Napa officials hail federal smoke damage program

A federal pilot crop insurance program to help protect grape growers facing smoke damage is winning praise from local officials.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency recently announced it will launch the program for the 2025 crop year. Smoke taint was an issue in Napa County in the wake of the 2020 wildfires.

Wine grapes are essential to California's economy. Yet growers in the state have struggled to recover after smoke exposure damages their grapes, Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, said in a news release.

"I've long advocated for strengthening crop insurance for winegrowers to better capture the risks associated with growing in smoke and wildfire-prone regions. RMA's announcement is an essential step toward that goal," Thompson said. Rex Stults, vice president of industry relations for Napa Valley Vintners, also welcomed the news that the USDA will begin offering smoke insurance policies. He called the program "a huge win for the Napa Valley wine industry."

Wine grapes exposed to smoke from wildfires can introduce compounds into the winemaking process that cause smoky, ashlike flavors and result in wines unfit for commercial sale. Those off-aromas and flavors become more pronounced as wine ages, the Thompson statement said.