Peace Garden News

The Grape and Wine Advisory Committee is scheduled to convene on Friday, July 11, 2025, at 10 a.m. CST. The meeting will take place in the North Dakota Department of Agriculture's conference room located on the 14th floor of the State Capitol in Bismarck.

For those interested in joining via call-in, Michelle Mielke can be contacted for information before the meeting begins at 10 a.m. CST on the day of the event.

The agenda includes several presentations from different organizations and projects related to grape and wine production and marketing within North Dakota. The meeting will start with a business session followed by discussions on various research and development projects.

At 10:20 a.m., representatives from NDSU's North Central Research Extension Center in Minot will discuss their project focused on grape trellis systems, with a total project cost of $70,000 requested in full. This will be followed by a virtual presentation from 4e Winery based in Mapleton at 10:40 a.m., which seeks $11,440 out of a total $16,440 for their rural tourism campaign.

Other notable agenda items include Sawyer Crossing Vineyard and Winery's Souris Valley Frontenac Blanc Development Project requesting $70,000 out of $278,620 total; NDSU Fargo’s virtual discussion on developing grapevine resilience to temperature fluctuations seeking full funding of $69,991; and various marketing initiatives presented by entities such as the North Dakota Grape & Wine Association and Dakota Vines Vineyard and Winery.

The meeting will also cover strategic marketing expansions aimed at strengthening rural tourism and sustainable revenue growth across the state’s wine industry. Funding decisions are expected to be made following these presentations.