Today, May 23,  the Trump Administration released their Fiscal Year 2018 Federal Budget Request. This document outlines the Administration's budget priorities for the next fiscal year. The document is non-binding and is no more than a suggestion to Congress for spending priorities. Congress controls the spending power of the federal government and is under no obligation to match the proposals put forward in the budget request. The government is funded through September 30, 2017 by the spending bill  passed late last month. Congress will begin work on the FY 2018 Appropriations Bill this summer. The Administration’s Budget proposes massive cuts to some of our key priorities:

TTB: The FY 2018 Budget Request proposes a $7 million decrease in funding for TTB. The current funding level is $106 million. That includes the $5 million for COLA and formula approvals that we worked to secure at the end of 2015 and was maintained this year. The additional funding allowed TTB to get COLA turnaround times for wine down to five days, down from upward of a month just a few years ago. A cut of this size would put that in jeopardy and would impede wineries from getting their product to market.

Specialty Crop Block Grants and Value Added Producer Grants: The Trump Budget Proposal eliminates all funding for the Speciality Crop Block Grant and Value Added Producer Grant Programs. These two programs are authorized through the 2014 Farm Bill, but the Administration can recommend eliminating the funding for the programs. The current funding for the Speciality Crop Block Grant program is currently $68 million and the Value Added Producer Grant Program is currently $14 million. Many wineries, vineyards, trade associations and universities rely on these programs for essential marketing and research needs.

Market Access Program: The Market Access Program (MAP) assists U.S. specialty crop producers to create, expand, and maintain access to foreign markets. This successful public/private cooperation is an effective tool for increasing access to consumers around the world and generating job creating export income for rural communities.  The Trump Budget Proposal eliminates funding for the Market Access Program. The current funding level is $200 million. Wine producers from California, Washington, Oregon and New York have used the MAP program extensively to market their wines outside of the US. Completely cutting the program would be devastating to the marketing efforts of those states, with a ripple effect throughout the rest of the industry. If these larger producing states lose their export markets, the wines will need to be sold elsewhere, and the most likely market is back in the United States.

Next Steps: WineAmerica will be working with our allies in various coalitions to insure that Congress does not strip the funding for these important programs. We will be taking meetings with relevant Members of Congress. We will ask for your help too. When Congress begins the Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations Process we will be asking you, our valued members, to reach out to your Congressional Delegations to tell them how important a fully funded TTB is and how essential these USDA programs are for the American wine industry.

Last week the House of Representative passed the Senate’s comprehensive GMO labeling bill. The bill was a compromise between Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) that would make GMO labeling required, rather than voluntary. The bill would also preclude individual states from having their own label laws, creating a federal standard that would avoid a “patchwork” of fifty different state labeling laws.

The Roberts/Stabenow compromise creates a federal GMO labeling standard for all food products with genetically engineered products. The ingredients can be disclosed on the package itself, or on a website that can be inked through a QR code on the package. Additionally, companies can simply list a phone number or website listing that would disclose the use of GMO ingredients in the product. The bill will also allow any organic food product to automatically be labeled “non-GMO”. If the bill becomes law, the USDA will then go through a rulemaking process to draft the regulations for the labeling standard. Alcohol is exempted from labeling as expressed in the language of the bill. WineAmerica will be closely monitoring the rulemaking process on this bill to insure that alcohol continues to remain exempt from the labeling standards. The President is expected to sign the bill into law this week.

On Friday, Governor Bruce Rauner (R-IL) signed a bill into law that toughens the oversight and enforcement of shipping wine into Illinois, as well as transporting alcohol across state lines.

Senate Bill 2989 enhances penalties on this illegally shipping or transporting alcohol into the state. It also raises fees for alcohol manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers and establishes a much clearer audit process for all alcohol entering into the state. The bill explicitly prohibits retailer direct-to-consumer wine shipping, and a retailer that does ship into Illinois will face felony charges.

