Published Nov-24-2008
Along with the increase in wine grape production, the number of wineries in the county has grown, tripling from eight in 2000 to 24 in 2007.
The primary production of wine does not create much employment. The Oregon Employment Department reports that annual average employment at vineyards in 2007 was only 17, while wineries employed 64. However, these numbers are almost certainly low since OED counts are from the unemployment insurance (UI) program and many small vineyards and wineries don't meet the program's minimum payroll threshold, use mostly contracted farm labor, or almost exclusively employ family members, and therefore are not covered under UI.
A 2006 study by Full Glass Research estimates that 143 direct wine industry jobs with a total payroll of $2.2 million were created in Douglas County in 2004. These include jobs in wineries, vineyards, distribution, retail, and on-premises.
In addition to direct wine industry employment, jobs are also created in indirect industries such as tourism, equipment suppliers, and trucking.
The future of Douglas County's wine industry will be enhanced by the new Southern Oregon Wine Institute at Umpqua Community College. The first students are just entering the program, which offers one-year certificates and two-year degrees in viticulture (growing grapes) and enology (wine making). In the near future, the center plans to cultivate its own vineyard and add chemistry labs as part of the enology segment.
