It's an important week for numbers and representing the public voice. How about some numbers we wine lovers can all agree upon: the most recent statistics on U.S. wine grapes. Wine America is a grassroots wine advocacy group focused on public policy issues that benefit wineries of all sizes in the US. Issues that in turn benefit consumers as well. 13 Indiana wineries are members. The organization just held its annual Fall conference and shared some good news for wine grape growers, and wine juice drinkers.

Valued at nearly $6 billion annually, grapes are the highest value fruit crop in the United States, and represent 37% of the value of all non-citrus fruit.

• Grapes are the 6th largest fruit crop, with nearly 25,000 farms on over 1,000,000 acres producing almost 7,000,000 tons in 2014
• The U.S. accounts for 6% of the world's grape acreage but 10% of grape production, reflecting its productivity and efficiency.
• There are more than 8,700 wineries in the U.S. producing over 830,000,000 gallons, with California accounting for 85% of that. (Washington is second, and New York third.)
• The U.S. produces 12% of the world's wine, and consumes 13% of all wine, making it U.S. wine exports (90% from California) reached $1.49 billion in value in 2014
• Nearly 30,000,000 people visit wineries annually, providing employment to over 50,000 people.