WWI News

Wineries Encouraged to File TTB Applications Ahead of Potential Government Shutdown Sept. 30

As disagreement in Congress remains over federal government funding, there is growing concern the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) could face closure during a potential government shutdown as early as October 1, 2025. The Washington Wine Institute would like to remind Washington State wineries to prepare in the event Congress does not reach an agreement in time to avoid a full federal government shutdown.

WWI is urging wineries to file any mandatory applications for labels, permit amendments, export certificates and other TTB needs prior to September 30. Under a government shutdown, the TTB would be closed except for very limited activities related to the protection of life and property.

Smoke Exposure Research Roadmap Published

With wildfire smoke continuing to be a significant threat to winegrapes and wines, a comprehensive new roadmap provides guidance for smoke exposure research and mitigation strategies for the industry.

The roadmap, titled “Following the Smoke Signals: Elucidating the Future of U.S. Smoke Exposure Research,” was developed following a November 2024 workshop at Oregon State University, hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) and the National Grape Research Alliance. Workshop attendees – including federal scientists, university researchers, and wine/winegrape industry members – discussed the latest science on smoke exposure, industry needs, and strategies for building smoke resilience.

The 27-page document, authored by USDA-ARS researcher Arran Rumbaugh, summarizes workshop outcomes and highlights five critical research priorities:

-Establishing threshold levels
-Rapid detection and risk assessment
-Atmospheric modeling
-Prevention strategies in the vineyard
-Mitigation techniques in the winery

Click here to read the full press release on Wine Industry Advisor.

 

The roadmap and bulletins summarizing segments of the roadmap are now available on the new West Coast Smoke Exposure Task Force website.

Roadmap, Bulletins

Be prepared: High temperatures and wildfire smoke may trigger protections for workers

A Message from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, July 15, 2025

 

TUMWATER — Hot temperatures and wildfire smoke are making for hazardous conditions for outdoor workers in our state.

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) is reminding employers and workers of the rules to protect workers and what weather conditions trigger extra precautions.

Heat rules

The state heat rules include protections for outdoor workers that kick in at 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with additional requirements in the kind of high heat that much of the state is currently experiencing.

At or above 80 degrees, employers must:

-Encourage and allow workers to take paid preventative cool-down rest periods as needed;
-Provide enough shade or other way of cooling down—like an air-conditioned building or running vehicle—for all employees on a meal or rest break to use;
-Provide enough cool drinking water for each employee to drink a quart per hour; and
-Closely observe new employees, employees returning from absences, and — during heat waves — all employees.

At or above 90 degrees, employers must provide a 10-minute paid cool down rest period every two hours. When the temperature reaches 100 degrees or higher, which it is in many parts of the state, the requirement for breaks becomes 15-minutes of paid cool down rest every hour.

Wildfire smoke rules

A combination of low snowpack, early heat, and rapid snowmelt has created drier than normal conditions, resulting in an earlier wildfire season. Several wildfires are burning across the state this week.

Wildfire smoke is dangerous for people who work outdoor jobs like construction or agriculture. When they breathe in the tiny particles carried by the smoke, it increases the risk of reduced lung function, aggravated asthma, heart failure, and even early death.

State rules require employers to prepare in advance to protect workers from wildfire smoke by putting together a response plan. They must plan for how they’ll communicate with workers, train employees to report smoke, and coordinate medical treatment for employees who say they’re experiencing symptoms like shortness of breath, nausea, chest pain and dizziness. They also must inform their employees of their right to medical care without retribution.

Employers can use indexes like the NowCast Air Quality Index (AQI) to track air quality. As air quality gets worse, employers must provide increasing protections.

Go online to learn more about L&I’s heat rules and wildfire smoke rules.

HB 2079 Call to Action

As we enter the final days of the 2025 legislative session the legislature just introduced House Bill 2079  that increases our state’s wine excise taxes. The Washington Wine Institute is leading the charge in opposition to this bill! This dramatic increase in our tax rate would hurt local wineries and grape growers, consumers, and will devestate an already struggling industry. Putting additional costs to doing business like this tax increase, will only decrease sales and may actually reduce potential revenue.

Have your voice heard in Olympia and help us push back on this harmful wine tax proposal!

Talking Points

  1. Raising excise taxes on table wine by more than 10 percent per gallon creates a 100% tax increase on distribution and direct to consumer sales.
  2. The general additional tax would make Washington’s wine excise tax significantly higher than the two states we compete most with in the market: CA at .20/gallon, OR at .67/gallon. Increasing WA to .96/gallon would make us even less competitive than we are today!
  3. Many wineries are now dealing with the damage tariffs are doing to them, lower sales from less tourists visits, and changes in consumer purchasing choices.  They cannot absorb additional taxes without risking jobs or operations.
  4. Washington wineries are currently facing international trade challenges, particularly the loss of Canadian market access due to retaliatory tariffs, which have taken $10 million in WA wine sales from them annually and significantly harmed what was once Washington’s largest export market
  5. Please reject HB 2079 and support your wineries and grape growers that chose to plant vineyards here, build their wineries here, and help make Washington State a world class wine destination.

We are happy to provide a sample email content for you to personalize and send using the below link. Email us at josh@wwi.wine and we’ll get you that content ASAP.

 
Send Your HB 2079 Opposition Comments to Your State Send Reps Here   
 

This type of attack on our industry and our work in keeping you informed and engaged in what is happening at the state and local political/regulatory level is exactly why hundreds of Washington wineries, grape growers, regional wine associations, and more are Washington Wine Institute members.

If you are a WWI member in current standing, thank you! If you are not, we need you to join and help us continue to fight harmful proposals like this bill. Sign up to be a WWI member here.

US Tariffs on Canada and Mexico

The recently announced US government tariffs targeting a variety of products imported from Canada and Mexico swiftly created a threatening response from both countries detailing their retaliatory measures including significant harm to Washington wine’s marketplace and access to many of Canada’s provinces. We are glad to see, even if just temporary for now, these tariffs were put on a 30-day hold so Canada and Mexico can negotiate with the US on ways to work together to appease the US’s border security and other concerns.

The Washington Wine Institute went to work immediately contacting our industry partners and creating a plan for how we can be of most help to our members. Our place in this effort is to protect Washington wine by rallying our entire Washington Congressional delegation and asking them to help by pushing back against the implementation of these tariffs whenever possible. We hold relationships with our US Senate and House offices to reach in to each one and educate them on the immense harm these tariffs may have on their wine industry if fully implemented. We will keep at it while hoping leaders of all three countries can find agreements that will put to an end any talks of tariffs against Canada or Mexico.