Senators fight to support smoke-affected vintners

A group of West Coast Senators has introduced a bill to fund research into how to protect vine growers in California, Oregon and Washington from damage caused by smoke taint. Wildfires have been one of the biggest concerns for wine growers along the US' West Coast in recent years. As well as the risk of vines being burnt to a cinder, even those vineyards which may appear to have escaped unscathed may still have their harvest spoiled by smoke taint. Volatile phenols which cling to the grape skins can result in the finished wine having an undesirable 'ashy' quality. Some see specialised spray-on coatings as the solution, and other companies are pushing artificial intelligence to determine how the effects of smoke taint can be minimised through intervention in the winery. Some producers have dealt with the financial blow of smoke-tainted fruit by distilling the grapes into brandy, or even, as was the case with one Oregon producer, turning it into BBQ sauce. What is apparent, though, is that in spite of smoke taint being such a hot topic for the US' wine industry, it is poorly understood.

Smoke Exposure Research Act

In a bid to fight a threat to the major industry that is West Coast wine, US Senators Alex Padilla (Democrat, California) and Jeff Merkley (Democrat, Oregon), alongside Representatives Mike Thompson (Democrat, California and Doug LaMalfa (Republican, California), have introduced the 'Smoke Exposure Research Act'. The legislation would provide US$32.5 million annually over the next five years to fund further research into smoke taint – a drop in the ocean, compared to the estimated US$3.7 billion the 2020 wildfires cost producers, both due to the physical damage caused by the blaze, and the smoke. The funds would go to the US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service, which would study everything from how to test for smoke taint to the development of risk assessment tools to reduce, or even eradicate, it. It has gained support from a number of industry bodies, including Allied Grape Growers, Washington Winegrowers Association, Family Winemakers of California, and the West Coast Smoke Exposure Task Force. Natalie Collins, co-chair of the latter organisation, said: "Wildfire smoke poses an increasing threat to the American wine industry, yet its impact on winegrapes is complex and influenced by multiple factors, including duration, intensity, grape variety, and stage of development. While significant progress has been made in understanding smoke exposure, critical research gaps remain."

DOGE

The bill is partly a retaliation against the recent actions of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which, in an effort to cut costs, briefly fired Agricultural Research Service employees (including two from the University of California, Davis) looking into smoke taint, only to reverse the decision after public pressure. "The West Coast wine industry is more vulnerable than ever," said Padilla, "yet President Trump and Elon Musk’s DOGE are causing chaos by firing and rehiring UC Davis researchers who are making groundbreaking progress in studying these detrimental wildfire smoke impacts. You can’t see, smell, or taste smoke taint damage, which is why we must invest in emerging science-based research and solutions to protect growers, vintners, and consumers alike." Although criticisms have been levelled against Trump and Musk by the Democrats backing the bill, it is bipartisan, with one Republican Representative, LaMalfa, behind it too. "Research into how smoke affects crops is a necessary step towards developing ways to protect growers, preserve production, and keep California’s wine industry strong," said LaMalfa. "I’m pleased to be working with my colleagues in the Senate to tackle this issue and ensure our farmers have the tools they need to adapt and recover."