The Crush - July 2020 - 5

[ FEDERAL FOCUS ]

USDA Updates CFAP Data
As of July 15, USDA's Coronavirus
Food Assistance Program (CFAP) has
approved $5.9 billion in payments to
nearly 410,000 producers nationwide.
California has received $300.7 million
of that amount (breakdown below).
Winegrapes are currently not on the CFAP list of eligible specialty
crops, but CAWG and other groups continue to be engaged in
efforts to allow winegrape growers access to direct assistance.
CALIFORNIA PAYMENTS / APPROVED AND ENROLLED
APPLICATIONS:
Specialty: $69.7 million / 2,336 applications
Non-specialty: $4.2 million / 541 applications
Livestock: $55.8 million / 2,588 applications
Dairy: $180 million / 859 applications
CFAP DATA DASHBOARD: farmers.gov/cfap/data

USMCA Entered into Force July 1
The United States-Mexico-Canada
Agreement (USMCA) entered into
force on July 1, replacing the decadesold North American Free Trade
Agreement. For wine and spirits,
the three countries agreed to avoid
technical barriers to trade through
non-discrimination and transparency regarding sale, distribution,
labeling, and certification of wine and distilled spirits.
"This long-awaited day brings much needed certainty to
farmers, ranchers, and business owners across America, who
can continue to build upon the strong partnership we have

with Mexico and Canada," said Sen. Pat Roberts, chair of the
Senate Ag Committee. "I thank [Lighthizer and Doud] for their
perseverance in finalizing and improving this trade deal. I hope
this success continues as the administration works to conclude
trade agreements in other countries around the world."
One week after the agreement went into effect, President
Trump and Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador
met at the White House for a ceremony to celebrate USMCA's
implementation and sign a declaration between the two
countries. It was López Obrador's first foreign trip as president.
Canadian President Justin Trudeau did not attend.
USMCA WEBSITE: trade.gov/usmca

Interior Requests Funding for California
Water Storage Projects
The Department of Interior has requested
$108.8 million in funding for California
water storage projects (FY 2021) under
the Water Infrastructure Improvements
for the Nation (WIIN) Act. The WIIN
Act - signed into law in December 2016
- provides for improvements to rivers
and harbors of the United States, for the
conservation and development of water
and related resources, and for other purposes. The request was
sent to the chair of the House Subcommittee on Energy and
Water Development, and Related Agencies. Among the Bureau
of Reclamation funding recommendations: $15 million for the
Shasta Dam and Reservoir enlargement project, $71 million
for the Friant-Kern Canal, $7.8 million for the Las Vaqueros
Reservoir, $3 million for the Delta Mendota Canal, and $4 million
for the Sites Reservoir.

Proposed AVA in Tehachapi Mountains, Plus New Grape Variety Names
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) on June
26 published a proposed rule in the Federal Register for the
establishment of the approximately 58,000-acre Tehachapi
Mountains AVA in Kern County. It does not lie within, or contain,
any other viticultural area. The proposal is in response to a
petition from Julie Bell of Per la Vita on behalf of local vineyard
owners and winemakers. There are six commercially-producing
vineyards and one winery within the proposed AVA. Comments
on this proposal must be received on or before Aug. 25, 2020.

The TTB has administratively
approved the use of two new grape
variety names: mourtaou (as a
synonym for cabernet pfeffer) and
treixadura. Wine bottlers can use these
names, as well as other names granted
administrative approval, to label
American wines pending TTB's next
rulemaking.

PROPOSAL: govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-06-26/pdf/2020-13138.pdf

INFO: ttb.gov/wine/grape-variety-designations-on-american-wine-labels
JULY 2020 / 5

https://www.trade.gov/usmca http://www.farmers.gov/cfap/data https://kevinmccarthy.house.gov/sites/kevinmccarthy.house.gov/files/Chairwoman%20Kaptur%20Letter%20WIIN%20Storage%2006-22-20.pdf https://kevinmccarthy.house.gov/sites/kevinmccarthy.house.gov/files/Chairwoman%20Kaptur%20Letter%20WIIN%20Storage%2006-22-20.pdf https://kevinmccarthy.house.gov/sites/kevinmccarthy.house.gov/files/Chairwoman%20Kaptur%20Letter%20WIIN%20Storage%2006-22-20.pdf https://www.congress.gov/114/plaws/publ322/PLAW-114publ322.pdf http://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-06-26/pdf/2020-13138.pdf https://www.ttb.gov/wine/grape-variety-designations-on-american-wine-labels

The Crush - July 2020

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