The bill clarifies exactly what taxes need to be paid on wine shipments,and will prevent the prevalence of lawsuits that have sprung up in the state related to the payment of sales tax on alcohol sold over the internet.

Next Week

Next week we will review the process for wineries to register as food facilities with the Food and Drug Administration

Questions? Contact Michael Kaiser, Director of Public Affairs at mkaiser@wineamerica.org

The DOJ Consent Decree Determination: What Does It Mean for Congress and Stakeholders?

Panelists: Danielle Aguirre (EVP and General Counsel, NMPA); U.S. Representative Doug Collins (R-GA); Tara Good (Director of Operations, WineAmerica); Clara Kim (EVP and General Counsel, ASCAP); Katie Peters (Director, Government Relations, Pandora). In 2014, the nation’s largest performing rights organizations (PROs) for musical compositions, ASCAP and BMI, asked the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to review their governing consent decrees, with a request that they be modified to give copyright owners the choice to license their works to digital services directly in the marketplace, known as a “partial withdrawal” of rights. On August 4, 2016, DOJ issued its review. The government decided not to modify the consent decrees as the PROs requested, stating it would not promote competition, and in addition, declared that the consent decrees do not allow ASCAP and BMI’s current practice  of offering “fractional” licenses that convey only rights to the shares of a work that each PRO owns. Soon thereafter, the PROs announced they would seek judicial and legislative relief from DOJ’s determination. This panel examined the effect on the stakeholders of the DOJ review and steps Congress may consider in response.

Presented by Mondo.NYC, an annual business summit, festival and digital platform bringing together music, technology and innovation in the most vibrant city in the world. Mondo launches September 14-18, 2016 in New York City with a business summit hosted at New York University and live music showcases presented at venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn. At Mondo.NYC, music fans, artists, tech pioneers and entertainment professionals converge to celebrate music, technology and the entertainment industry.

Please Vote For Your Board of Directors

Last week we opened the 2016 WineAmerica Board of Directors election. If you are a winery member you received an electronic ballot for your specific membership region. We will be resending the ballots again between now and the close of the election on October 7. The Board of Directors will then certify the election at the next WineAmerica Board Meeting in Oregon this November.

Register for the Fall Meeting

WineAmerica is heading to the scenic Willamette Valley this November for our annual Fall Board of Directors and Membership Meeting. Every year visit a different wine region to review our successes for the year and look to the future of the organization. The Fall Meeting is an excellent time for WineAmerica to take our message to a specific region, and for the Board, association members and winery members to come together. The dates for the meeting are November 2-3 and will be held at the Alison Resort and Spa. Agenda and registration information can be found here: WineAmerica 2016 Fall Membership Meeting.

Questions? Contact Michael Kaiser, Director of Public Affairs at mkaiser@wineamerica.org

Congress returns from their lengthy election recess today. They will be convening in a lame duck session that is expected to last a few weeks. The chief task for Congress between now and December 7 will be to fund the federal government for the next fiscal year. Before the election, a continuing resolution was passed that continued to fund the government at the Fiscal Year 2016 levels. That resolution expires at midnight on December 9. What is uncertain is the method that Congress decides to take to fund the government. WineAmerica has been hearing from our sources that Congress may decide to fund the government at the current levels through March 2017, and start fresh with the new Trump Administration. The other option would be to pass a new omnibus appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2017. If the government is funded at current levels with no new policy, the possibility for alcohol excise tax reform this year will decrease.

The House Republicans will be holding their leadership elections on Tuesday, November 15th. We expect to know more about the priorities for the lame duck session after the leadership election. With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up, Congress is spending this week regrouping after the election, and any legislative work will begin the week of November 28. 

 

If the excise tax reform proposal is not included in any year end funding bill, the proposal will have to be reintroduced in 2017. The House Republican leadership has expressed a desire for comprehensive tax reform in the new year and we expect alcohol excise tax reform to be included.

We will be examining what the new administration and new congress means for the American wine industry in the coming weeks.

