The PA Liquor Control Board recently awarded eight projects $1 million in research and marketing grants to increase sales, production, and quality of Pennsylvania wines.
“William Penn literally planted the seeds of Pennsylvania’s wine industry,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Secretary Redding said. “We’ve grown from transplanted vines in a colonial-era Philadelphia park to the fourth-ranking wine producer in the nation. Investing in research and promotion will keep that success growing. The Shapiro Administration is investing in keeping Pennsylvania agriculture a national leader in the years to come.”
The Pennsylvania Winery Association received $441,180 to continuing funding a five-year promotional strategy.
Penn State University was awarded the remaining grants in amounts totaling $42,214, $71,999, $80,922, $84,811, $89,993, $91,021 and $97,860.
Projects include mitigating frost damage in vineyards, evaluation of grapevine nutrient levels and sufficiency ranges, using wine grape microbiome to control dissolved oxygen and sulfur dioxide levels in final wines, and the integration of chemical aging of wine into traditional production.
In Pennsylvania, the grape and wine industry contributes $1.77 billion to the state economy annually, supports 10,756 jobs, and pays wages totaling $518.2 million, according to the Pennsylvania Wine Marketing and Research Board.
There are more than 400 licensed wineries statewide.