Regardless of where you sit on the political spectrum – left, right or center – I think we can all agree that there’s real harm being done by politicians who cater to special interests and their campaign contributions. The wine industry is no stranger to the advantages or disadvantages (depending on which side of an issue you’re on) of someone in your industry having the ear of legislators who control the regulatory environment in which you operate. [level-members]
This came to mind as I was reading a recent post on the Fermentation blog. It discusses what seems to be a gross abuse of franchise laws and though he’s talking about regulations in Massachusetts and legal action involving beer distributors, it’s a scene that can and does play out for many in the wine industry, as well.
Retailers are mostly immune to the worst of this, though we aren’t spared all the pain. I would be interested in hearing about any experience you’ve had along these lines and whether an advocacy group fighting on your behalf would be a worthwhile entity to support. Email me at andrew@grapeseedmarketing.com with your thoughts.
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