- Michael Kaiser, Director of Public Affairs

Washington Issues Caucus

Last week, I spoke at the first annual Washington Issues Conference. Jointly sponsored by the Washington Wine Institute and the Washington Association of Winegrape Growers, the joint industry event was held in Yakima, Washington in the heart of Washington Wine Country. The event brought together experts on local, state and federal issues to discuss and educate Washington wine industry members on how said issues impact the and their businesses directly. I was asked to represent WineAmerica and speak about federal issues impacting the wine industry. This included a broad overview of our core issues of tax reform and music licensing, as well as a discussion of the other important issues we are currently working on, notably TTB funding and immigration reform. Additionally, I spoke about the 2016 election and gave a preview of 2017. Special thanks to the Washington Wine Institute and the Washington Association of Winegrape Growers for inviting me to speak and for being such staunch supporters of WineAmerica.

From Last Week

2016 Fall Board Meeting

Last week, WineAmerica’s Board and State and Regional Association Advisory Council convened in Newberg, Oregon in the heart of the Willamette Valley. In case you missed it, here is the wrap up we sent out on Friday.

WineAmerica Board Meets in Oregon

WineAmerica, the National Association of American Wineries, just concluded its annual Fall Board of Directors Conference in Newberg, Oregon, highlighted by presentations from two influential Washington policymakers.

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) spoke to a crowd of over a hundred wine industry leaders from Oregon and around the country. WineAmerica has been working tirelessly with Senator Wyden on his landmark Federal alcohol excise tax reform legislation. If passed, this historic initiative would provide an economic jolt to the wine industry and would create a business environment that would allow the industry to thrive for years to come. Representative Bonamici has been a key supporter of the Oregon wine industry and is also a co-sponsor of the House version of Senator Wyden’s tax legislation.

Read more... 

Questions? Contact Michael Kaiser, Director of Public Affairs at mkaiser@wineamerica.org

The Board of Directors of WineAmerica has announced that wine industry veteran Jim Trezise will become the organization’s President starting in January 2017.

WineAmerica is the national organization of American wineries, representing wine producer members from 43 states with grassroots public policy advocacy in Washington, DC.  WineAmerica held its 2016 Fall Meeting in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, and was honored to be joined by Congressional Representative Suzanne Bonamici and Senator Ron Wyden, who is spearheading legislation to reduce wine excise taxes.

“We’re delighted that Jim has agreed to assume a more formal role with WineAmerica,” said the organization’s Chairman of the Board Trent Preszler, PhD, who is CEO of Bedell Cellars on Long Island.  “Jim is well-known and highly respected throughout the American wine industry, as well as among influential public officials, and his commitment to our industry is unparalleled.”

Trezise is transitioning from his 31-year position as President of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) to an increased role with WineAmerica, while remaining President of the International Riesling Foundation, judging in major wine competitions, and continuing his involvement with other wine industry organizations and activities.

He will orient his NYWGF successor, Mr. Sam Filler, in the first quarter of 2017 while undertaking increased involvement with WineAmerica during that time.  Jim has served on the WineAmerica  Board of Directors and Executive Committee  for over 20 years, and has devoted substantial additional  pro bono time to the organization in recent years.  He also serves on the Boards of several other major industry organizations such as FIVS, the National Grape & Wine Initiative, and Wine Market Council.

Over the years he has received several national awards for his contributions to the American wine industry, including the ‘Grand Award” of the Society of Wine Educators; the “Wine Integrity Award” from the Lodi Winegrape Commission; the “Distinguished Service Award” from the Society of Enology and Viticulture; and the “Perpetual Monteith Trophy” (Thomas Jefferson Cup) from the Vinifera Winegrowers Association.  He was also named one of “The 20 Most Admired People in the American Wine Industry” by Vineyard & Winery Management magazine; and one of the “Top 50 Movers and Shakers” by Wines & Vines magazine.

“This is a major step forward for WineAmerica,” said Caroline Shaw, WineAmerica’s immediate past Chair, and Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Jackson Family Wines, who first suggested this idea.  “Jim’s long experience with WineAmerica, success in public policy advocacy, familiarity with key public officials, and involvement with many other industry organizations will strengthen our impact.”

