Since 1996, CCVT has collected 750 PPS evaluations. Participating growers manage approximately 60,000 acres on the Central Coast. The evaluations are used to educate and guide growers towards more sustainable practices and to quantify the adoption of integrated farming practices used in Central Coast vineyards. The PPS was conceived and developed through a collaborative partnership of growers, wineries, cooperative extension, educators, consultants, and environmental interests. The end result describes a sustainable vineyard in which both natural and human resources are maintained.

The PPS uses a "whole-farm" approach to evaluate vineyard management. This system encourages biological diversity and balance, both above and below ground, and recognizes that healthy soils are critical to sustainable systems. This system prefers healthy biological processes over chemical inputs. But where chemicals are used, several techniques are encouraged to ensure that the chemical is the least disruptive, least toxic, and is applied most effectively. Positive Points System™ practices address several environmental issues commonly associated with production agriculture: protecting surface and ground water quality, minimizing soil erosion, reducing risks associated with pesticides and agricultural chemicals, protecting worker safety, eliminating drift, and conserving habitat within the vineyard.

Participation benefits growers

• Cooperation enables growers to identify areas of management that are weak or need attention. Similarly, it identifies areas of management that successfully utilize sustainable approaches.
• Participation allows growers to document changes in practices used over time. The PPS can be used as a tool to document implementation of specific management measures in a vineyard.
• Completing the evaluation allows growers to learn about practices that can be used in their vineyard. Growers agree that the PPS is a tremendous educational tool.

In addition, cooperation benefits the industry

• Cooperation shows the community that the industry is represented by growers who are committed to improving vineyard management practices.
• Cooperation shows various agencies that growers voluntarily assess and evaluate their operations in order to protect the health of natural and human resources.
• Cooperation shows the public that the industry is concerned about environmental health and worker safety.
• Cooperation shows other growers that implementation of sustainable practices can be commercially successful.

PPS evaluations can be completed on-line or by hard copy. Thank you for your participation in this innovative program!