Biden Budget and Farm Bill The Biden Administration unveiled its 2024 Budget proposal which, like all of them in any year, is basically DOA in Congress but also a reflection of priorities. In this case, agriculture got a nice boost, up 14% to $30.1 billion for the United States Department of Agriculture to support increased … Read more
Wine is produced and consumed in all 50 states, and every single one is wonderfully unique… Georgia has a long history of wine going back to the 19th Century, and was even the sixth largest wine-producing state in 1900. But it was also among the first to institute Prohibition (in 1907), which devastated the industry … Read more
Farm Bill: Here We Go. The most consequential piece of legislation for the grape and wine industry is now on its way, and WineAmerica has already begun weighing in. Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) have officially invited comments from anyone interested in this bill, which sets agricultural … Read more
Florida is the third largest state in terms of wine’s economic impact—after CA and TX, and ahead of NY—not because of its wine industry, but rather its large population and wine consumption, which boosts the wholesale and retail sectors. For perspective, the wine industry’s impact in CA comes in at $88.1 B, TX at 20.3 … Read more
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 … Read more