Objective

100% of the winegrowers in Cognac to be certified by 2030

Description

Today, many sectors are committed to the High Environmental Value (HEV) certification from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry. The Cognac sector has chosen to go further by supplementing this certification with specific requirements. The inter-profession has built this certification into a collective system to create real emulation around this approach.

The BNIC encouraged all Cognac winegrowers to improve their standards of production by focusing on 6 pillars:

1. Sustainability of the vineyard.
2. Protection of the environment: use of confined spraying technology limiting the pollution of the environment.
3. Reducing the use of phytosanitary products: ban of chemical weeding and use of alternative techniques.
4. Management of effluents from both viticulture and distillation.
5. Training, Health and Security.
6. Promote dialogue between winegrowers and their neighbours.

Trainings and tools are provided to local winegrowers to assess their level of compliance then implement the technical specifications of the certification. The BNIC aims at a certification in 3 steps:

• Step 1: Winegrowers decide to join the initiative. They are invited to participate in group training and they receive a diagnosis of their production process.
• Step 2:  Winegrowers implement the certification plan with the help of a technical guide authorized by the BNIC.
• Step 3: Winegrowers receive their Cognac HEV Environmental certification and they adhere to the collective structure supported by the BNIC for a renewable period of 3 years.
  

Partners

Chambre D’Agriculture de Charente
Chambre D’Agriculture de Charente-Maritime
Institut Français de la Vigne et du Vin (IFV)
Agricultural cooperatives
Syndicat professionnel des courtiers en vins et spiritueux de la Région délimitée Cognac
Syndicat des maisons de Négoce
Syndicat des Bouilleurs de profession
UGVC
Pineau des charentes
Pépiniéristes
Consultants

Results

In October 2020: 2,400 winegrowers signed up to join the first level of commitment. This number represents 58% of the winegrowers and 72% of the Cognac vineyard.

Measurement & evaluation

The Cognac certification is monitored by independent inspectors accredited by the French ministry of Agriculture. Winegrowers must remain fully compliant with the requirements of the certification scheme or they can lose it.

Website

https://vitidurable.cognac.fr/

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