2025’s Annual Review of the Standards

SIP Certified prides itself on the rigorous rules and content of the Standards, which outline the farming and wine processing qualifications for certification.

The program's Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is dedicated to the program's excellence. This committee is responsible for determining updates to rules and guidelines, and the addition or modification of Standards questions.

In February of 2025, the TAC met to review Standards Chapters 5 and 6, as well as suggestions from SIP Certified members like you.

The following are just a few updates that will be seen in the 2026 Standards. All updates will be published in the database by December 1, 2025.
 

2026 SIP Certified Updates

• In recognition of SIP Certified members outside of California, references to California State have been removed from two Standards questions (2.1.11 and 12.1.11).
• Three questions have been removed from the standards (2.3.5, 6.1.10, and 8.1.2) to keep the program up to date with industry best practices.
• The well water testing Requirement (5.1.4) is now every three years, and the language has been updated to specify that an “ag suitability” test is required.
• Irrigation system maintenance questions (5.2.3 and 5.2.4) now have “Not Applicable” answer options for vineyards who have not used irrigation in the past 12 months.
   

Thank you, Technical Advisory Committee!

Thank you to our committee for dedicating their time and expertise to the program every year. Annual improvements give you access to the latest science-based practices so you can maximize sustainability across your entire business.