Legislation would give commission more authority

By SEAN ELLIS

Capital Press

BOISE -- A bill that would give the Idaho Wine Commission the ability to better promote the state's fast-growing wine industry has made it to the House floor with a "do-pass" recommendation.

House Bill 412 would give the commission statutory authority to more thoroughly promote Idaho's winegrape industry.

In the past, the task of promoting the industry during events where wine is served has fallen to individual wineries while commission employees have only been allowed to assist, IWC lobbyist Roger Batt explained to members of the House Agricultural Affairs Committee, which unanimously approved the bill.

Batt pointed out that Idaho's $85 million wine industry has exploded in recent years and the IWC needs to be able to promote it. The number of Idaho wineries has jumped from 11 to 45 since 2002.

Batt said that by 2015, the industry is expected to grow to 78 wineries, expand from 1,600 to 2,500 acres of grapes and increase its total revenue to $123 million.

The legislation "would allow members of the Idaho Wine Commission to fully promote and market the industry's products," said Batt.

It gives the commission authority to host, sponsor or participate in activities where Idaho grape products are dispensed to retailers, distributors, importers, judges or members of the public.

The bill also gives the commission specific authority to promote Idaho grape products, including table grapes, wine, juices and raisins. The commission would also be allowed to solicit and receive donations of Idaho grape products for the purpose of promoting those products.

IWC Executive Director Moya Shatz said the bill would help the industry significantly and giving commission employees the ability to legally pour wine at promotion events is one of the key points of the legislation.

"We need to be able to pour at functions," she said. "It's more efficient because the industry can be in two places at once that way. If (a certain winery) is at one event, we can pour at another event."

The bill places limits on what commission employees can do. For example, they aren't authorized to receive payments for serving wine; however, they would be allowed to collect an admission fee for an activity.

The limitations are reasonable but the key point is that the commission needs to have statutory authority to promote the industry, Shatz said.

"We're not out there selling wine," she said. "We're out there promoting and representing wineries."