The Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission (TRRC) has extended the Vineyard Development and Expansion Program and has approved continued program management by IALR. The purpose of the program is to promote the state’s wine economy and agritourism growth by providing growers incentives to expand vineyard acreage. Through the cost-share program, IALR will continue to work with the Virginia Cooperative Extension, TRRC and the Virginia Vineyards Association to increase vineyard acreage and address the shortage of Virginia-grown grapes.
A cost-share award of up to $3,000 per acre is available for qualified vineyard growers, reimbursing 33 percent of eligible expenditures. Vineyards with up to nine acres may receive a maximum award of up to $15,000, and those with 10 or more acres may receive a maximum award of up to $20,000. Eligible cost-share items include, but are not limited to, grapevines, hardware for trellis systems, fencing and irrigation systems. Funding is available to qualified existing growers and new growers.
More information and the application can be found online at http://trrcgrape.com. Applications are now being accepted and the deadline to apply is December 31, 2020. For additional information and questions, please contact Program Manager Amy Turner at Amy.Turner@ialr.org or 434-766-6788.
