April 12, 2024

Sustainable WA

The Washington wine industry announced a partnership between Sustainable WA, the state's sustainability certification for wine grapes, and Salmon-Safe, a U.S. regional eco-label focused on watershed protection. Following an 18-month development process, Sustainable WA is joining with Salmon-Safe in a certification partnership to enhance water quality protection, wildlife habitat conservation and climate resiliency. As part of the updated Sustainable WA standard, vineyards in the program now have the option of obtaining dual certification for both Sustainable WA and Salmon-Safe. Sustainable WA was launched in 2022 as Washington's first statewide certified sustainability program for wine grapes. It is a partnership between the Washington Winegrowers Association, the Washington State Wine Commission, the Washington Wine Industry Foundation, and the Washington Wine Institute, with oversight by an industry-led governance council and technical committee. Salmon-Safe works to keep urban and agricultural watersheds healthy for native salmon. More than 95,000 acres of farm and urban lands in the Pacific Northwest have transitioned to Salmon-Safe certification. For viticulture, the focus of Salmon-Safe is reducing vineyard runoff, water quality protection and enhancement of native biodiversity on vineyard sites. To achieve dual certification, growers must commit to sustainable viticultural practices and pass a third-party audit. Nearly a third of Washington's vineyard acreage is in the Sustainable WA program.