Farming LIVE Certified

Independent third-party certification guarantees adherence to highest standards, helps to maintain our connection with world-wide networks of research and experience in sustainability, and gives us measurable criteria to evaluate our progress. SJO has been guiding vineyard owners through sustainability certification programs for years. We believe in assessing long term needs and recommending the most effective and sensible approach to sustainable farming.

LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) is a certification program developed in 1997 by an independently incorporated organization of Oregon wine-growers to provide vineyards and wineries official recognition for sustainable agricultural practices.  LIVE is certified internationally by the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC), which sets an international standard for sustainable farming practices. LIVE certification is a three-year process. A point system for ecological options requires growers to demonstrate continual improvement in diversification of the agro-ecosystem, and reductions in the use of fuels and chemical inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers.  Regular third party inspections are required to maintain certification.  In 2008 LIVE launched a new program for certification of winemaking processes and facilities, using a point system similar to the vineyard certification program.