National Grape Improvement Center: The Future is Here On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer visited Geneva, NY to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new, world-class facility: USDA-ARS National Grape Improvement Center (NGIC). Senator Schumer was able to secure $68 million to construct the new scientific facility for future high-impact, cooperative research between the Agricultural Research … Read more
The Hoosier state had grapes and wine in the 18th century, and was the 10th largest producer by the mid 19th century. The Indiana Small Winery Act of 1971 sparked major growth, so now the state has many small wineries and two of the largest in the United States. The state’s location and corresponding climate … Read more
Farm Bill News On May 7-8, WineAmerica hosted its annual DC fly-in when 40+ members had over 90 meetings with their Senators, Representatives, and key committee chairs. On May 9, the long-stalled Farm Bill started moving. Coincidence? Probably, but that doesn’t diminish the power of fly-ins or the importance of the Farm Bill to the … Read more
Illinois has a winegrowing history dating back to 1691, and in 1900 was the fourth largest wine producer in the country until Prohibition wiped out the industry, as it did elsewhere. The modern industry was stimulated by a 1976 law allowing onsite sales at wineries, with both Lynfred and Galena wineries opening in 1979. Lisa … Read more
Farm Bill Moves! It may be a year late, but the 2025 Farm Bill is moving right along, thanks largely to the leadership of Rep. G.T. Thompson (R-PA), Chair of the House Agriculture Committee. And the nice thing is that there are several proposed funding increases beneficial to the grape and wine industry: Market Access … Read more