The CFP offers short-term training opportunities in U.S. Wine, Beer, Spirits Marketing and Merchandising in the programme that normally ranges from 2 to 3 weeks, depending on the objectives. During training programs participants will get to meet with professionals in their fields, participate in field observations and industry visits, experience on-the-job training, attend university courses and seminars, agricultural expos or conventions, or participate in a combination of the above.
Cochran fellowships are tailored to the exact needs of the selected Fellows. The subject areas to be covered for 2016 program will include strategies, techniques, fundamentals, principals of U.S. wine, distilled spirits and beer marketing, promoting and selling, as well as techniques to effectively communicate U.S. wine varieties and characteristics.
The 2016 Cochran Fellowship Program is administered by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). The fellowship will include a maximum of 8 participants so if you are interested you are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Under the program, the participants are expected to cover the cost of the international airfare. All other expenses like the training fees, emergency medical insurance, domestic transportation, lodging and food only will be borne by the sponsors.
USDA recently hosted a team from Vietnam for its first U.S. Craft Beer, Wine, and Spirits program. It was apparently quite successful. The itinerary included meetings with government officials, regulators, wine and spirits trade associations. It included vineyard visits to Washington and Oregon State, and distilleries in Kentucky, Tennessee. Fellows who received the grant also travelled to a conference in Colorado to attend educational sessions.
The application deadline for the 2016 Cochran Fellowship Program is Tuesday, December 15, 2015.
Targeted Research Area for India
Participants will earn about various wine grape varieties, U.S. distilled spirits, and craft beers and beer ingredients as well as U.S. growing and production regions. Other topics, such as the development and enforcement of U.S. alcohol regulations; wine, beer, and distillery technology; specialized wines and alcoholic beverages; and, U.S. marketing trends are also included. Vineyard visits may include California, Washington, and Oregon State, and distilleries could include Kentucky and Tennessee. Fellows may also be able to visit the selected conferences in states of Louisiana and Colorado to attend educational sessions.
Application requirements are specified in the attachment. All interested applicants may respond by completing the attached application form. Interview for the Cochran Program are tentatively planned for mid-March in Mumbai and New Delhi. Of course, sending an application and receiving an interview appointment will not necessarily mean that the candidate has been selected for the program.
All candidates will be advised in writing if and when they have been accepted to a final 2016 Cochran Fellowship Program.
For questions related to the application process please contact:
USDA-FAS Mumbai
U.S. Consulate General , Mumbai
Email: agmumbai@fas.usda.gov
For questions regarding the Cochran Fellowship Program or the application process, please email cochranfellowship@fas.usda.gov.
Additional information is available on the website:
http://www.fas.usda.gov
DelWine has nothing to do with the programme except helping communicate. Please contact them directly. If you do get selected and you learnt about it through this Article, it might be a nice gesture to let us know so that we may help more people in the area of wine to enhance their career.
Subhash Arora
Application Form |