Jim will work closely with WineAmerica’s current staff, Director of Public Affairs Michael Kaiser, and Director of Operations Tara Good, along with government affairs counsel Meyers & Associates.  His involvement will be selectively targeted at opportunities which offer the most promise to advance the interests of the American wine industry.  He will travel to Washington, DC and other locations as needed, but will be operating from the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York on a day-to-day basis.

“WineAmerica is truly a vital organization for advancing the interests of the American wine industry,” said Trezise. “While I have been involved for a very long time, I’m pleased that I will have more time to devote to its important activities in the future.”

WineAmerica’s Fall meeting was organized and hosted by Janie Brooks Heuck, owner of Brooks Wines, and included a special listening session with leaders of the Oregon wine industry, as well as updates on all public policy matters and the Presidential election outlook.  WineAmerica’s next meeting will be in Washington, DC in May, with a focus on educating the new Administration and legislators about the American wine industry’s priorities.

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Media Contacts:  Trent Preszler, trent@bedellcellars.com; Jim Trezise  jimtrezise@nywgf.org

On Monday January 30th, leading House and Senate Members reintroduced the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act. This comprehensive bill would drastically reduce the federal excise tax (FET) burden on wineries, breweries and distilleries. Every congressional district in the United States includes a brewery, winery, distillery, importer or industry supplier, all of whom operate under an outdated tax structure.  A reduction in the FET will result in consumers benefiting from greater choice and allow businesses to invest in product development, improve infrastructure and stimulate employment in communities across the country. WineAmerica strongly supports the passage of the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act.

Senate Introduction

The Senate version of the bill (S.236) was introduced by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). Senator Wyden has been the main architect of this bill and originally conceived it in June 2015. He was joined by eleven of his fellow Senators on the new version of the bill. This bipartisan piece of legislation features six Democrats and six Republicans as original co-sponsors, they are:

Democrats
Tammy Baldwin- WI
Michael Bennet- CO
Thomas Carper- DE
Robert Casey- PA
Debbie Stabenow- MI
Ron Wyden- OR

Republicans
Roy Blunt- MO
Shelly Morore Capito- WV
Cory Gardner- CO
Jerry Moran- KS
Rob Portman- OH
Pat Roberts- KS

Senator Blunt of Missouri has also been tireless in his support for the bill, he is the chief sponsor on the Republican side.

House Introduction

The House version of the bill (H.R. 747) was once again co-sponsored by Reps. Erik Paulson (R-MN-3) and Ron Kind (D-WI-3). They are joined by a diverse and bipartisan group:

Democrats:
Earl Blumenauer (OR-3)
Peter DeFazio (OR-4)
Ron Kind (WI-3)
Chellie Pingree (ME-1)
Mike Thompson (CA-5)

Republicans
Mark Amodei (NV-2)
Tom Emmer (MN-6)
Mike Kelly (PA-3)
Patrick McHenry (NC-10)
Dan Newhouse (WA-4)
David Reichert (WA-8)
Patrick Tiberi (OH-12)

Major Provisions for Wine

The major tax relief provisions specific to wine are nearly identical to the previous amended version of the bill, with some minor additions:

Expand Excise Tax Credit for Wineries

Under present law, wine is subject to an excise tax of between $1.07 and $3.40 per gallon, based on alcohol content and carbonation level. Qualifying small domestic wineries producing 250,000 wine gallons or less are eligible for a tax credit generally equal to 90 cents per gallon on the first 100,000 gallons produced, with that benefit phasing out between 150,000 gallons and 250,000 gallons. Hard cider is taxed as wine, subject to lower rates and a reduced credit amount. This provision removes the phaseout and replaces the credit with a new tiered credit system for wine produced in the U.S. or imported as follows: $1.00 for the first 30,000 wine gallons, $0.90 for the next 100,000 wine gallons, and $0.535 for the next 620,000 wine gallons. In addition, this provision removes the existing prohibition against claiming the credit for naturally sparkling wines. Conforming expansions are made to the cider credit. Find an estimate of your new tax rate here

