Tri-Valley Conservancy Awards First Vineyard Replanting Loan to Local Family Grower
Low-interest loan program is aimed at supporting the struggling wine industry and keeping the viticultural legacy of Livermore alive
Thatcher Bay Vineyards
January 14, 2026, Livermore, CA: Tri-Valley Conservancy is proud to announce the first award in its new Sponsored Replanting Program for vineyard owners to replant vines: a low-interest loan to longtime Livermore grower Scott Burkhart, owner of Thatcher Bay Vineyards.
“With TVC’s low-interest loan, we’re able to replant aging vines and keep growing grapes for local wineries,” said Scott Burkhart, owner of Thatcher Bay Vineyards.” “We’re planting three different clones of Cabernet Franc, and after more than 30 years of careful soil stewardship, I feel confident these new vines will have a great home,” he continued. “I’m glad to have this opportunity to keep growing, because I believe the wine economy is due for an incredible comeback.”
TVC’s flagship Sponsored Replanting Program was created to give winegrape growers a viable path forward, offering 15-year, low-interest loans of up to $15,000 per acre to replant in varietals suited to Livermore’s terroir. The current focus is on varietals identified by UC Davis researchers as grapes for the region with the greatest potential. The program is open to landowners with conservation easements through Tri-Valley Conservancy, and supported by FarmLink, a nonprofit, certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) based in Aptos, CA.
“Viticulture is core to the Tri-Valley’s identity and economy,” said Rebecca Spector, executive director of Tri-Valley Conservancy. “We launched this program to ensure that growers, who are stewards of both the land and the viticultural heritage, have access to the capital they need to keep this legacy alive. Replanting is vital to the future of our region.”
Nearly 40,000 acres of vines (about 7% of California’s vineyard acreage) were ripped out in the past year due to economic pressures, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Many growers, facing the high costs of replanting and shifting market demand, are being forced to make difficult decisions about the future of their vineyards.
“This kind of practical support is exactly what our winegrowers need right now,” said Brandi Lombardi, executive director of the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association. “It is community in action and I'm glad to be working side by side with TVC to take action to preserve the identity, culture, and sustainability of our region’s wine industry.”
The loan to Scott Burkhart is the first of this program, with other applications currently pending review.
For more information about how TVC’s Sponsored Replanting Program is making a difference to local winegrowers, visit https://www.trivalleyconservancy.org/blog/planting-for-the-future-how-one-grower-is-reviving-his-vineyard-with-help-from-tvc or contact TVC at info@trivalleyconservancy.org.