Shutdown, Farm Bill, TTB A.I. Notice, Intoxicating Hemp The U.S.-Israeli invasion of Iran eclipsed everything else on the news cycles and in DC this week, and probably will in the near future. Still, there were some quiet developments worth noting. The Mini-Shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues as Senate Republicans and Democrats … Read more

Connecticut Wine Country Long Island Sound and the Connecticut River Valley provide a milder climate than expected given the state’s northern latitude, allowing a broad range of grape varieties and other fruits to be grown. The Connecticut Winery Act of 1978 stimulated the growth of the industry, which now includes a 33-winery Connecticut Wine Trail … Read more

Shutdown, Tariffs, and Hemp The past few weeks have been a vivid reminder of how complicated DC can be and, accordingly, why it’s so important to have WineAmerica there watching out and weighing in. The limited government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), due to a political stalemate on ICE’s operations, is still … Read more

New Shutdown Record, Hemp on Hold, Dietary Guidelines Reopened! It took 40+ days, a new world record, but the government is now officially reopened, even if a number of operations, services, and benefits remain backlogged or in limbo as everyone tries to clean up. Among the many downsides from this political scuffle were major disruptions … Read more

Like many states, Kansas was a significant wine producer in the 19th Century along with neighboring Missouri, populated by German immigrants who brought the wine tradition with them.  However, it was also the home of Carrie Nation and the early temperance movement, and, in 1881, the first state to pass statewide prohibition. That didn’t totally … Read more