Robert J. Boggs
Director, Ohio Department of Agriculture
Chair, Ohio Grape Industries Committee

Dr. Imed Dami
State Viticulturist Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center

David Genger
SouthRidge Vineyard

Robert J. Guilliams
Raven's Glenn Winery & Restaurant

Greg Hargett
Deputy Director, Ohio Dept. of Agriculture
Chief, ODA Marketing Team

Jack Lucia
Meier's Wine Cellars, Inc.

Claudio Salvador
Firelands Winery

Sharon Mull
Superintendent's Designee
Ohio Division of Liquor Control

Andy Troutman
Troutman Vineyards and Winery at Wolf Creek

About OGIC

Ohio Grape Industries Committee - Creating viable, income-producing grape enterprises in the state of Ohio by providing marketing and promotion efforts to generate and expand new markets for grapes and grape products and research to improve the quality of grapes and profitability of grape growing as an agri-business.

Established by the Ohio General Assembly in 1981, ORC 924.51 to ORC 924.56

Committee

  • Chair - Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture
  • Chief of the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Marketing Division
  • Superintendent of the Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Liquor Control
  • Five members appointed by the chair from the grape industry

Funding from excise taxes paid on all wines sold in Ohio

  • Permanent 3-cents per gallon
  • Temporary, renewable 2-cents per gallon
  • Total 5-cents per gallon equals approximately $700,000 per year

Marketing and promotion efforts in concert with strategic planning and vision

  • Industry logo and identity kit
  • Advertising
  • Ohio wine guide
  • Special Events

Research projects

  • Four projects approved for FY2005 with OSU Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster, Ohio
    • Enology
    • Entomology
    • Pathology
    • Viticulture
  • Full funding for state viticulturist, salary and fringes

Future for Ohio's wine and grape industry

Quality is our signature
  • Ohio Grape Industries Committee is taking the lead in developing a quality assurance program for Ohio wines
  • Partners in Quality program are Ohio Wine Producers Association, Ohio Division of Liquor Control, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, and Ohio winemakers and wine growers
  • Program will be developed to meet the specific needs of the state of Ohio, taking into account Ohio's ability to make a diverse variety of wines from vinifera to fruit wines using Ohio grapes and fruit

Programs that matter
  • Increasing opportunities for value-added grape products including fresh juice
  • Vineyard preservation and expansion to keep current grape acres in grape production and encourage planting of more valuable vinifera grapes where possibleJ

Check and double check
  • Marketing and promotion programs will be benchmarked and evaluated for efficacy and return on investment annually
  • Collect information from wineries and grape growers on an annual basis through surveys and focus groups to verify that research programs and marketing efforts are on track