Sen. Baucus creates Bipartisan Small Brewers Caucus
Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., announced Thursday that he and Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, have come together to form the Bipartisan Small Brewers Caucus. The caucus, according to the news release below, aims to push issues that are important to craft breweries in an effort to help them continue to be vital parts of the economies in Montana and the U.S. Here’s the full news release:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s senior U.S. Senator, Max Baucus, today announced the creation of his Bipartisan Small Brewers Caucus, which he will co-chair with Senator Mike Crapo, R-Idaho. Baucus created the caucus as a forum to stand up for issues important to small brewers and examine the role of these small businesses in main street economies across Montana and around the country.“Montana’s small brewers don’t just make great beer out of the best Montana grains– they also support good-paying Montana jobs,” said Baucus. “I’m so proud to create the Bipartisan Small Brewers Caucus– because as the state with the second highest number of craft brewers per capita in the country, Montana small brewers need a voice in Congress who’ll keep looking out for them.”“Montana brewers are main street businesses, producing quality beers, adding value using Montana grain, paying living wages to their employees, and growing their businesses,” said Tony Herbert, executive director of the Montana Brewers Association. “Montana craft beer production was up 10 percent in 2010 as craft beer enthusiasm grows throughout the state. The 28 Montana brewers and the Montana Brewers Association sincerely appreciate Senator Baucus’ leadership in bringing greater focus to craft brewery issues nationally, though the creation of the Senate Small Brewers Caucus.”“Small craft brewers are growing, creating jobs and contributing in small and big ways to the recovery of the American economy,” said Charlie Papazian, president of the National Brewers Association. “Under the leadership of Senator Baucus, the bipartisan Senate Small Brewers Caucus reflects the collaborative, grassroots community spirit in which the nation’s small brewers contribute to their local communities.”Montana has the second-highest number of small breweries per capita in the nation, with 28 registered breweries. Small brewers use more than 5.6 million pounds of malted grain, approximately half of which is grown in Montana. They employ more than 250 Montanans.Facts about the Montana brewing industry:
- Small brewers utilize more than 5,000 retailers, and sell their products in 24 states.
- Small brewers manufacture and package over 88,000 barrels (2,728,000 gallons) of fine hand-crafted beer in pints, bottles, cans, and kegs each year.
- Small brewers experienced an 10 percent growth in barrels of beer produced in 2010, and had sales over $24,000,000.
- Matt Pritchard
Max Baucus is a socialist, and his Obamacare program is pure socialism. If you want to see a hilarious blog and a great post, check this one out:
http://identitynoise.com/blog/?p=755
The blog focuses on Max Baucus and his failure as a senator.
Breweries beware! The Government is going to look out for our interests? Ask the breweries located within the city limits of Missoula how that is going for them. Ask anyone who ships via trucking companies how the ICC “looks” out for the interest of the consumer. We should really start to wring our hands if Sen. Baucus promises to put together a trade commission to oversee the breweries in this nation. Then you can really watch your beer prices rise. Don’t believe the hype.
Mike Mahns
A slight correction to my last statement: the ICC was terminated in 1995, and partly replaced with the Surface Transportation Board. Follow this link if you’re interested http://www.strattonfaxon.com/pdfs/The%20Effect%20of%20Deregulation%20and%20NAFTA_1.pdf Though deregulation has helped lower costs, there are still a lot of carrier certificates for sale and trucking companies still have to register their rates with the Feds. Reminds me of the State of Montana’s liquor licensing laws and how they actually stifle business for both tavern owners (who cannot open a brewery if the want to) or Montana’s breweries, who are very limited in what they can and cannot do. If Sen. Baucus wants to help, then he and others in both the state and federal govs. should provide equal opportunity to conduct business in Montana, not provide protection for one group over another.
Mike Mahns