MSU program awarded $1.3M grant

The National Science Foundation has awarded a $1.3 million grant to the Viticulture and Enology Science and Technology Alliance, a Missouri State University project in the William H. Darr School of Agriculture.

The grant provides a continuation for the program, which was established in 2003 with funding from the NSF. The program provides higher education in grape growing and winemaking via collaboration of educational institutions nationwide, state agriculture agencies, vineyards and wineries, according to an MSU news release.

“To this point, VESTA has been focused on the science, math and technology critical in grape and wine education,” said Michelle Norgren, national center director, in the release. “We currently are developing a wine business and entrepreneurship track to assist in individuals becoming economically successful.

"We are also looking forward in future years to including brewing and distillation and the development of a noncredit professional development option that can be marketed to all aspects of the grape, wine, brewing and spirits industry.”