ARIZONA
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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HCR2014: American viticultural area; designation |
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PRIME SPONSOR: Representative Thorpe, LD 6 BILL STATUS: Caucus & COW |
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Encourages efforts by the Arizona Department of Agriculture (ADA) to achieve American Viticultural Area (AVA) designation for Verde Valley and Yavapai County.
History
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) within the United States Department of the Treasury has the authority to designate unique grape-growing regions within the United States as AVAs. This designation means that a specific quality, reputation or other characteristic can be distinguished in wine made from grapes grown within the geographic area (ttb.gov)
To achieve AVA designation, a group must submit a petition to TTB that includes various information relating to the boundaries and distinguishing features of the area such as climate, geology, soils, physical features and elevation. After the petition is submitted, TTB will conduct a review to determine if it is a perfected petition. If a petition is perfected, TTB will decide whether to proceed with the rulemaking process to adopt the proposed AVA designation (27 C.F.R. § 9).
Sonoita and Willcox are the only two AVA designated areas currently in Arizona. In August 2017, a petition for Verde Valley to be designated as an AVA was perfected but has not been submitted for rulemaking.
Provisions
1. States the Legislature supports and encourages efforts by the ADA to achieve AVA designation for wine grape-growing for Verde Valley and Yavapai County.
Amendments
Committee on Land and Agriculture
· Encourages AVA designation for all wine grape-growing areas within Arizona, rather than only for Verde Valley and Yavapai County.
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· Fifty-fourth Legislature HCR 2014
· First Regular Session Version 2: Caucus & COW
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