National Vineyard Survey? Better Late than Never
We got some good news just before Congress left for its current six-week recess: The Senate put in $2,000,000 for a national vineyard survey. We have been requesting this for years, and WineAmerica is solely responsible for this important achievement.
The only weak spot in our 2022 National Economic Impact Study of the Wine Industry was vineyard acreage and related data. That’s because Congress cut funding to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service years ago, so only a few states have current and reliable data about the foundation of our industry—grapes!
In December 2022, I mentioned this to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who created language “encouraging” such a study but not earmarking funds for it at the time. Now, after 18 months of lobbying by WineAmerica, led by Michael Kaiser and amplified by our members during DC fly-ins the past two years, the money is there.
It’s not a done deal yet, but this is a significant step. And even in the best-case scenario, we don’t expect actual vineyard numbers until 2027 or beyond. But this is a start!
WineAmerica: the little association that could.