Expand Alcohol Threshold for Certain Wines

Under current law, still wine is taxed at different rates based on alcohol content. Still wine containing not more than 14 percent ABV is taxed at $1.07. Still wine above 14 percent and less than 21 percent ABV is taxed at $1.57 per gallon. For labeling purposes only, alcohol content in wine may vary from the stated amount within certain tolerances, however no such tolerances exist for tax purposes. This proposal would provide that wines up to 16 percent ABV may qualify for the $1.07 tax rate, in order to provide more certainty for wine producers.  

Increased Carbonation Tolerances for Certain Low ABV Wines

Present law provides a tolerance for still wine of 0.392 gram of carbon dioxide per hundred milliliters of wine, which is generally taxed at $1.07 per wine gallon. Wines exceeding this limitation are taxed as “sparkling wine” at either $3.30 or $3.40 per wine gallon. This provision would increase that tolerance to 0.64 gram of carbon dioxide per hundred milliliters of wine for wines produced primarily from grape or solely from honey and water, which do not contain any other fruit and contains no more than 8.5 percent ABV.

Reduce Compliance and Tax Burdens for all Producers, and Improve Excise Tax Administration

The bill exempts beverage producers from complex capitalization rules for aged products, removing the requirement that bottle aging be considered in production time.  The bill also continues TTB funding increases that were secured in for FY 2016 of $5 million for label and formula approval and $5 million for fair trade practice enforcement. The increases are to be authorized for FY 2017 and FY 2018, along with an additional $5 million for the cost of implementing the bill, including new federal permit approvals.

Next Steps for WineAmerica

With the reintroduction of the bill, WineAmerica will now begin the process of securing additional co-sponsors. At the end of the last legislative year, the bill had nearly 300 House co-sponsors and 53 Senators. Along with our alcohol industry partners, our goal will be to match or exceed the totals from 2016. Concurrently we will be meeting with the relevant House and Senate Committees as the agenda for tax reform is set. We look forward to working with our members and Congress to to ensure the FET burden on the beer, wine and spirits sector is at the forefront of the discussion.

For more information please contact Michael Kaiser, mkaiser@wineamerica.org

WineAmerica and Winegrape Growers of America are reuniting for the National Grape & Wine Policy Conference, April 25 – 27. Taking place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, minutes away from Capitol Hill, this meeting is the industry’s opportunity to make its voice heard.

The conference will feature speakers and presentations on the politics and policies affecting our industry. It includes meetings of the WineAmerica Board of Directors and the State and Regional Association Advisory Council and a “Wines of America” reception on Capitol Hill for members of Congress and their staff. The tasting features wines from over 20 states, demonstrating the importance of the American wine industry. The 2017 Grape & Wine Policy Conference is your opportunity to make a difference regarding the laws that affect you.

All WineAmerica members are encouraged to attend.

Register Today!

Click here for the latest agenda and look for speaker updates in the next weekly membership update. 

Questions? Contact Michael Kaiser at mkaiser@wineamerica.org

Appropriations Analysis

The House is in recess this week while the Senate remains here in DC holding various business hearings. Last week was a very busy week on Capitol Hill. The House and Senate both passed an omnibus appropriations act that will fully fund the federal government through September 30, the end of the 2017 fiscal year. WineAmerica was pleased with the omnibus bill, as it fully funds several key priorities for the American wine industry. One of the key legislative victories we had in the last two years was securing $5 million in funding for TTB that specifically covers COLA and formula approvals. We were able to maintain that funding through 2016, and we are pleased the money will remain through the end of the fiscal year. This will ensure COLA turnaround times remain where they are, and with the federal hiring freeze now lifted, we are confident that will continue to approve. Additionally, we are pleased that the USA Market Access Program remains funded. Congress will now begin the process of drafting the appropriations bills for fiscal year 2018.

