Bill would allow small farm Ky. winery owners to sell, deliver products to retailer

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) — A bill that cleared the Senate would allow small farm Kentucky winery owners to sell and deliver their own products to retailers.

Senate Bill 28, sponsored by Sen. Mike Wilson (R-Bowling Green), lets winery owners distribute their own products versus going through wholesalers or distributors, essentially cutting out the middle tie.

The bill says up to 12,000 gallons of wine can be delivered to a retailer by small farm winery owners annually. Wineries would also be responsible for payment of wine wholesale tax and reporting of self-distributed wines.

Kentucky law defines small farm wineries as producing 250,000 to 500,000 gallons of wine annually. Kentucky has over 60 small farm wineries, according to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

The bill heads to the House now.