By Kim Knappenberger, Cornell University, Cooperative Extension
JAMESTOWN – The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s Lake Erie Regional Grape Program is beginning to wrap up.
Known as the Vineyard Improvement Program, this five-year grant was one of the outcomes of the Concord Grape Summit held in Westfield in April 2018.
The LERGP continues to accept applications for the reimbursement program, however the removal and replant will need to be completed in this growing season so that the reimbursements can be completed by the close of the grant at the end of March 2023.
The Vineyard Improvement Program is a reimbursement program that matches funds used to remove unwanted Concord vineyards that may be in a poor site, not producing well, or the vineyard is in disrepair or not contracted.
Eligible vineyards would be those in the Southern Tier – Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany, Steuben, Schuyler, Chemung, Tompkins, Tioga, Broome, Chenango and Delaware counties, as well as Erie (NY) and Niagara Counties.
Reimbursement for vineyard removal is 50% of costs up to $1,500 which may include labor, custom hire, equipment use or rental, and land clearing. It will also match 25% of replant costs up to $1,500 for approved commodities such as vineyards, orchards, Christmas tree plantings.
The application can be found online at lergp.com.
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