Local Economic Development

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH BEER, WINE & SPIRITS PRODUCTION & SALES

    Supporting the production and sales of local malt, wine and sprits is a major economic development focus of mine.

     Act 210, cosponsored by Representative Manwaring and me, authorizes the selling of beer and wine by the bottle at special events. It has been a key factor in the success of the Brewers’ and the Wine and Harvest Festivals in the Deerfield Valley.    

    It is no accident that Vermont is a national leader in creating local beer, wine and liquor. Expanding business opportunities in a highly regulated industry calls for a step-by-step process over time, indicated by some of the actions taken by my legislative committee, including: 

• Authorizing wine producer permits at farmers markets to promote tastings and sales (Act 21, 2007)
• Permitting malt beverage tastings similar to wine tastings (Act 143, 2008) 
• Licensing climate-controlled storage facilities that receive, store and transport wine ordered by third party Vermonters (Act 151, 2008)
• Approving increased alcohol content for specialty beers (Act 167, 2008)
• Improving marketing opportunities for manufacturers: to serve beer and wine at special events and sell by the bottle on premises; to conduct on premises and at farmers’ markets, testing and selling of fortified wine by glass or bottle; and to conduct testing and selling of spirits on premises and at special events (Act 10, 2009) 
• Permitting a malt beverage manufacturer to sell at two locations on its contiguous property (Act 77, 2010) 
• Allowing restaurant customers to take home resealed unfinished bottles of specialty beer, increasing the number of special and testing event permits, and creating a promotional railroad tasting permit (Act 102, 2010)
• Changing statutes to expand caterers’ permits, to export wine, and to increase sales for wine makers (Act 115, 2012)
• Allowing export of malt beverages, sale of competitor products by manufacturers, and brewer direct customer shipping (Act 64, 2013) 
• Accelerating tasting permission for businesses waiting formal license approval, legalizing sampler flights [more than one drink in a single order] and permitting direct retailer pick up from wine manufactures (Act 202, 2014)

    While I am a licensed alcohol and drug counselor, who is a strong advocate for substance abuse treatment, I also respect a Vermonter’s right to drink responsibility and I will continue to support economic development through promotion of specialty Vermont beer, wine and spirits.

    For constituents with questions or comments, please be in touch by mail at 58 Hi-Hopes Road, Wardsboro, VT 05355, by phone at 802-896-9408 and by E-mail at jmoran@leg.state.vt.us.

   

    Thank you,

    State Representative John Moran

    Dover, Readsboro, Searsburg, Somerset, Stamford, Wardsboro and Whitingham