Annual Report

Dear colleagues,

A generous harvest in 2006, combined with significant funding from a federal grant, filled the coffers and enabled the Oregon Wine Board to execute an integrated marketing effort to raise awareness of Oregon wine and draw visitors to Oregon wine country. We were awarded $265,000 in supplemental funding in the form of a USDA Value-Added Producer Grant.

In the 2006-2007 fiscal year, we completely rebuilt our website and produced a series of marketing and educational materials to help you promote Oregon wine in emerging markets. And we were able to make our research budget whole again. We fulfilled our commitments and started looking for ways to partner with wine regions and research institutions nationwide to make our research dollars go even further. Finally, our Oregon Wine Industry Symposium saw record attendance, and we delivered cutting edge research and learnings that have relevance to your businesses today.

It was also a significant year for the Oregon Winegrowers Association.  We were recognized as a driving force in passing the landmark Measure 49.  The OWA also worked with the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to update 30 year-old labeling regulations, giving winemakers across the state flexibility to create the highest quality wines and remain competitive globally.

It was a banner year for our industry. With a sustained buzz about Oregon’s distinctive wines and wine country, our industry was poised for success. We are always honored to do our part to ensure you thrive, and we hope you take some time to read the following pages to see just how we’ve put your tax dollars to work.

Sincere regards,
Ted Farthing