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December 2015 WINES&VINES 81 WINE EAST WINE INDUSTRY NEWS A lbany, N.Y.—Just days after New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo convened the third Wine, Beer, Spirits & Cider Sum- mit in Albany, the State Liquor Authority (SLA) announced it had approved 12 new reforms "to help support the continued growth and development of New York's bever- age manufacturers, retailers and wholesalers." According to Jim Trezise, presi- dent of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, the changes in regulations will help the industry prosper in the years to come. (See more about the state's wine indus- try development on page 86.) The advisories adopted Oct. 15 by the SLA that affect the wine industry include the following: • Salespeople will be allowed to work for multiple craft beverage manufacturers. • Craft beverage manufactur- ers will be allowed to collab- orate in operating a "branch office" (satellite stores). • Wineries will be permitted to operate "home wine- maker centers" where hob- byists can use the facilities and equipment to make "homemade" wine. • Tastings will be allowed at wine schools and other such educational classes and seminars, and the SLA will issue permits for bona fide schools to conduct tastings as part of their curriculum. At the Oct. 7 summit, Cuomo announced more than $16 million in new investments to help grow the New York craft beverage in- dustry. Funding included $2 million for direct spending on pro- motion, $1 million for tourism promotion and another $1 million for targeted advertising, plus a $3 million competitive matching grants program. The Global Marketing Initiative for Long Island Wines will receive $400,000 from the marketing funds to support wine-related tour- ism and to expand shuttle service to the region. Cuomo included funding for re- search and education as well. Nearly $7 million was committed to reno- vating the New York State Food Venture Center at the Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva. Trezise told Wines & Vines, "No state government has been as sup- portive of the wine industry—plus cider, beer and spirits—as Cuomo and leaders in the Department of Agriculture and Markets, the Em- pire State Development Corp. and the SLA. "The regulatory changes may seem small by themselves—but as a package, they're big," Trezise added. "The governor's hol istic approach of combining research funding, regulatory changes and funding for marketing will make a huge difference in the indus- try's future growth. The whole is much greater than the sum of its parts." —Linda Jones McKee N.Y. Lawmakers Fund Beverage Promotion Following Summit New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and other lawmakers meet for the Wine, Beer, Spirits & Cider Summit in Albany, N.Y., on Oct. 7.