About Save the Family Farms

Save the Family Farms is a coalition of owner-occupied, small-scale grape growers in Napa Valley who produce less than 5,000 gallons of wine per year—what we proudly call micro-producers. Our members craft, on average, 1,000 cases of wine annually from grapes grown on their estate vineyards.

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Yet under current Napa County regulations, these small family farms are held to the same costly and complex standards as large-scale wineries. The traditional winery use permit process demands an estimated $2–$5 million investment and years of permitting—an unrealistic burden for many small-scale producers.

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Too often, small farmers are told that if they want to comply, they should increase production to afford the price of entry. But this message fundamentally misses the point: scaling up isn't an option—or a desire—for most family farms.

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Napa’s one-size-fits-all approach is putting multigenerational vineyards at risk. These farms are the heart and soul of Napa Valley, yet without a clear, attainable path to compliance, they're rapidly disappearing.

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We believe it’s time to honor the historical, cultural, and agricultural contributions of Napa’s smallest producers. To survive, family farms must be allowed to legally host tastings and sell directly to consumers—through a permitting process that reflects the realities of small-scale production.

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Napa County has long celebrated innovation and heritage. It’s time to extend that same recognition and opportunity to micro-producers who wish to remain small—and still thrive.

Our Mission

Our goal is simple: to establish a Micro-Winery Ordinance that offers a viable, legal path forward for Napa’s legacy micro-producers. We aim to create a tailored solution that protects small, family-run vineyards and allows them to remain in business—and in the family—for generations to come.

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Progress & Updates

• May 2025: To date, only two Micro-Winery applications have been approved. While these applicants saved an average of $7,000 in permit fees, the total cost of winery development still exceeds $1 million. As a result, the ordinance has not yet delivered meaningful relief to Napa’s smallest producers. We are actively working with the Napa County Board of Supervisors to amend the Micro-Winery Ordinance.

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• January 31, 2023: The State of California adopted new Fire Safe Regulations, which apply uniformly to all wineries—micro and traditional alike. These regulations mandate commercial-grade road access without exception. We are now advocating for Napa County to grant road exceptions on a case-by-case basis for low-impact Micro-Wineries.

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• May 5, 2022: Napa County officially adopted the Micro-Winery Ordinance. While this was a major step forward, implementation challenges remain.

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• March 2, 2021: The Napa County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to support the creation of a Micro-Winery Ordinance. Since then, the Save the Family Farms executive team has worked closely with stakeholders to design a policy that meets the unique needs of small producers.