I am writing to encourage and invite you to become a member of the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers for 2013.  The WAWGG Board has designed a top notch Association that helps you as growers and wineries understand your bottom line.

When I first became part of the board I read the Vision established by the first members in the 1990's:  By 2020 the Washington State wine industry triples its economic impact through improved profitability and sustainability for growers and wineries in the production of world class wines.  At the time this seemed daunting.  Fast forward to April of this year, when the Washington State Wine Commission announced the results of an economic impact study showing the industry at $8.6 billion annually, up from $3 billion in 2006 (187% increase) and Nationally at $14.9 billion, up from $4.7 billion in 2006 (217% increase).  This is merely the opener!

These facts solidify the justification of our investment for clean plants and research and the dollars we use for education: training programs such as the Latino Ag program, events that provide technology transfer and summer field tours all keep us informed.   Of course we look to the future with our investment in the new Wine Science Center and the Walter Clore Center.

The Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers annual convention is an opportunity to fine-tune our knowledge to grow grapes that reflect SUPERIOR QUALITY BY DESIGN.  For all size wineries, better information helps us understand our business environment and our own bottom line.  WITH our members, we continue to invent and institute new programs such as the Grower Caucus and the Next Generation leadership programs.

I hope you will join me as a WAWGG member.  I would love to have you on the team.