Ford & Sonoma County Join Forces To Electrify Farming

The Ford Motor Company and the Sonoma County Winegrowers, a group of over 1,800 grape farmers in Northern California, have partnered to start a pilot program that will introduce Ford F-150 Lightning Pro pickups, E-Transit cargo vans, and Ford Pro Intelligence products and services to three initial farms within Sonoma County, one of the world’s much-lauded wine regions.

The purpose of the collaboration is to show how electric vehicles and web-based fleet management tools can bolster the agriculture industry in terms of increasing productivity, improving sustainability, and lowering the total cost of fleet ownership by up to 20%

“Ford Pro is thrilled to team with the Sonoma County Winegrowers to further their sustainability goals and begin their transition to fully integrated all-electric fleets with on-site charging,” said Wanda Young, Ford Pro global chief marketing officer. “Ford Pro and the Sonoma County Winegrowers are driven by many of the same tenets – to accelerate productivity while operating responsibly.”

Beyond just the innovative vehicles, farms can also consult with the Ford Pro team for the entirety of the program. Pilot farmers will be given access to Ford Pro Intelligence software, home and depot charging, Ford Pro Telematics Essentials, and Ford Pro E-Telematics with energy management. Collectively, these features will help reduce operating costs and more efficiently manage gas- and electric-powered vehicle fleets. The pilot program starts with Bevill Vineyard Management and Vino Farms in Healdsburg, and Dutton Ranch in Sebastopol – which collectively represent about 4,000 acres in the vineyard-rich Russian River Valley. 

“This collaboration with the Ford Pro team is a great natural next step to help us continue our progress in sustainable agriculture,” Kruse said. “A lot of farming families have a rich history with Ford, and with history comes trust. So as many of our farmers look for ways to lead in innovation and be a part of the solution, that trust is critical when it comes to investing in electric vehicles and in solutions to manage farming fleets. Our farmers love this pilot program; it’s going to be foundational.”

Ford’s new web-based services also give farmers always-on access to vehicle health reports and other data designed to help limit vehicle downtime while lowering operating costs. All across the county, on farms large and small, winegrowers rely daily on their trucks to haul everything from fertilizer and fuel tanks to water and portable bathrooms. Some vehicles log upward of 50,000 miles a year, traveling between properties from Cloverdale to Petaluma.

Naturally, operating these vehicles – and maintaining them to keep them operational – is one of an organization’s largest expenses. For example, at Dutton Ranch, which runs a fleet of about 70 work vehicles, fuel costs about $5,000 per month. If reducing that monthly expense is possible, it’s critical to the business moving forward. Electric vehicles, coupled with the solar power that many Sonoma County ranches already generate and store, represent an important way to help offset rising fuel costs.

To stay aware of Ford’s partnerships and collaborations across industries, be sure to read more of our blog! Ford’s vehicle innovations continue to offer reducing costs, improved security, and great performance. Check out our always updated inventory and feel free to contact us with any questions at Haldeman Ford in Kutztown, PA!