More Than $4 Million Invested in Pacific Northwest Grape Research

Grape production is shaped by decisions made in vineyards, laboratories, wineries, research plots, and extension programs across the Pacific Northwest. Behind many of those decisions is sustained investment in research that helps the industry understand emerging challenges, strengthen production systems, and build knowledge that can be applied across the region.

From 2020 through 2025, the Northwest Center for Small Fruits Research distributed $4,012,311 in grape research funding. The investment supported both viticulture and enology research across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, USDA Agricultural Research Service programs, and other collaborating locations.

This report summarizes NCSFR-supported grape research funding distributed during the 2020–2025 reporting period. Grape research is not one narrow category: it includes research connected to vineyard production and grape growing through viticulture, as well as research connected to winemaking and processing through enology.

The funding portfolio reflects investment across these complementary areas of grape research. Viticulture represented the largest portion of funding during the reporting period, while enology funding supported the research portfolio's winery and processing-related dimension. Together, these two areas represent the full scope of the grape research investment made possible through NCSFR during this five-year period.

This report presents aggregate funding data and does not describe the scope or findings of individual funded projects.

Of the $4,012,311 total, $3,306,216 — approximately 82.4% — was directed toward viticulture research. Enology research received $706,095, representing approximately 17.6% of the total.

Washington received the largest share of grape research funding during the reporting period, followed by Oregon. Funding also supported work conducted through USDA-ARS, Idaho-based research, and other collaborating locations. The distribution demonstrates a regional research network, not a competition between states.

Location percentages are presented as reported. Converting rounded percentages into exact dollar figures would create false precision.

Agricultural challenges rarely stop at state borders. Grape-growing regions across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho may face overlapping questions involving production systems, climate, pest and disease pressure, plant health, vineyard management, processing, and long-term industry adaptation. Research conducted in one environment can generate knowledge relevant across the broader region.

Distributing research funding across universities, federal research programs, and other partners allows knowledge to be developed under different production conditions and shared with the broader Pacific Northwest grape community. It also allows institutions to apply their particular expertise and infrastructure to questions where they are best positioned to contribute.

The value of a regional research portfolio is not only found in where the funding is distributed, but in the knowledge, collaboration, and continuity that the investment makes possible.

Research funding is one part of a longer lifecycle. Priorities must be identified, proposals reviewed, projects supported, progress documented, and findings shared with the industries and communities the research is intended to serve.

Through this process, NCSFR helps connect regional research needs with coordinated investment and collaboration across institutions in the Pacific Northwest.

Researchers can review current funding opportunities and participate in the application process through NCSFR's research funding portal, powered by ARIEL.