling compliance and market-specific strategies.
Presented in partnership with B.C. Beverage Technology Access Centre (BCBTAC).
Why Attend?

Understand provincial differences in sales, storage, and labeling
Get clarity on CFTA, QA/lab testing, and regulatory efforts
Identify where opportunities exist for your products
Access tools and guidance to support your expansion

Date: September 24, 2025
Time: 10:00 – 11:30 AM (PT)
Register: Webinar Registration – Zoom
Can’t join live? Register to receive a recording after the session
Questions? Contact info@exportnavigator.ca.

Practical Soil Regeneration Skills for Agricultural Producers
2025-10-16 08:00 - 2025-10-18 16:00 | Little Dog Farm, 125 Wellspring Road, Creston, BC, V0B 1G2, Canada
Soil Regeneration Immersion: From Theory to Field
We want to invite you and your community to our upcoming intensive 3-day workshop happening October 16–18, 2025, at Little Dog Farm in Creston, BC.
This hands-on workshop is designed specifically for agricultural producers like you—bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and the practical application of soil regeneration techniques.
What You’ll Experience

Learn the principles and practicalities of building biologically active compost.
Understand the role of microbes in soil and crop resilience.
Produce and apply compost teas and extracts using real-world tools and equipment.
Discuss water management, animal integration and regenerative design within the context of a polyculture orchard.
Share meals and stories with a vibrant community of land-based learners.

Led by Jo Tobias, regenerative soil and living compost specialist of RootShoot Soils, and hosted in collaboration with Ian and Cathy Finley of Little Dog Farm.
Event Details
Dates: October 16-18, 2025
Location: Little Dog Farm, 125 Wellspring Road
Register here: bit.ly/soilregeneration-creston2025
Fee: $200 (taxes and Eventbrite fees apply)
Spots are limited.
Early registration is encouraged.

October 2025 BCWGC R&D Committee Meeting
2025-10-16 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Dr. Mehdi Sharifi, AAFC – Ground Cover Management and Sustainability in European Vineyards: Insights from the GiESCO 2025 Conference
GiESCO is an internationally recognized event focused on viticulture and enology, with presentations from researchers around the world. In 2025, there were over 350 attendees, and the main theme was sustainability and climate change. Dr. Sharifi attended as a delegate representing Canadian viticulture and will be sharing his learnings from the conference including photos, vineyard practices and highlights. This will be a fun practical presentation showing how European vineyards are approaching sustainability using groundcover management.

Grape Day, part of the Commodity Days Series
2025-11-26 13:00 - 16:30 | UNC Ballroom, 3272 University Way, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada
Save the Date! November 26th at UBC Okanagan campus.
Open to all members of industry!
Co-hosted by the University of British Columbia and Agriculture and Agrifood Canada, hear updates on the 6 ongoing S-CAP funded research projects for wine grapes in the morning. Stay for lunch, and a presentation on smoke taint as well as a sensory analysis of affected and treated wines. There will be ample time for discussion and networking. We looking forward to seeing you once the hustle of harvest is past it’s peak!
Activity #4: Vegetation management for long-term productivity and enhanced ecosystem services in Canadian semi-arid vineyards
Activity #5: Managing grapevine viruses and their arthropod vectors
Activity #6: Sustainable control of grapevine trunk diseases under a changing climate
Activity #7: Precision management of grapevine stress and development under the challenges of climate change
Activity #8: Prediction, prevention, and mitigation of smoke-taint (and other air-borne aromas) in grapes and wines
Activity #9: Influence of temperature and heat-stress mitigation strategies on grape quality in British Columbia vineyards
Parking information:
Park in H Lot, pay by Honk app or pay station ($8.45/day) and walk up hill to University Centre building.
View map: UBCOkanagan_CampusMap
Register here

Virtual Workshop: Interpreting Your Soil Test
2025-12-16 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
The Ministry of Agriculture & Food invites you to register for their upcoming Virtual Workshop: Interpreting Your Soil Test
If you recently submitted a soil sample for analysis and have a soil test report but aren’t sure what it means, join the Ministry of Agriculture & Food for a virtual hands-on workshop to help you decode soil test results and learn how to use them for better crop, fertilizer, and land management decisions. If you haven’t submitted your soil sample yet, deadline is December 1.
To get the most out of the workshop, please bring along your test results. Even if you have not received your test results or you did not submit one, you are still welcome to attend!
December 16, 2025 from 10:00-12:00 PT.
REGISTER HERE: VIRTUAL WORKSHOP – Interpreting Your Soil Test Report Tickets | Eventbrite
Download Brochure Here

BCWGC December 18, 2025 R&D Committee Meeting
2025-12-18 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Dr. Mamadou Lamine, Dr. Odile Carisse, and Dr. Kosal Khun; AAFC Quebec – Developing and validating disease detection tools to improve the management of powdery mildew and botrytis rot in vineyards.
The presentation will focus on Activity 16, Objective 4 of the Sustainable Canadian Agriculture Program Projects being conducted at AAFC labs in Quebec. The project involves collating weather, crop, disease and injuries yield data from field experiments; designing the forecasting model based on pathogens life cycle; evaluating the reliability of the model structure; and, evaluating the forecasting models under vineyard conditions based on disease control, yield losses, and the number of fungicide applications.
Register here