American Health Care Act

Late last week the House passed the American Health Care Act, which seeks to repeal most of the Affordable Care Act (more commonly known as Obamacare). The bill passed by a narrow majority, and will now be sent to the Senate for consideration. It is expected the Senate will drastically revise the legislation. It is expected that the Senate will spend most of the late spring and summer on health care reform

Excise Tax Reform Update

Another issue Congress is expected to tackle this year is tax reform. The House Ways and Means Committee has indicated they expect to focus primarily on income tax reform. WineAmerica will continue to build up the number of co-sponsors on the bill and is in the process of formulating a comprehensive lobbying strategy. Currently, there are 172 sponsors on the House version of the bill, and 45 on the Senate version of the bill. We are well on our way to eclipsing the number of sponsors on the bill last year.

Currently we are in 90 day Congressional consultation session that the Trump Administration initiated on May 18. The Administration is required to give Congress a 90 day notice before initiating negotiations with any country on a trade agreement. On May 23, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) published a notice in the Federal Register soliciting comments from the public that will help shape the direction of the modernization process. The comment period is not closed. USTR held public hearings this past week. Members of the North American Market Working Group (of which WineAmerica is an active member) testified at the hearings in support of keeping the Canadian and Mexican markets open and modernizing rules and regulation.

USTR is required to publish a detailed summary of its negotiating objectives and expected outcomes on the USTR website at least 30 days prior to initiating negotiations. USTR expects to publish these objectives by Monday, July 17. The 90-day period ends on Wednesday, August 16, 2017. That is the earliest negotiations with Canada and Mexico can begin. The Trump Administration expect the negotiations to be tri-lateral in nature, but they may become bilateral as they progress.

WineAmerica Actions

WineAmerica and the Wine Institute submitted comments to USTR (full text here). We then held a meeting with USTR and USDA to follow up and reinforce those comments. The American wine industry would like to see the following from a NAFTA modernization effort:

·         Ensure that U.S. wines have equal access to Canadian grocery and other new distribution channels;

·         Prohibit markup exemptions and other substantial preferential benefits exclusively provided for Canada wine;

·         Remove the NAFTA prohibition on duty drawback;

·         Remove the 1987 NAFTA provision allowing Ontario and B.C. private wine outlets in existence in 1987 to sell only wines from that province; and

·         Remove the NAFTA provision allowing Québec to require that wine sold in grocery stores must be from Québec.

While Congress is in its summer recess WineAmerica has been working on some organizational projects. One of those projects is the WineAmerica 2017 Board of Directors Election. On Tuesday October 10, we will be sending out the election ballots for the 2017 election. The election will then run until Tuesday October 24. The WineAmerica Board of Directors will then certify the election at the Board Meeting in Napa, CA on Thursday, November 9.

As you may or may not know, WineAmerica is divided into nine distinct geographical regions:

·   California

·    Oregon

·    Washington

·    Rocky Mountain: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming

·   Midwest: Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas

·    Great Lakes: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin

·    New York

·    Northeast: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont

·    Southeast: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia

Each region has one regional Board member, with the exception of California, which has two. In addition to these ten regional Board members, there are seven At-Large members on the WineAmerica Board. One of those seven At-Large members it the Chair of the State and Regional Association Advisory Council (SRAAC). Each Board member is elected for three year terms, and the election of the directors is staggered.

One of the most important duties of the WineAmerica Membership is the election of the Board of Directors. To that end, as mentioned above, we will be sending out electronic ballots on Tuesday, October 10. If a Board member is up for election or re-election in your region, you will be emailed a ballot with that slate, as well as the slate of At-Large directors up for election or re-election. If no regional Board election is happening in your region this year you will simply receive a ballot with the At-Large slate. The election will remain open for two weeks, and the results will be announced after the next Board of Directors Meeting.

