Michigan’s wine industry is partnering with Michigan State University Extension and 4-H for a pilot to bring awareness to future careers.
Michigan Wine Collaborative executive director Emily Dockery tells Brownfield they’re developing viticulture clubs in Wayne and Macomb Counties along with a virtual curriculum.
“This is a workforce development project working to introduce young people to viticulture and eventually parlay that into wine education,” she explains.
Youth will learn about the life of a grapevine along with Michigan grape and wine history, careers, value-added agriculture, and agritourism. Most of the focus is on grape growing with students using grapes to make their own preserves or juices.