Jon Zaninovich, vice president of Jasmine Vineyards, in  Delano, CA, and son of one of the founders of the firm, was in a reflective mood in mid-July when talking to The Produce News about this year’s California grape deal.

He said it appears to be shaping up to be a good deal as the vines are healthy, the berries are showing good growth and California grapes are on a good run over the last four or five years.  Despite increasing volume, sales have been brisk at a relatively good price and he expects more of the same this year.  He said retailers have done a very good job promoting grapes over the years.  He noted that new varieties that are a bit easier to grow and produce more pounds per acre are helping the industry survive against mounting challenges.

But he indicated those challenges are great.

On a very practical level, he hopes the market price stays strong arguing that an $18-20 f.o.b., which was the market in mid-July, is a win-win-win.  “That’s a good price for the grower.  It allows the retailer to make money and the consumer gets a good deal.“

He believes there is no reason to drive the market down, causing losses at the farmgate and stretching the ability of the grower to stay in business.  However, just as quickly, Zaninovich made it clear that he is not looking for price controls or a floor price. “I get it. I know how the market works.”

But he was much less forgiving of the culture that currently exists in California, and especially in the Legislature, that doesn’t value the contributions agriculture makes.  The drought, he said, continually challenges the ability of California agriculture to survive.  He said legislators and urban folks say they value the state’s number one business “but they would rather water their lawns than give us the water we need.”

Zaninoviuch said most grape growers will survive this year but there are pockets of acreage that could be in dire straits.  “We have drilled lots of wells but there are some 120 or 160 acre growers that might only have one well.  If that runs dry this summer — and many could — they are going to have a problem.”

He added that another year of drought would be devastating.  “All of farming in California will be very, very suspect.”

Zaninovich understands the balance that must be reached between agriculture and the environment but he said it is just plain stupid to send 500,000 to 600,000 acre feet of water out to sea when the state is in the midst of its worst drought.  He was speaking of laws on the book that require substantial pumping of fresh water out to sea for environmental reasons such as saving the Delta Smelt.  “We lost the water and it didn’t even do what it was supposed to do.”

Zaninovich also railed against inaction on immigration reform.  He said California agriculture provides many jobs to willing workers and those workers are key to the state’s economy.  “We are a population of immigrants.  I don’t get it that people are against immigration reform.  But fine if you are not going to give us that, give us a worker program.”

He said if America and California doesn’t support agriculture, it will go away.  He worries that there may not be enough members of the next generation willing to continue to work the field and fight the fight.  While marketing and sales and other ag-related jobs are very important, he noted that the grower working the field is where it all starts and is what it is all about.