An Australian winery has lost 300 acres of vines due to the Longwood bushfires in Victoria.
what happened?
Devastating bushfires in the Australian state of Victoria have destroyed 300 acres of vines at Fowles Wines, owned by Matt Fowles. In addition, the fire burned 1,500 acres of pasture at Falls Farm, killing hundreds of sheep and destroying two homes.
“It was like the surface of the moon. There was barely a blade of grass,” Fowles told The Times, according to WBM.
Fowles also explained that due to the fire, the winery appeared to have lost its entire crop, as well as all the infrastructure that the crops depended on.
Another vineyard in the region, Elgo Vineyard, was also destroyed by the fire, and significant property damage was reported across Victoria, with Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan declaring a state of disaster in 18 regions, according to WBM.
Why are declining grape yields a concern?
Growers of all types are facing increasing problems growing crops due to extreme weather events such as wildfires, droughts and floods, and more and more crops will fail. Reduced crop yields will result in less food (or, in the case of vineyards, less wine) being available to consumers, while potentially increasing the cost of leftover food and wine, making already expensive grocery trips even more so.
Additionally, crop losses will expose farmers to huge income losses. In addition to these losses, the costs of rebuilding vineyards and farms after extreme weather can be high. If these losses continue indefinitely and farms continue to need to be rebuilt, farmers may lose or abandon their livelihoods, agricultural employment opportunities may be reduced, and agricultural industries may be razed to the ground.
As people continue to use energy sources such as oil and coal, global temperatures will continue to rise, leading to more extreme weather events and making it more difficult to grow food, leading to global food shortages.
What measures are being taken on the grape crop?
Vineyards are implementing a variety of strategies not only to save crops from wildfires but also to continue growing crops through all types of severe weather.
Whether cultivating healthier soil with the help of sheep or developing artificial intelligence robots designed to help vineyards cope with labor shortages, scientists and researchers around the world are taking steps to protect crops.
Get TCD’s free newsletter for simple tips to save more, reduce waste and make smarter choices, and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD’s exclusive Rewards Club.