Bill would led wine-makers sell products at farmers markets

By Marc Kovac

news@vindy.com

COLUMBUS

Ohio wine-makers could obtain special permits to sell their products at farmers markets under legislation being considered in the Ohio House.

HB 178 would create a new “F-10” liquor permit that would allow sale of small samples and bottles of wine.

The new permits could be issued to holders of wine- manufacturing licenses. And, with permission from farmers market organizers, they would be allowed to sell tasting samples up to 2 ounces and bottles of wine, the latter for consumption off the premises.

The permits would cost $100 and would be effective for one year.

Rep. Nathan Manning, R-North Ridgeville, the bill’s primary sponsor, said the new permit would be open only to wine makers in Ohio using mostly Ohio produce.

“Fifty-one percent of the fruit must be grown in Ohio,” he told the House’s Government Accountability and Oversight Committee, where the legislation had its first hearing Tuesday. “This allows you to get something that’s grown in Ohio.”

He added in testimony, “In most wine-producing states across the nation, small family wineries have been selling their locally grown products in farmers markets to complement locally grown food.

“In Ohio, our family wineries have not been able to take full advantage of these opportunities,” he said.