Arizona Statewide Commercial Viticulture Needs Assessment

The inception of any good Cooperative Extension program requires direction. While an agent may have extensive experience working in a specific program area, every community is different and owns a unique set of challenges and concerns. The best resource to learn more about these issues is generally the community members, who know better than anyone about their own needs and priorities. From December 2022 to May 2023, the University of Arizona conducted a 49-question needs assessment throughout Arizona, directed at vineyard managers, viticulturists, and vineyard owners in order to develop a Commercial Viticulture Extension Program. Respondents stated that having a  programmatic area agent for viticulture was their greatest priority, with top programming priorities for growers being irrigation, pest and insect management, disease management, soil fertility, weather, and weed management.