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Wine & Grape ACC to hold hearing on proposed market order

On Jan. 29, the Georgia Agriculture Commodity Commission for Wine & Grapes (Georgia Wine & Grape Commission) will hold a public hearing pertaining to the proposed Market Order for Wine and Grapes to be voted on Feb. 1 – March 2 by licensed Georgia wineries.

This hearing will be held at noon at the Macon Marriott City Center located a 240 Coliseum Drive in Macon.

At the hearing, any persons desiring to comment, must register to speak. Only those registering to speak will be allowed to comment. 

The proposed market order would allow for the assessment at a rate of 5 cents per liter of wine produced by licensed Georgia wineries as reported on the Georgia Farm Winery Report, Schedule A, Line 8. This is applicable to wineries producing 1,000 or more liters of wine annually.        

There are approximately 105 wine producers licensed by the Georgia Department of Revenue. The Georgia Wine & Grape Commission was established by the Georgia General Assembly in 2019. The first referendum on a proposed marketing order failed in 2022.

For passage, there must be an affirmative vote on 66% of eligible ballots returned.  If passed the market order is in effect for three years and it must be voted on again to be continued.  

Funds collected from assessments can only be used for the purpose of research, education, and promotion.  

Current members serving on the Wine & Grape Commission are Gary Engel of Ellijay, Eric Seifarth of Young Harris, Eric Miller of Cleveland, Simone Bergese of Braselton and Gary Paulk of Wray.

For more information, contact Georgia Department of Agriculture Manager of Commodity Commissions Andy Harrison at Andy.harrison@agr.georgia.gov or 404-710-1196.

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