Monterey County’s Wine and Winegrape Sector and Support Businesses Deliver a Total Economic Contribution of $1.4 Billion in Annual Economic Activity
MONTEREY, CA, UNITED STATES, February 1, 2023 EINPresswire.com — Monterey County’s wine and grape sector and the companies that support the industry make a combined economic contribution of $1.4 billion in annual economic activity to Monterey County’s economy, according to a new report dated Wine Institute and the California Association of Wine Grape Growers (CAWG). (https://eir-api.
Monterey County’s wine industry directly and indirectly generates 10,491 jobs and $598.5 million in annual wages and benefits. Monterey County cultivated approximately 42,000 acres of grapes in 2021 and has 158 vineyards and wineries with 75 winery licenses (Type 02).
The local industry attracts about 630,000 tourists annually who spend about $122.3 million. There are approximately 65 tasting rooms throughout the county, along the coast in Carmel-by-the-Sea and Monterey, in the sunny and warm countryside of the Carmel Valley, and in the vineyards along the Monterey Wine Trail in the Salinas Valley.
“Our local wine industry is a major economic engine generating significant revenue and employment opportunities and driving tourism. Many of our small and large local wineries are still family-owned, and some have been passed down through the generations,” said Kim Stemler, executive director of the Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association. “Our wine companies have strong connections to communities, as demonstrated by their generosity to local charities and a deep commitment to their employees and concern for the land.”
The wine industry is tremendously generous, giving $291.2 million annually in charitable contributions from all California counties combined. As anyone who has attended a charitable fundraiser knows, the local wine industry supports philanthropic efforts in a variety of ways, including the Monterey County Vintners & Growers Foundation’s Peter Figge Scholarship Fund.
ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT HIGHLIGHTS
Economic Impact of Monterey County Wine and Wine Grapes:
- Employment – 10,491 jobs
- Annual Economic Activity – $1.4 billion
- Wages and Benefits – $598.5 million annually
- Tourist Visits – 630,900 wine-related tourist visits annually to Monterey County wineries
- Tourism Spending – $122.3 million in estimated annual spending on wine visitors
ABOUT THE RESEARCH
The Economic Impact of California Wine and Grapes on Monterey 2022 measures the full economic impact of the wine and wine grape industry in terms of employment, wages, production, taxes, tourism spending and visits, and charitable donations. The Economic Impact of California Wine on Monterey County was prepared by John Dunham & Associates. It uses a standardized and widely used methodology that includes direct, indirect and induced economic impacts to present the big picture. The IMPLAN model, originally developed by the US Forest Service and the University of Minnesota (and now maintained by IMPLAN, Inc.), is used by many companies worldwide and government agencies such as the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the Economic Research Service and Federal uses spare bank.
