Salton presents herbicide-free vineyards in Rio Grande do Sul.

Salton presented new advancements in sustainability during the fifth edition of Ciclos & Vinhas, an annual event promoted by the company in Tuiuty, a district of Bento Gonçalves (RS). With the theme "Sowing Sustainability," the meeting brought together more than 400 participants, including producers, specialists, researchers, and representatives from the wine sector.

Among the main highlights announced by the winery is the complete elimination of herbicide use in its own vineyards in full production at the Santana do Livramento unit, in the Campanha Gaúcha region. This practice has been adopted since 2021 through the use of grass cover crops, replacing chemical weed control.

According to the company, winter grasses act as a natural barrier against invasive species and also contribute to carbon sequestration, helping to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

“Through research conducted with viticulture teams and universities, it was discovered that ryegrass brings benefits to the soil, such as reduced erosion, temperature control during periods of intense heat, reduced evaporation, and carbon sequestration,” stated the CEO of Salton, Maurício Salton (pictured below).

The company also reported that its own vineyards in Santana do Livramento will become completely free of insecticide use by 2025. According to the company, the reduction in pesticide use is due to the adoption of climate and soil monitoring technologies, allowing for more precise applications and reducing unnecessary interventions.

Emissions inventory

Another key point presented at the event was Salton's progress on the decarbonization agenda. The winery leads the first Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventory for scopes 1 and 2 in the Brazilian wine sector.

According to the company, when the work began, there were no surveys of this type carried out by wineries in the country. Since 2020, Salton has been annually monitoring direct emissions from its operations and indirect emissions related to electricity consumption.

Starting with the base year 2023, inventories began to be subject to independent audits, seeking to increase the transparency and credibility of the results. This year, the company also began surveying scope 3 emissions, which encompasses the entire value chain, from the acquisition of inputs to the distribution of products to the end consumer.

Among the measures already implemented to reduce emissions are the migration of the fleet to ethanol, an action that avoided the emission of 744 tons of CO₂ equivalent, the gradual replacement of LPG-powered forklifts with electric models, and the adoption of 100% renewable energy in all of the company's units, certified by the I-REC seal.

During Ciclos & Vinhas, topics such as regenerative viticulture, climate change, the rational use of inputs, and technologies applied to the field were also discussed.