New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball (third from right) and Cornell AgriTech Interim Director Olga Padilla-Zakour (second from right) present Westfield Maid Cooperative with a first-place prize.

The Westfield Maid Cooperative was one of two grand prize winners at the New York Concord Grape Innovation Awards.

The awards ceremony was held Friday, December 9, at Cornell AgriTech in Geneva.

The Portland-based company won first prize in the Best New Concord Grape Beverage category. They were awarded a $20,000 cash prize, along with a package of expert support from Cornell University valued at $8,000.

Westfield Maid Cooperative’s winning product was the “Good n’ Grapey” Concord grape juice pouch, a four-ounce shelf-stable pouch containing 100% New York Concord grape juice designed for use in school cafeterias.

In addition to the prize packages, winning products will also be featured at the nearly 70 Taste NY markets and 10 welcome centers across the state.

Westfield Maid Cooperative Sales and Strategy Director Andy Putnam said the company will use the prize money and free consulting services toward a rapid launch of their new Concord grape beverage product for “NYS farm to school markets.”

The idea for the competition was born out of the 2018 Concord Grape Summit, held at the Grape Discovery Center in Westfield, and was funded by the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets.

The Lake Erie region of New York and Pennsylvania is home to over 32,000 acres of vineyard, of which nearly 98% is planted to Concord – making it the largest grape growing region in the U.S. outside of California, and the largest Concord growing region in the world.

Senator Cathy Young’s office says visitors to the Grape Discovery Center in Westfield now will be able take a bottle of wine home with them.

The new law signed by the governor qualifies the center for a farm winery license, which legalizes the sale of local New York State wines for off-site consumption.

The Grape Discovery Center is operated by the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association Inc., a non-profit organization of grape growers, processors, related grape industry businesses and regional organizations. In addition to offering various local products, the center also serves as educational attraction for those who want to learn more about the region’s long-standing grape and wine industry.

The center includes a gift shop, an outdoor patio area and educational exhibits. It opened in 2013.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer

WESTFIELD – U.S. Senator Charles Schumer will be in Chautauqua County today to announce his plan to open the international market to local grape growers.

New York’s Senior Senator will join with local concord grape growers this afternoon to push back against an Israeli tariff on U.S. grape juice that, if reduced or lifted, would enable Chautauqua growers to sell more grapes.

Israel currently imposes a 22 percent tariff on any company looking to export more than 100,000 liters of grape juice into the country. During today’s media conference, Schumer will provide details on how the high tariff is standing in the way of a major exporting company that wants to turn to Chautauqua County to double its grape juice export.

Schumer plans to put pressure on the U.S. Trade Representative who is currently in the midst of trade negotiations with Israel, to prioritize lowering or eliminating this tariff, which has already been successfully lowered during previous trade negotiations.

Situated in the heart of the Concord Grape Belt, the Grape Discovery Center is the cornerstone project for the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association. It is intended to draw travelers off interstate 90 to stop and smell the grapes in season, taste local agricultural products, and learn about attractions in this area that supports 30,000 acres of grapes between Silver Creek, NY and Harborcreek, PA.

In a final phase, expected to be completed by fall, an exhibit area will teach people about the history and production process of grapes for juice, wine, jelly, and new products like grape seed oil.

Starting Saturday, May 25^th, the Grape Discovery Center will be open 10 am – 6 pm, seven days per week. The Tasting Room at the Grape Discovery Center will regularly feature wines from Lake Erie Wine Country, grape juice and sparkling grape juice, as well as wine and grape juice slushies.

Admission to the Grape Discovery Center is free as is the available Wi-Fi. For more information and a schedule of upcoming demonstrations and workshops, visit www.grapediscoverycenter.com or call 716-326-2003.