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The "business climate" is just as important to growing the wine industry as the weather climate is to growing good grapes to make good wine. And thanks to New York Farm Bureau and a few individuals, the business climate has just improved.
The main event: Farm wineries, farm distilleries, and farm breweries (a new category) no longer have to file onerous and time-consuming wholesale tax reports previously required by the Department of Taxation and Finance. On the private sector side, Julie Suarez of New York Farm Bureau and Larry Perrine of Channing Daughters Winery on Long Island deserve the credit for making the case — and every one else owes them a debt of gratitude. As in the case of direct interstate shipment in 2005, it is a tiny group of very dedicated, persevering individuals--in that case John Martini (Anthony Road), Pete Saltonstall (King Ferry), Julie Suarez (Farm Bureau), and Allison Lee (a private lobbyist)--who do all the heavy lifting that benefits everyone else.
On the public sector side, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Agriculture Commissioner Darrel Aubertine, Senators Patty Ritchie and Kenneth LaValle, and Assemblymen Denny Farrell and Fred Thiele deserve the credit for undertanding that the time of winery owners and staff can be much more productively spent on production and marketing than complying with a senseless and duplicative reporting requirement.
There were some other good laws passed this year--including the establishment of a "farm brewery" category with benefits mirroring those of farm wineries--and we thank Farm Bureau and the bill sponsors for improving New York's business climate so we can grow and contribute even more than the $3.76 billion annually to the state economy.
Every New York winery and grape grower should be a member of New York Farm Bureau (or Long Island Farm Bureau if located there). They are the best partners we can have.
Jim Trezise of Penn Yan has been the President of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation since 1985 and President of the International Riesling Foundation since 2011.
