Dec 18, 2023
Suzanne Hunt, co-owner of Hunt Country Vineyards, will speak on the Sustainability Panel on Thursday, April 18th at the 2024 NYS Tourism Conference. Suzanne will be giving an overview of their sustainability efforts on the farm and in the winery. She will also speak about the new NY Sustainable Winegrowing Certification.
Why You Should Attend This Session:
- To learn more about the breadth and depth of New York's efforts to lead in sustainability
- To learn more about the value proposition of sustainability in tourism related industries
Key Takeaways:
- Customer preferences are shifting towards responsible/sustainable products and services
- A comprehensive approach to sustainability helps identify inefficiencies and ensure continuous improvement, resulting n reduced risks and costs over time
- Businesses that integrate sustainability into their business operations and offerings will preform better than their competitors
"No business can change entire supply chains, industry norms, etc. on their own. Collaborative, industry-wide efforts are essential to accelerate the evolution towards sustainable practices, products, etc."
About Suzanne:
In addition to being a co-owner of her family's seventh generation farm and winery, Suzanne is also Vice President for Public Policy for Generate Upcycle, PBC which finances, builds, owns, and operates sustainable infrastructure projects in North America and Europe. From 2007-2021 Suzanne was a clean tech and climate policy consultant solving problems in energy, agriculture, and transportation. Her firm HuntGreen LLC’s clients included a wide variety of private equity firms, government agencies, startups, Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits. Suzanne is a NE Chapter Director of Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), was appointed to the Agriculture and Forestry Advisory Panel to the NY Climate Action Council, and serves as Chair of the Cornell AgriTech Advisory Council. She is a Board Trustee of the Seneca Park Zoo Society, Board Member of Energy Vision, and the Center for Earth Ethics at the Union Divinity School. At the winery Suzanne has spearheaded a multitude of sustainability and climate resilience efforts – including energy efficiency, geothermal heating/cooling, solar PV, micro-wind, soil health, carbon sequestration, sustainable building materials, waste reduction, wildlife habitat, and advocacy. In 2020, Hunt County Vineyards was the first winery to receive the New York Wine & Grape Foundation's Sustainability Award. In 2021 Suzanne and her parents were recognized by Wine Business Monthly as some of the top leaders who shape the way the wine industry operates. Suzanne has been featured as a “Pioneer” in Science Magazine, and as an expert in her fields in national and international print media and television.
Suzanne Hunt
Co-Owner
Hunt Country Vineyards
E: suzannehunt@huntwines.com
About Hunt Country Vineyards:
Farming for seven generations and crafting wine since 1981, the Hunts are one of the founding families of the Finger Lakes wine region in New York state. We continue to be a family-run winery focused on managing our vineyards and business as part of a complete and healthy ecosystem. Our Rieslings and Rosés have received multiple 90+ scores from major wine publications and praise from industry critics. Our Uncharted Terroir wines are made from regionally-adapted, climate-resilient grape varieties. Hunt Country Vineyards is a certified sustainable winegrower through the New York State Sustainable Winegrowing program. We are a member of the International Wineries for Climate Action, and in 2020 we were the first winery to receive the Sustainability Award from the New York Wine & Grape Foundation.