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Author Topic: Legislative Update: PA Brewers Need Your Immediate Support of Legislation  (Read 1599 times)

Offline johnny_mo

  • Cellarman
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If you are a beer enthusiast and/or homebrewer in the state of Pennsylvania, please continue reading. If not, please do not contact the legislative of New York. Links to both pieces of legislation and the NY Assembly members are at the bottom. Thank you!

Dear Pennsylvania Homebrewers,

The Brewers of Pennsylvania, the trade association representing Pennsylvania-based breweries, has requested that beer enthusiasts take action to support the state's small anyd independent brewers and the community of beer drinkers.

Please read the following information provided by the Brewers of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Craft Beer Enthusiasts,

The Brewers of Pennsylvania asks you to contact your State Senator in support of legislation seeking to modernize the Commonwealth’s beer distribution laws and provide a fair playing field so your local brewery can grow its business, expand the market for its beer, and play its part in the Commonwealth’s economic recovery.

Senator Daniel Laughlin is introducing legislation in Harrisburg to reform Pennsylvania’s outdated distribution laws. As a citizen of the Commonwealth, consumer, lover of local craft beer and advocate for the craft beer industry, we need you to add your voice in support of the senator’s bill and in support of your local brewery.

Click here and scroll to the PA Consumers box, where you can add your name and address and have a letter of support sent directly to your state senator.

https://www.brewersofpa.org/action-center/

Key provisions of Senator Laughlin’s bill:

  • Eliminates the unfair, state mandated law overriding contracts and requiring that any new distribution agreement between a brewery and a distributor last forever and can only be terminated through costly and time consuming court proceedings or at the discretion of the distributor. This system allows some distributors to “collect brands” without effectively promoting them and deters many local breweries from entering into distribution at all.
  • Provides a brewery that represents a small percentage of a distributor’s total sales the right to buy out existing contracts for a fair value determined by a neutral arbiter. The distributor is fairly compensated for the termination of the partnership and the brewery reclaims the rights to its brand.
  • Allows distributors to distribute certain beverages (like lower alcohol content canned cocktails) that they are currently prohibited from carrying. These products fall more in line with the beer consumer and should be sold in the same place as beer.

This effort, if successful, has the potential to positively impact the craft beer landscape across the Commonwealth, and your help is needed to secure support from locally elected officials. Thank you for your support of Pennsylvania’s craft brewers.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Dan LaBert, executive director, Brewers of Pennsylvania. brewersofpa@gmail.com   

Christian Lampe
President, Brewers of Pennsylvania
Weyerbacher Brewing Co.

Dan LaBert
Executive Director, Brewers of Pennsylvania

Thanks for supporting the small and independent brewers of Pennsylvania.

Sincerely,

Ryan Farrell
Vice President of Staff Development,
American Homebrewers Association

John Moorhead
Competition Manager
American Homebrewers Association