Organic Ranch

California-based winery touts Fredericksburg's first organic certification

Halter Ranch Texas is now certified organic.

Photo courtesy of Halter Ranch

When the Halter Ranch vineyard announced its expansion into Texas, it received a mixed welcoming from Austinites who can't stand another California transplant as well as those who like a progressive winery regardless of its provenance. This news will likely engender a similar response: it's now the first certified organic vineyard in Fredericksburg.

That's according to the vineyard itself, anyway — no one else seems to have shown up to challenge the claim yet. Although Texas is lousy with "organic" wines, this certification by a third party, California’s Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), proves it to consumers.

This is similar to organic produce sold in grocery stores, and in fact uses the same standards as the United States Department of Agriculture. From CCOF's website, certified organic products "must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients and meet USDA organic production, handling, and labeling standards." In Halter Ranch's claims, this means 100 percent organic grapes.

CCOF uses a six-step certification process that includes a submitted "Organic System Plan" and annual site inspections for as long as the winery chooses to renew its certification. It also means that each product the winery develops needs to be pre-approved by the nonprofit organization.

"Organic farming requires many inspections and audits, but most importantly, it requires patience,” said Halter Ranch winemaker Kevin Sass in a press release. “All geographical environments are different and, with careful evaluation, we hope to produce an outstanding wine representative of Hill Country terroir."

Halter Ranch's next frontier will be growing Blanc du Bois grapes, with planting starting "this month" according to the release sent June 26. This varietal is native to the southern United States, and is especially favored for white wine in Texas. Sass plans to use the first harvest to make a sparkling wine.

The winery's Paso Robles location — its home base — was already certified organic in 2023. That certification was one of the main points of interest in its Texas opening in 2024. Also of note were an onsite restaurant and, interestingly, sculptures from the private collection of Swiss philanthropist, conservationist, and Halter Ranch owner Hansjörg Wyss.

Now, the question on many minds: Is organic growing actually better? The answer is inconclusive. General consensus among groups like the Mayo Clinic and colleges like Harvard is that there's little to no reliable evidence proving that organic produce is healthier than non-organic produce. Similarly, the sustainability benefits are situational, and produce variable yields; However, it is generally agreed that organic farming practices applied effectively are more sustainable.

"We have been welcomed warmly by the Fredericksburg community and are thrilled to contribute to the wine industry here by achieving organic certification," said Halter Ranch general manager and vice president Bryce Mullins. "At Halter Ranch, we believe that organic farming not only produces superior grapes but also contributes to the preservation of our land for future generations."

Halter Ranch Texas is located at 8561 E US-290, Fredericksburg, Texas. Operating hours are Wednesdays through Sundays, from 11 am to 5 pm. More information about the winery is available at halterranch.com.

wine wineries vineyards sustainability health farmers

Airport News

Both Houston airports would be affected by air traffic slowdown

Photo by David Syphers on Unsplash

Flights at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston will run travelers about $392 on average.

The Federal Aviation Administration plans to reduce air traffic by 10 percent across 40 “high-volume” markets to maintain travel safety as air traffic controllers exhibit signs of strain during the ongoing government shutdown.

The affected airports covering more than two dozen states include the busiest ones across the U.S. — including Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, Orlando, Miami, and San Francisco. In some of the biggest cities — such as New York, Houston, and Chicago — multiple airports will be affected.

CBS News has a list of all the airports affected and that list includes both DFW Airport and Dallas Love Field. Other airports in Texas that would be affected include both airports in Houston — Houston Hobby and George Bush Houston Intercontinental.

The FAA is imposing the flight reductions to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who are working without pay during the government shutdown and have been increasingly calling off work.

Controllers already have missed one full paycheck and are scheduled to again receive nothing next week as as the shutdown drags on.

The FAA has been delaying flights at times when airports or its other facilities are short on controllers.

Passengers should start to be notified about cancellations Thursday. Airlines said they would try to minimize the impact on customers, some of whom will see weekend travel plans disrupted with little notice.

United Airlines said it would focus the cuts on smaller regional routes that use smaller planes like 737s. United, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines said they would offer refunds to passengers who opt not to fly -- even if they purchased tickets that aren’t normally refundable. Frontier Airlines recommended that travelers buy backup tickets with another airline to avoid being stranded.

Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled. The cuts could represent as many as 1,800 flights and upwards of 268,000 seats combined, according to an estimate by aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the shutdown began October 1. Most work mandatory overtime six days a week, leaving little time for side jobs to help cover bills and other expenses unless they call out.

Major airlines, aviation unions, and the broader travel industry have been urging Congress to end the shutdown, which on Wednesday became the longest on record.

Staffing can run short both in regional control centers that manage multiple airports and in individual airport towers, but they don’t always lead to flight disruptions. Throughout October, flight delays caused by staffing problems had been largely isolated and temporary.

But the past weekend brought some of the worst staffing issues since the start of the shutdown.

From Friday to Sunday evening, at least 39 air traffic control facilities reported potential staffing limits, according to an Associated Press analysis of operations plans shared through the Air Traffic Control System Command Center system. The figure, which is likely an undercount, is well above the average for weekends before the shutdown.

During weekends from January 1 to September 30, the average number of airport towers, regional control centers and facilities monitoring traffic at higher altitudes that announced potential staffing issues was 8.3, according to the AP analysis. But during the five weekend periods since the shutdown began, the average more than tripled to 26.2 facilities.

politics transportation