Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,I,C – Batavia) recently sponsored a bill that has passed the Assembly which will allow New York’s world-class wineries to become more competitive, both within the state and abroad. Assembly bill 7828-A repeals a number of onerous mandates on winery owners and grape growers that will streamline the licensing process and encourage the growth of this booming industry.

“Wineries and grape-growing farms are cornerstones of New York’s agricultural industry,” said Hawley. “By reducing the red tape that owners of these businesses must sift through in order to become properly licensed, these establishments will save time, money and resources that will encourage existing operations to expand and new businesses to open. As a sponsor of this legislation and a member of the Committee on Agriculture, I commend my colleagues for helping me achieve these sorely-needed, procedural reforms for our wine industry.”

The provisions of A.7828-A will:

• Allow the owner of a winery license to sell wine in bulk to wholesalers, retailers and other major distributors;
• Authorize a winery to manufacture, bottle and sell various fruit products on-premises;
• Allow wineries and farm wineries to charge event operators for the use of their premises; and
• Reduce the number of specialized licenses for wineries and farm wineries, providing a more efficient registration process.

“With places like Leonard Oakes Estate Winery and Schwenk Wine Cellars located right here in Western New York, it is imperative that we encourage our agricultural job creators to set up shop in our communities,” said Hawley. “I am confident that this legislation will not only benefit our current grape growers and winery operators but will draw even more business owners to our fertile soil and spacious landscapes in the future.”