ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 164

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

216th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  SAMUEL L. FIOCCHI

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

Assemblyman  CARMELO G. GARCIA

District 33 (Hudson)

Assemblyman  GORDON M. JOHNSON

District 37 (Bergen)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Caputo, Assemblywoman N.Munoz, Assemblymen Space, Rible, Assemblywoman Schepisi, Assemblyman Egan and Assemblywoman McHose

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Urges New Jersey residents to purchase beer, wine, and spirits made in New Jersey and support this State's beer, wine, and spirits industries.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Assembly Resolution urging New Jersey residents to purchase beer, wine, and spirits made in New Jersey and support this State's beer, wine, and spirits industries.

 

Whereas, The earliest documented commercial brewery in New Jersey was operated in Hoboken until its destruction in 1643; and

Whereas, In 1878, Peter Ballantine & Sons Brewing Company of Newark brewed what is often said to be the first India Pale Ale in the United States, Ballantine IPA, employing techniques decades ago that today's brewers still consider revolutionary; and

Whereas, Today, New Jersey is home to more than three dozen craft breweries and brewpubs, with more breweries anticipated to open within the next few years; and

Whereas, Many craft beers from New Jersey have won awards at various beer competitions and festivals; and

Whereas, Craft breweries are growing across the nation, with craft beer posting a national sales growth rate of 14 percent and a volume growth rate of 12 percent in the first half of 2012; and

Whereas, Small and independent American craft brewers contributed $33.9 billion and 360,000 jobs to the United States economy in 2012 as beer brewed by craft brewers moved through the three-tier system (breweries, wholesalers, and retailers) and other non-beer products, like food and merchandise that brewpub restaurants and brewery taprooms sell, generated additional revenue for the industry; and

Whereas, In 2012, New Jersey's craft beer industry contributed 8,565 full-time equivalent jobs to the State's economy, ranking 13th among all states, as the industry increased the economic output of distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and providers of equipment and raw materials; and

Whereas, In addition to New Jersey’s many breweries and brewpubs, New Jersey has dozens of licensed wineries, continuing the State's long history of wine making; and

Whereas, In 1758, two New Jersey residents won a challenge issued by London's Royal Society of the Arts to any colonist who could grow and produce red or white wine of the same caliber as that being purchased from France; and

Whereas, The Renault Winery, located in Egg Harbor Township, is the second oldest continuously operating wine facility in the United States, harvesting more than 45 tons of grapes annually; and

Whereas, Over 1.5 million gallons of wine are produced in New Jersey each year, and New Jersey is the ninth highest wine-producing state in the country; and

Whereas, New Jersey's vineyards generated nearly $40 million in revenue in 2013; and

Whereas, In aggregate, grape growers and the wine industry contribute about $162 billion to the U.S. economy, along with 1.1 million jobs, which account for $33 billion in wages and $17 billion in state and local tax revenues; and

Whereas, The climate, sandy soil, and long growing season of New Jersey are well-suited to the development of sophisticated and delicious wines, which has helped grow our wine industry and create more jobs in the State; and

Whereas, In 1999, New Jersey instituted the Quality Wine Alliance Program to ensure that all wines sold to consumers meet certain quality standards, helping wines from a variety of New Jersey vineyards win prestigious awards for taste and quality; and

Whereas, The development of New Jersey wine complements a long tradition of superb produce cultivated in New Jersey, and adds another facet to New Jersey’s designation as the “Garden State”; and

Whereas, Wineries serve an important role in diversifying the agricultural products and services offered by farms in the State, are uniquely suited to cultivating growth in the State's tourism industry, and invite residents and visitors alike to experience a myriad of offerings available in the Garden State year-round; and

Whereas, Establishing vineyards as travel destinations for educational and recreational purposes will help reach new consumers and generate more revenue for New Jersey's wine industry; and

Whereas, Consumption of New Jersey wines benefits New Jersey farmers and residents and generates revenue in the State; and

Whereas, More than 350 small-batch distilleries have been launched around the nation in the past five years; and

Whereas, New Jersey granted the nation’s first distilling license to Scobeyville-based Laird & Co. in 1780; and

Whereas, With the enactment of legislation in August 2013, craft distilleries may now produce artisan distilled beverages in New Jersey; and

Whereas, The produce of New Jersey, such as its famous sweet corn, lends itself to the production of fine distilled spirits; and

Whereas, There is great hope that the establishment of distilleries in New Jersey leads to job creation and revenue for the State; and

Whereas, New Jersey's breweries, brewpubs, wineries, and craft distilleries have been exciting the pallets of beer aficionados, wine connoisseurs, and enthusiasts of distilled spirits throughout the region, and it is altogether fitting and proper for New Jersey residents to purchase beer, wine, and spirits made in New Jersey and support this State's beer, wine, and spirits industries; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:


     1.    This House urges New Jersey residents to purchase beer, wine, and spirits made in New Jersey and support this State's beer, wine, and spirits industries.

 

     2.    Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild, the Garden State Wine Growers Association, and the American Distilling Institute.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This resolution urges New Jersey residents to purchase beer, wine, and spirits made in New Jersey and support this State's beer, wine, and spirits industries.

     New Jersey enjoys a rich brewing history dating back to the 1600s and many innovative brewing techniques were born in the Garden State.  Today, the State hosts a variety of microbreweries producing craft beers.  The craft-brewing industry is rapidly growing, and several beers produced in New Jersey have won awards and gained recognition at various competitions and festivals.  Small and independent American craft brewers contributed $33.9 billion and 360,000 jobs to the United States economy in 2012 and the growth of New Jersey's craft-brewing industry will have a positive economic impact in this State.

     New Jersey's reputation for quality domestic wines dates back to the colonial period when two New Jersey residents won a challenge issued by London's Royal Society of the Arts to any colonist who could grow and produce red or white wine of the same caliber as popular French wines.  The Renault Winery, located in Egg Harbor Township, is the second oldest continuously operating wine facility in the United States.  Today, New Jersey produces over 1.5 million gallons of wine each year, making New Jersey the ninth largest wine-producing state in the United States, and generates nearly $40 million in revenue.  As the climate, sandy soil, and long growing season of New Jersey provide the ideal environment to cultivate grapes, many of New Jersey’s wines have received prestigious awards and have gained recognition for their quality.

     Furthermore, the enactment of legislation in August 2013 allows for the licensing of distilleries for the production of distilled spirits in this State, ending the Prohibition-era ban on such activity.  New Jersey also has a rich distilling history, having granted the nation’s first distilling license to Scobeyville-based Laird & Co. in 1780.  There is great hope that the licensing of distilleries leads to job production and revenue generation in New Jersey.

     Supporting New Jersey’s beer, wine, and distilled spirits industries is a pleasurable way to contribute to the State’s economy.  New Jersey's breweries, brewpubs, wineries, and craft distilleries have been exciting the pallets of beer aficionados, wine connoisseurs, and enthusiasts of distilled spirits throughout the region.  New Jersey residents should help support this State's beverage industry by purchasing beer, wine, and spirits made in New Jersey.