One of the key issues is "tax reform", and whether that might be the vehicle for the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act that we are working on with our partners in the beer and spirits sectors. Happily, we now have 253 House Members and 47 Senators as co-sponsors, showing broad bipartisan support which means good prospects.

But key questions remain about the nature of any changes--do they represent true reform or just a tax cut? And will we need to seek another route to get this done? Time will tell, but we'll keep on pushing.

As a reminder, wineries of all sizes will save a lot of money if this legislation succeeds, due to credits on the federal excise tax that significantly lower the burden. To calculate what your savings would be, click here.

These things don't happen by chance. It's because we make them happen. Help us help you.

A shortage of skilled agricultural labor is one of the biggest challenges facing the American wine industry today. Over the years Congress has proposed various different solutions to this multi-faceted problem, and direct input from businesses can be helpful as we move forward on this issue.

To better serve our industry, WineAmerica would like to hear from you. Please take a moment to complete this short, anonymous survey. 

WineAmerica is the only National Association of American Wineries, working to protect and enhance the business climate for the American wine industry. If you are not already a member, consider joining today at www.wineamerica.org/membership. Feel free to contact Michael Kaiser at mkaiser@wineamerica.org with any questions about the agricultural labor issue.

Open Survey Here

Napa Valley, November 10, 2017--WineAmerica, the National Organization of American Wineries, showed its support for the northern California wine industry with a “Winery Solidarity Tour” of several wineries, and also announced the organization’s future leadership, during its Fall Retreat in the Napa Valley.

On the afternoon of Thursday, November 9, roughly 25 WineAmerica Board members and other participants from numerous states broke into groups to visit the tasting rooms of five member wineries: Cakebread Cellars, Chateau Montelena, Freemark Abbey, Robert Mondavi Winery, and Robert Sinskey Vineyards. In addition, some out-of-state winery owners brought samples of their wines to offer as goodwill gifts to their California colleagues.

“After the tragic wildfires, we wanted to remind our colleagues in northern California that we are their neighbors even if we live a continent away, and that we’ve got their backs,” said WineAmerica President Jim Trezise. “It was also a great experience for our diverse group of Board members from around the country to experience this iconic region firsthand.”

WineAmerica member Treasury Wine Estates hosted that morning’s business meeting at the historic Beringer Winery, as well as a reception and elegant dinner that evening at the Hudson House on the property. At the meeting, the results of a recent election were announced, including the re-elections of Board members Michael Walker (Constellation Brands), Mario Mazza (Mazza Winery, Pennsylvania), Dana Huber (Huber Vineyards & Winery, Indiana), and the election of Katie Jackson (Jackson Family Wines, California) and Max McFarland, co-owner of Mac’s Creek Vineyard & Winery in Nebraska.

WineAmerica has hundreds of winery members from 42 states, so its Board is structured to ensure regionally diverse representation.

On a leadership level, as of WineAmerica’s February 20, 2018 meeting in Washington, DC, Marty Clubb (co-owner of L’Ecole No. 41 winery in Walla Walla, Washington) will become Chair of the Board, and Janie Brooks Heuck (co-owner of Brooks Wines in the Willamette Valley of Oregon) will become Vice Chair. Until that time, Trent Preszler (PhD, CEO of Bedell Cellars on Long Island) will remain Chair, with Marty Clubb remaining as Vice Chair and Janie Brooks Heuck as Secretary. All three of these wineries are widely recognized and respected for the superb quality of their wines.

Wine America also includes the State and Regional Associations Advisory Committee (SRAAC), a group of trade association executives from throughout the country who share information and experiences. Donniella “Donnie” Winchell, Executive Director of the Ohio Wine Producers Association, has served as Chair for the past couple years, to be succeeded in February by Debbie Reynolds, Executive Director of the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association. Lori Paulsen, Executive Director of the Nebraska Wine and Grape Growers Association, was selected Vice Chair, which is a new position for the group.

