Help us support the Iowa Native Distillery Legislation
Below is a personal message from Scott Bush, President of Templeton Rye, regarding the Iowa Native Distillery Bill currently being debated in the Iowa Legislature.
We built the Templeton Rye Distillery in Templeton, Iowa. Currently we are expanding from 1,500 to nearly 12,000 square feet. An integral piece of our expansion plans is to be able to sell Templeton Rye to distillery visitors. In order for this to happen, the Iowa Native Distillery Bill will need to pass through the Iowa Legislature.
This bill will allow craft distilleries located in Iowa to sell up to 5,000 proof gallons of spirits to tourists visiting their distillery for home consumption. Distillers would pay a fixed $14.50 per proof gallon directly to the State of Iowa.
Currently in the U.S., there are 17 states that allow (or are considering allowing) native distilleries to sell product on-site, including our neighbors Nebraska and Wisconsin.
Lynchburg, Tennessee, has a population of 350 people and receives 250,000 visitors annually due to the presence of the Jack Daniel Distillery. At Templeton Rye, we feel the State of Iowa should support native distilleries, or risk missing out on a great tourism, economic development and value-added agricultural opportunity.
You may show your support of the Iowa Native Distillery Bill by contacting your legislator today.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Did this go anywhere in the legislature or did the idiots just waste their time bothering Iowans with new taxes, regulations, and of course prohibitions?