Wine Policy Day Shot Down by Shutdown

(Wines&Vines) -

An innovative new program coordinated by WineAmerica, the national association of American wineries, has become another casualty of the federal government’s ongoing shutdown, Wines & Vines learned today.

Billed as “Grassroots outreach to lawmakers in-district” during the traditional congressional recess Oct. 12-20,” three of the four states that had enlisted dropped out or changed plans. Only Arizona is going forward with scaled-down programs aimed at senior congressional staffers.

The brainchild of Kevin Atticks, executive director of the Maryland Wineries Association (MWA), WineAmerica’s Wine Policy Day was crafted in an effort to inform federal legislators about wine industry concerns. Although participation was sparse this year, WineAmerica had hoped to grow it to 25 or more states in the next year or two, said Michael Kaiser, WineAmerica’s director of communications and regulatory affairs.
“Harvest is a busy time, but all the activity around the wineries makes it the perfect time to tell our stories” Atticks explained in a news release from WineAmerica. This year, though, with the House of Representatives still in session this Saturday, and resumption of a normal schedule in D.C. nebulous, the timing for Wine Policy day in the home states was not optimal.