Karissa Kruse (center) president of Sonoma County Winegrowers and an internationally-renowned sustainability champion, pictured with Duff Bevill, Bevill Vineyard Management (far left), and Marissa Ledbetter-Foster (far right) of Vino Farms. Ford Pro and Sonoma County Winegrowers are launching an electric-vehicle pilot program at Dutton Ranch, Bevill Vineyard Management and Vino Farms in Healdsburg.
One of the most forward-thinking wine-growing counties in the United States is looking to advance its goal of reaching 100% sustainability, and it’s turning to Ford Pro™ electric vehicles, charging and telematics services to do so.
Ford Pro and the Sonoma County Winegrowers, a group of 1,800 grape farmers throughout Sonoma County in Northern California, are launching a pilot program that will add Ford F-150® Lightning™ Pro pickup trucks, E-Transit™ cargo vans, and the many products and services of Ford Pro™ Intelligence™ to three pilot farms in Sonoma County, one of the world’s most renowned wine regions.
At the heart of the mission is to demonstrate how electric vehicles and web-based fleet management tools can have a positive impact on the agriculture industry, in terms of increasing productivity, improving sustainability and lowering the total cost of fleet ownership anywhere from 10 to 20 percent.
“Ford Pro is thrilled to team with the Sonoma County Winegrowers to further their sustainability goals and begin their transition to fully integrated all-electric fleets with on-site charging,” said Wanda Young, Ford Pro global chief marketing officer. “Ford Pro and the Sonoma County Winegrowers are driven by many of the same tenets – to accelerate productivity while operating responsibly.”
The pilot program is launching with Bevill Vineyard Management and Vino Farms in Healdsburg, and Dutton Ranch in Sebastopol – which collectively represent about 4,000 acres in the vineyard-rich Russian River Valley. Young anticipates the program will expand in the coming months to include other farming operations in the county.
Across Sonoma County, about 60,000 acres are dedicated to growing wine grapes, and another 120,000 acres are used for other diversified agriculture, such as apple orchards, dairy farms and cut flowers. Since the county launched its sustainability initiative in 2014, 99% of vineyard acreage in the county has earned certified sustainable status.
Karissa Kruse, Sonoma County Winegrowers president and internationally renowned sustainability champion, said she believes electric vehicle adoption and efficient fleet management are the next steps in sustainability. As part of the pilot program, emissions levels in the county after one year will be measured and compared to the levels at the program’s start.
In addition to the vehicles, farms will be able to consult with the Ford Pro team for the duration of the program. Pilot farmers will have access to Ford Pro Intelligence1 software, home and depot charging, Ford Pro™ Telematics Essentials™2 and Ford Pro™ E-Telematics™3 and energy management, all to help reduce operating costs and more efficiently manage gas- and electric-powered vehicle fleets.
“This collaboration with the Ford Pro team is a great natural next step to help us continue our progress in sustainable agriculture,” Kruse said. “A lot of farming families have a rich history with Ford, and with history comes trust. So as many of our farmers look for ways to lead in innovation and be a part of the solution, that trust is critical when it comes to investing in electric vehicles and in solutions to manage farming fleets. Our farmers love this pilot program; it’s going to be foundational.”
Vehicles among farmers’ most valuable tools
A year in the life of a Sonoma County winegrower can be sliced into two portions – roughly nine months to grow and three months to harvest. Occasionally, as in 2017, the uncertainties of Mother Nature condense that harvest season to a four-week sprint. No time for vehicle downtime.
Ford Pro Intelligence* gives farmers access to important data on every vehicle – whether gas-powered or electric. The web-based service offers always-on access to vehicle health reports and other data designed to help limit vehicle downtime while lower operating costs. All across the county, on farms large and small, winegrowers rely daily on their trucks to haul everything from fertilizer and fuel tanks to water and portable bathrooms. Some vehicles log upwards of 50,000 miles a year, traveling between properties from Cloverdale to Petaluma.
Naturally, operating those vehicles – and maintaining them to keep them operational – is one of an organization’s largest expenses. At Dutton Ranch, which runs a fleet of about 70 work vehicles, fuel costs average about $5,000 per month. The prospect of reducing that monthly expense is critical to operations moving forward. Electric vehicles, coupled with the solar power that many Sonoma County ranches already generate and store, represent an important way to help offset rising fuel costs.
The technology connects wirelessly – helping businesses manage fleets with real-time vehicle insights. Information includes details such as maintenance schedules, charge event monitoring, vehicle tracking, state of charge, range, charge history and logs, charging/battery settings and alerts, and departure preconditioning to help maximize range and save battery life for the road to get the job done.
“Just as an F-150 Lightning or E-Transit is an essential asset for a small-business owner, so too is Ford Pro Intelligence,” Young said. “We believe that the telematics data will change the way farmers manage their fleets and operations.”
As veterans in sustainability practices, the Sonoma County Winegrowers have impacted other vocations regionally. Representatives in trucking, logistics, grocery stores and other specialties have taken notice, and Kruse hopes her organization continues to help lead the charge.
Ford, meanwhile, is among the automotive leaders in sustainability, and is the only full-line U.S. automaker to stand with the Paris Agreement4, and to support California and adopt the state’s strongest-in-the-nation greenhouse gas standards. Ford is targeting 100% renewable energy for its global operations by 2035 and being fully carbon neutral worldwide by 2050.
Available on vehicles with embedded modem or equipped with approved plug-in device. May require modem activation. Ford Pro Telematics and Ford Pro Data Services require a purchased subscription. Terms and conditions apply. Telematics service and features, and access to vehicle data, depend on subscription and compatible AT&T network availability. Evolving technology/cellular networks/vehicle capability may limit functionality and prevent operation of connected features.
Complimentary product. Available on vehicles with embedded modem. Requires modem activation. Terms and conditions apply. Telematics service and features, and access to vehicle data depend on compatible AT&T network availability. Evolving technology/cellular networks/vehicle capability may limit functionality and prevent operation of connected features.
Eligible vehicles receive a complimentary three-year trial of E-Telematics services that begins on the new vehicle warranty start date. Requires modem activation. Terms and conditions apply. Telematics service and features, and access to vehicle data, depend on compatible AT&T network availability. Evolving technology/cellular networks/vehicle capability may limit functionality and prevent operation of connected features. After the three-year trial, annual service contract is required for E-Telematics service. Go (add URL here) or call 1-833-811-3673 to activate E-Telematics service.
