National Vineyard Survey
Alas, the wheels of government turn very slowly, which in some ways is good but may also be frustrating.
Specifically, the national vineyard survey that was “encouraged” in the 2022 Omnibus spending bill, thanks to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, can’t even get started until there’s money specifically earmarked for it. So WineAmerica’s Michael Kaiser has been meeting with key legislators on the Appropriations committees in both houses, who fortunately represent major wine states.
But…even if we get the funding we want, it will be part of a massive budget which would pass in late September as the earliest, but is likely to be delayed until the end of the year or longer. In other words, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of USDA almost certainly won’t be able to even start the study until sometime in 2024. The only good news is that we’re ahead of where we would be if the Farm Bill was our only route for funding. Ah, Washington….
Nutritional Labeling
WineAmerica has closed its industry survey about the possibility of nutritional information and ingredient labeling on wine, and the response has been strong.
The next step, on Wednesday, March 8, will be a members-only Zoom to provide updates on the overall issue, the results of the survey, and future plans for developing WineAmerica’s formal position at the appropriate time.
Even though TTB has not even issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, WineAmerica wants to stay ahead of the curve. WineAmerica members can register for the session. Current non-members can join WineAmerica and participate in the session if they join on time.
