Category: Legislative & Regulatory
News relating to the state and federal politics of beer and regulatory structure
News Done Deal – CBMTRA Tax Reduction Become Permanent
After days of drama on Capitol Hill, the year-end legislative package that includes the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (CBMTRA) was signed into law making the existing federal excise tax rates for small and independent breweries permanent.
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News Oregon Governor Pulls Alcohol Tax Proposal
Over the summer, the Oregon Health Authority had proposed a tax increase on beer, wine and cider to help close a $718 budget gap. The proposal has since been pulled from the budget proposal by Oregon governor Kate Brown. The proposed alcohol tax would have been the first in the state in about 40 years.
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News Today is ‘Day of Action’ in D.C. to Extend CBMTRA
The Brewers Association, state brewers guilds, and other beverage alcohol trade associations are joining together today for a national Day of Action to urge Congress to pass the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (CBMTRA) and make the current federal excise tax rates permanent.
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News TTB Offers Educational Videos on Tied House Laws
As part of TTB’s effort to provide on-demand educational information, the federal agency is offering a new video series for the alcohol beverage industry that explains the history leading up to the trade practice rules, defines the related terms, and walks through the four prohibited trade practices.
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News BA Conducts Training Session for OSHA Inspectors
Brewers Association (BA) Safety Ambassador Matt Stinchfield conducted a virtual training session with over fifty Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspectors and OSHA consultant personnel from Region I (New England) OSHA. Similar to the training Stinchfield conducted with the Denver and Englewood, Colorado offices, OSHA Region VIII, in April 2019 held at Sleeping Giant Brewing Company in Denver, this training is part of the continuing communication between the Brewers Association, OSHA regional offices, and state brewers guilds.
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News Washington Alcohol Coalition Says ‘No New Taxes’
Although Washington state faces a $4.2 billion deficit through 2023 due to the pandemic’s hit on the economy, there’s no indication a beer tax is being considered for the 2021 legislative session. But that didn’t stop the Washington alcohol beverage industry from going on the offensive.
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News Brewdog Loses Trademark Dispute with Elvis Presley Estate
It’s yet another example of how delicate naming a beer can be. Scottish and US brewer Brewdog has may need to stop using the name of one of their best-selling beers, a grapefruit and blood orange IPA called ‘Elvis Juice’ after losing a trademark appeal against Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE), the company that manages the estate of the late singer.
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News TTB Offers Online COLA Workshop
Do you know all the ins and outs of applying for federal label approval? If not, the TTB is offering a free COLAs Online Workshop on September 29, at 1 p.m. ET, to learn how to register for and use TTB’s online alcohol label approval system. For more details and registering, go here.
Discuss other TTB issues with fellow brewers Here
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News TTB Reminder: Formula Approval Required for All Beer – Even if Only Sold In-State
When the TTB has a reminder, it’s a good idea to listen. In their latest newsletter, the TTB reminds brewers that regulations do not require a brewer to obtain a certificate of label approval, or COLA, for a domestically bottled malt beverage that will be sold exclusively in the state in which it was bottled, but the formula approval requirements do apply regardless of whether the beer will be sold in intrastate or interstate commerce. This means that a beer sold only at a taxpaid “tasting room” affiliated with your brewery may be subject to TTB formula approval.
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News ‘Day of Action’ Takes Place Today to Urge Passage of CBMTRA
Leaders in the beverage alcohol sector are urging industry advocates across the nation to participate in a national Day of Action today by contacting their members of Congress to urge passage of the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act, S.362/H.R. 1175 (CBMTRA).
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News Employee Health and Food Safety Checklist Now Available from OSHA/FDA
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have providing a checklist for FDA-regulated food operations such as breweries, wineries and distillers to use when assessing operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially when re-starting operations after a shut down or when reassessing operations because of changes due to the COVID-19 public health emergency caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2.
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News TTB Reminder – Health-Related Statements Not Allowed
According to the latest TTB Newsletter, the agency has found an increasing number of alcohol beverage advertisements, including company websites and social media accounts, depicting health-related statements that suggest a relationship between the consumption of an alcohol beverage and its purported health benefits or effects. And the TTB reminds all alcohol producers – that’s a no-no.
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News BI and BA Submit Comments in USDA’s Recommendations for Alcohol Consumption
The Beer Institute and the Brewers Association filed written comments with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) highlighting numerous scientific and procedural issues that undermine the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s recommendation to halve the moderate alcohol consumption guidelines for men.
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News Unique Facility Identifier Now Required for FDA Registration and Renewals
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requires all food facilities (including most breweries) to register with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and complete a biennial renewal. New in 2020, breweries are required to provide a Unique Facility Identifier (UFI) during this process.
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News Oregon Proposal Would Increase Tax on Beer, Cider and Wine.
Posted by Tom McCormick
The Oregon Health Authority is proposing a tax increase on beer, wine and cider that would generate $293 million in new revenue during the 2021-23 biennium. The hike would translate to an additional tax of 7 cents per 12-ounce serving of beer or cider and about 23 cents on a five-ounce serving of wine. The current tax is 0.8 cents for 12 ounces of beer or cider and 2.5 cents for five ounces of wine.
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