Created in 1978 as the tiny, regional Association of American Vintners, WineAmerica is now the only national organization of American wineries, has hundreds of members in 42 states, and is widely respected and consulted by industry peers, media, and legislators. Washington-based Vice Presidents Tara Good and Michael Kaiser work with Meyers & Associates lobbyists Larry Meyers and Fran Boyd on issues critical to the American wine industry such as excise tax reduction, music licensing, immigration reform, trade policy, and funding for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, grape research, and export promotion.

In late September, Representative Mike Thompson from northern California wine country, co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Wine Caucus, unveiled the first-ever national economic impact study of the American wine industry’s benefits to the American economy, which total $220 billion. WineAmerica sponsored that study, and the results are publicly available on both national and state levels at www.wineamerica.org/impact.

WineAmerica invites and encourages all American wineries to become members. www.wineamerica.org/membership.

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Media contacts:

Jim Trezise, jimtrezise@wineamerica.org

Michael Kaiser, mkaiser@wineamerica.org

On December 13th, WineAmerica and local winery owners will be sitting down for an informal conversation with executives from Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) to discuss the current music license they offer wineries. The goal of this meeting is for wineries to directly address the challenges they face in the hopes that BMI will create a new license that will better fit the needs of our industry. 

To best represent the wine industry's needs, we are looking to include your voice in the conversation. The following are general questions that will be raised. Respecting sensitivities surrounding music licensing, your responses will remain anonymous. We are not asking you to identity your winery, only your state in order to demonstrate the national scope of this issue.

Don't hesitate Tara Good at tgood@wineamerica.org or 202-223-5175 with any questions.

Open Survey Here

Update from Washington D.C.

There are sixteen legislative days left in before Congress adjourns for the Presidential Nominating Conventions and for the August Recess. The Senate and the House are both working on Department of Defense matters this week. The House is considering the FY 2017 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, while the Senate considers the Defense Authorization Act. Both of these bills should take up the entire week on the Hill.

Pennsylvania Opens to Direct-to-Consumer Shipping

Pennsylvania has become the 44th State to allow direct-to-consumer shipping for wine. Last week Governor Tom Wolf (D) signed House Bill 1690 into law, opening up state. Now, only six states prohibit direct-to-consumer shipping: Alabama, Delaware, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Utah. Pennsylvania is a “control state” and the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) will remain in place. For our full analysis of the bill please go here.

FDA Issues New Nutrition Facts Label

The Food and Drug Administration has revised its nutrition fact label. This is of relevance to the wine industry as beverages that contain alcohol under 7% alcohol by volume are required to include the nutritional label on all products. The new label features a refreshed design, reflects updated information about nutrition science and updates serving sizes and labeling requirements for certain package sizes. The new labels notate that “added sugar” must be added to the label.

Most food manufacturers will be required to use the new label by July 26, 2018. Manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales will have an additional year to comply with the new rules. The FDA plans to conduct outreach and education efforts on the new requirements.

For more information please visit the FDA website.

Questions? Contact Michael Kaiser, Director of Public Affairs, mkaiser@wineamerica.org

The 2014 National Wine and Grape Policy Conference in Washington, DC is where wine industry leaders from around the country meet to weigh in on the most pressing public policy issues affecting growers and wineries. Winegrowing from grape to glass is a heavily regulated industry and this two-and-a-half day conference will feature excellent speakers, presentations and insights on the politics and policies affecting the industry. Leaders who want to make a difference will be at the 2014 National Wine and Grape Policy Conference.

WineAmerica and Winegrape Growers of America are reuniting to produce the 2014 Wine and Grape Policy Conference, set for May 18-21, 2014. The conference features a revised format to maximize learning, advocacy and networking in a setting only minutes away from Capitol Hill and our nation’s key regulatory agencies. This is a business conference, but May is also a prime time to enjoy Washington, DC’s many sights and attractions.

GMOs, TTB ruling on growlers, and FDA rule-making are just some of the federal, state and regional issue covered in the May Policy Bulletin. Log-in as a member in the upper-left hand corner to view content. For a PDF copy, email Tara Good at tgood@wineamerica.org