OAKVILLE – The Family Winemakers of California this week recognized state Sen. Patricia Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) for her many years of representing the wine industry as a member of both the Assembly and Senate.

Wiggins was honored during a Family Winemakers' board of directors meeting at the Robert Winery in Oakville.

The not-for-profit Family Winemakers of California (FWC) advocates the rights and interests of its member wineries to “freely produce, market and sell their products,” and is dedicated to preserving the diversity of California wine.

The organization is made up of more than 700 California wineries, the vast majority of whom are small (fewer than 10,000 cases per year), family-run producers.

Leading today's recognition ceremony was FWC President Paul Kronenberg. “Sen. Wiggins has been a longtime advocate for the wine industry, not only for her district, but throughout the state as well,” Kronenberg said.

Wiggins, who has announced that she will not seek a second term in the Senate, has for the last three years chaired the Senate Select Committee on California's Wine Industry. Prior to that she also chaired the Assembly Select Committee on Wine for six years.

“Pat has put her stamp on many bills that affect the wine industry,” Kronenberg noted. “She is the original author of the Pierce's Disease (PD) Control Program, AB 1394, and just this year negotiated SB 2 through the legislative process to give growers an opportunity to vote on extending and expanding the PD program another five years. Her AB 2890 gave the PD Board more flexibility in research contracting. And, she pushed through a tax relief bill, AB 1790, for vineyard owners hit by PD.”

Kronenberg added that “Pat's accomplishments in beverage law have been important steps forward to help small producers build brand awareness and improve sales. Her AB 1505, also sponsored by FWC, allowed orders to be taken at nonprofit wine tastings. Last year, her SB 157, again sponsored by FWC, expanded by several thousand the types of nonprofits that can hold wine tastings where orders can be taken, or wine sales events held. It also expanded the number of nonprofit events where 17/20 producers can donate and pour. She even helped fix the state law that governed what home winemakers can do, and passed a bill to set olive oil labeling standards.

“We will be losing a real champion,” Kronenberg said. “Not every lawmaker at the Capitol takes an interest in all the constituent issues from their district. It takes time and energy to learn – and care – about those things. Pat has done that and more.”

 

Following Kronenberg's remarks, Wiggins said that "It has been a privilege and a pleasure to advocate for the wine industry, not only for the Second Senate District, but statewide as well. “Although I will be retiring from public service at the end of 2010,” she added, “I look forward to continuing to promote the health, and growth, of the wine industry, through legislation, and the Senate Select Committee on California’s Wine Industry, during my last year in office.”