POLICY PRIORITIES

1. Direct Sales & Market Access

Supporting policies that expand consumer access to wineries.
Focus areas include:

• Protecting and expanding direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping rights.

• Reducing barriers that limit small producers from accessing new markets.

• Opposing efforts that impose excessive fees, reporting burdens, or shipping restrictions.

2. Alcohol Licensing Reform

Ensuring licensing laws remain fair, consistent, and workable for small producers.
Focus areas include:

• Streamlining ABC licensing processes and modernizing outdated regulations.

• Opposing new licensing burdens that create unnecessary costs or inhibit production.

• Supporting policies that provide clarity for small producer events, tastings, and sales privileges.

• Improving enforcement transparency and consistency statewide.

3. Recycling, Packaging, & Sustainability (Bottle Bill / EPR)

Promoting recycling systems that are workable and cost-effective for wineries of all sizes.
Focus areas include:

• Advocating for modifications to the Bottle Bill and EPR programs that reduce reporting complexity and implementation costs.

• Ensuring producer responsibility programs (EPR) are equitable and not disproportionately burdensome on small family wineries.

• Supporting recycling policies that emphasize efficiency, clear guidance, and practical timelines.

• Encouraging sustainable packaging innovations without punitive cost structures.

4. Labor & Workforce Issues

Advancing policies that support a stable, fair, and sustainable workforce for family wineries.
Focus areas include:

• Ensuring labor regulations are clear, consistent, and realistic for agricultural and seasonal operations.

• Monitoring wage, overtime, and workplace safety policies that impact winery and vineyard operations.

• Supporting workforce development, training programs, and agricultural worker stability.

• Advocating for balanced solutions that protect workers and preserve small winery viability.

5. Land Use, Agriculture, & Water Management

Protecting the ability of family wineries to farm, operate, and thrive.
Focus areas include:

• Championing policies that preserve agricultural land and prevent burdensome land-use restrictions.

• Supporting fair and science-based groundwater and surface water regulations.

• Monitoring local and state zoning proposals that affect vineyards, agritourism, and winery operations.

• Advocating for reliable, affordable access to water storage, conveyance, and conservation tools.

6. Regulatory Compliance & Winery Operations

Ensuring California’s regulatory environment is workable, predictable, and transparent.
Focus areas include:

• Reducing duplicative or inconsistent state and local reporting requirements.

• Supporting efforts to modernize outdated regulations across ABC, CDFA, SWRCB, CalRecycle, and other agencies.

• Opposing excessive fees that disproportionately impact small producers.

• Promoting clear guidance and reasonable implementation timelines.