Congress is in recess (again), even though a potential government shutdown is fast approaching.
While Congress is gone, WineAmerica continues working on other issues for the wine industry, led by Michael Kaiser, Executive Vice President and Director of Government Affairs, who was recently profiled as a Wine Industry Champion by Wine Industry Advisor .
The Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is starting work on the issue of nutritional, ingredient and allergen labeling with two listening sessions next week that are open to the entire industry. Michael has been invited to speak, and he also recently hosted a Zoom listening session on the topic for WineAmerica members exclusively (a recording is available to WineAmerica members).
The other current issue involves the U.S. Dietary Guidelines which are now under review for a planned update in 2025. Alcohol has been part of the guidelines for years, and is expected to remain so, but perhaps with changes. Wine America is working closely with Wine Institute and other partners to ensure that the next set of guidelines is based on sound science.