Increasing labor and input costs have driven wine grape ( Vitis vinifera ) growers’ attention to mechanized equipment to assist in vineyard operations. This study evaluates the financial feasibility of investing in vineyard mechanization, in addition to the released intelligent sprayer in hypothetical wine grape vineyards of varying sizes. Our comparative analysis illustrates how mechanization of vineyard practices affects costs and financial metrics. We conducted a cost–benefit analysis for seven investment scenarios and examined the economic performance of four metrics. Our findings suggest that investing in a mechanized trimmer is most effective for growers exposed to labor shortages and high wages. A retrofitted intelligent sprayer is superior for reducing input use and associated costs.

Previous studies indicate that “hesitation” and “skepticism” are important barriers to the development of renewable energy industries in the United States. We examine whether key pecuniary and nonpecuniary characteristics of bioenergy crops underlie the hesitation argument. Based on a stated choice experiment, we find that Midwestern producers appreciate certain crop attributes that are found in switchgrass, but not in conventional crops. We also find that producers would be willing to grow switchgrass-like crops for net margins between $222/acre/year and $247/acre/year in marginal counties. We argue that farmers’ hesitation and skepticism toward bioenergy crops can be overcome.

La presente investigación se centró en (re)conocer las prácticas profesionales (definiciones, formas de intervenir, competencias y trayectorias profesionales) de la psicología escolar en contextos rurales de América Latina. Para recolectar datos, se utilizaron entrevistas narrativas con 20 profesionales de la psicología que trabajan en contextos rurales y que se identifican con la psicología escolar. Los participantes fueron seleccionados mediante el método de bola de nieve, y los datos se analizaron a través del análisis de contenido por categorías. Los análisis revelaron similitudes en las definiciones de la psicología rural, las estrategias empleadas, las competencias requeridas, las barreras y facilitadores en la práctica, y las trayectorias profesionales. Los hallazgos subrayan la existencia de prácticas comunes y entendimientos compartidos en la práctica de la psicología rural en el contexto educativo. Esta comprensión mutua abre nuevas puertas para la colaboración y el entendimiento en una región tan diversa como América Latina, y destaca la necesidad de una mayor exploración y reconocimiento de este campo emergente.

The production of grapes in the Midwest U.S.A. is not free of challenges. Growers are presented with a long list of strategic and operational decisions when planning a vineyard. This article uses survey data and secondary data to prepare sample budgets and examine costs, expected returns, and economic feasibility of grape vineyards under different production systems. Departing from two sample budgets that resemble the reality of American-hybrid and vinifera grape growers in the Midwest, we examine the economic feasibility of 24 plausible production scenarios by simulating changes in operational and technical parameters of production. Our results show that economies of scale, level of automation, and adequate balance between capital and labor use are determining factors for economic feasibility. Small-scale hybrid vineyards (10 acres or less) are seldom feasible as a stand-alone project. Vinifera vineyards tend to reach superior performance due to scale, decisions regarding automation, and efficiency of field operations. Following the feasibility analyses and results, our discussion helps explain why grape vineyards are frequently integrated with wineries and other business units across the Midwest.