Sacramento, Calif.—The Sonoma County Winegrowers group has received the Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award, or GEELA, for its plan to certify all of Sonoma County’s vineyards as sustainable by 2019.

The annual award is administered by the California Environmental Protection Agency, in partnership with the Natural Resources Agency, the Department of Food and Agriculture, the State Transportation Agency, the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, and the Health and Human Services Agency. The award was presented Jan. 19 to Karissa Kruse, president of Sonoma County Winegrowers, and members of the executive committee, during a special reception at the headquarters of the California Environmental Protection Agency in Sacramento.

"I congratulate Sonoma County Winegrowers on this recognition of their remarkable commitment to the sustainable winegrowing program. It is a fitting tribute to the dedicated and collaborative efforts of grape growers throughout the county," said Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, in a statement announcing the award.