ALCOHOL LAW ADVISOR - Regulatory and Distribution Law Updates for the Alcohol Industry

Time 2020-09-16 02:03:28

Web Name: ALCOHOL LAW ADVISOR - Regulatory and Distribution Law Updates for the Alcohol Industry

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Pennsylvania Governor Calls for Cannabis Legalization and State Alcohol Tax Relief By Alva C. Mather on Aug 31, 2020 Posted In Alcohol Excise Taxes, Cannabis, General Interest, LegislationPennsylvania's governor is urging the state's legislature to legalize recreational marijuana and pass a six-month reduction or cancellation of the state’s alcohol tax on the hospitality industry. Pennsylvania would join 11 other states and Washington, D.C., in fully legalizing marijuana, which can be lucrative for states. “It’s almost, from a legislative and a state government perspective, a no brainer, because it’s a new source of revenue that you don’t have at a time where you need it desperately,” McDermott Will Emery partner Alva C. Mather said in a recent Brewbound article. “And there’s lots of precedent for how to make it work in many other states, so the tide has turned quite a bit in the last several years where I think it’s not as taboo as it used to be.” “States are in a very difficult situation in light of the pandemic, in terms of how they’re going to be able to generate more revenue and more job opportunities,” Mather said. “This is an...Continue Reading By Alva C. Mather and Nichole Shustack on Aug 24, 2020 Posted In Advertising and Marketing, Distribution, General Interest, Legislation, TTB COLAs and FormulasWhen you think of the relationship between alcohol and food, the classics come to mind: tiramisu, coq au vin and beer cheese. While there is a long culinary tradition of using alcohol in food, the newest trend is to utilize alcohol in innovative ways in the culinary world. Recently, a popular food/alcohol combo has been in the freezer aisle where alcohol has lent its flavor to ice cream and freezer pops. Fans consider this a win-win…it cools us down in the summer and acts as a little adult refreshment at the same time. As the tasty treats gain popularity, more and more states are approving the manufacture and sale of such items.  Recently, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation that allows ice cream to be mixed with liquor. He stated this would, “help New York’s dairy farmers, liquor and craft beverage producers, dairy processors and manufacturers, food retailers, and restaurants meet the increasing consumer demand for these new and innovative...Continue Reading Ohio Case Will Likely Determine Whether Other States Use 21st Amendment Enforcement Act By Alva C. Mather and Nichole Shustack on Jul 22, 2020 Posted In DistributionAs was widely reported in the alcohol trade press, the state of Ohio filed suit against several online retail outlets a week ago after an investigation into direct-to-consumer shipments of wine and spirits into the state. The suit follows an investigation where employees of the Division of Liquor Control ordered wine and spirits online through retail outlets and received the alcohol at the Division’s headquarters. Ohio argues that the online retail outlets did not have a license to ship the alcohol directly to consumers in Ohio, and therefore violated Ohio law. The crux of the suit is that the only way to ship wine to consumers in the state of Ohio is by obtaining an “S Permit”.  Unfortunately for the online retail companies, an “S Permit” can only be obtained by wine manufacturers and importers who produce less than 250,000 gallons of wine per year. The lack of any other license essentially prevents the vast majority of manufacturers, wholesalers and online...Continue Reading By Alva C. Mather and Christine Dower on Jun 25, 2020 Posted In Advertising and Marketing, Distribution, Food Safety and FDA, General Interest, Legislation, TTB COLAs and FormulasAs part of the general move to better-for-you beverages, non-alcoholic (NA) options have been and will likely continue to be on the rise. However, how NA is treated, or not treated, as “beer” has significant impact on its potential route to market. The below summarizes the overall treatment of NA beer under US federal law, as well as examples of restrictions on direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipments imposed by certain states. FEDERAL TREATMENT OF NA BEER Tax Treatment: The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau’s (TTB) regulations define “beer” as a fermented beverage containing 0.5% or more alcohol by volume (ABV) and brewed or produced from malt, wholly or in part, or from any substitute for malt. (See: 27 C.F.R. § 25.11.) The regulations refer to a malt beverage containing less than 0.5% ABV as a “cereal beverage.” (See: 25.11.) Because NA beer contains less than 0.5% ABV, TTB will not treat it as a “beer” under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), and...Continue Reading CBD Products in the Time of COVID-19: Best Practices for Making Your (Trade)mark By Sarah Bro on May 4, 2020 Posted In CannabisIn the midst of an unprecedented and unsettling global pandemic, one constant remains: certain entrepreneurial-minded folks will not miss the opportunity to file trademark applications for new “brands” that align with the latest news cycle. COVID-19 is no different. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has experienced a swell of new US trademark applications for COVID-related trademarks, with many of the marks using descriptive terms or phrases that have become commonplace in a shelter-in-place, #wfh and social distancing world. Unfortunately for the applicants of these pandemic-related trademarks, very few are likely to achieve registration. In many cases, applicants of “news cycle” trademarks are unable to demonstrate the requisite bona fide intent to use a trademark, or they never get around to actually using the mark in commerce. In other cases, the USPTO might find a COVID-related trademark to be “merely descriptive” of the applied-for...Continue Reading By McDermott Will Emery on Apr 30, 2020 Posted In UncategorizedWe greatly appreciate our readers over the past year and are pleased to share that we were once again recognized for our food and beverage thought leadership in the 2020 JD Supra Readers' Choice Awards, which acknowledge top authors and firms for their thought leadership in key topics during all of last year. Through our various blogs and thought leadership pieces, we are dedicated to maintaining our position as a leading firm for alcohol and cannabis work, and keeping clients abreast of significant and relevant topics in the industry.Continue Reading Detailed Summary of Federal Requirements for Production of Hand Sanitizing Products By Alva C. Mather on Apr 1, 2020 Posted In Alcohol Excise Taxes, Food Safety and FDA, Legislation, Non-Beverage Alcohol, TTB COLAs and FormulasTo meet the growing need for hand sanitizing products, various federal agencies including the Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Federal Drug Administration (FDA), Health and Human Services (HHS) and Congress have been rapidly updating and providing guidance for alcohol manufacturers interested in producing or supplying alcohol for the production of these important products. The below neatly summarizes the key issues surrounding the production of alcohol for use in or production of hand sanitizers for distilled spirts plants (DSPs). Tax Treatment: Denatured and undenatured alcohol may be withdrawn from the bonded premises after December 31, 2019 and before January 1, 2021 free of tax for use in or contained in hand sanitizer made in accordance with FDA guidance. Formula requirements: No prior formula approval is required for DSPs or industrial alcohol users if: the hand sanitizer is produced in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO)...Continue Reading By Bethany Hatef on Mar 26, 2020 Posted In Food Safety and FDA, Import/Export, TTB COLAs and FormulasImporting and exporting beer or other alcohol beverages involves multiple levels of government regulation and taxation. Some regulations, taxes, and reporting requirements mirror your existing compliance obligations as a brewery. Other obligations are unique and include government agencies that are not involved in regulating domestic producers, such as US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Commerce Department. The nations you target for selling or importing can have layers of regulations just as daunting as they are in the United States. Multinational trade agreements, treaties and laws at the national, state, provincial or municipal levels may apply to your activities and govern critical topics, including: Excise and other taxes Product classification and tariffs National support for domestic producers and exports Impediments to trade In addition to government regulation, entering new import or export agreements with businesses requires diligence....Continue Reading TTB and FDA Relax Restrictions on the Production of Hand Sanitizers by Alcohol Manufacturers By Alva C. Mather on Mar 23, 2020 Posted In Food Safety and FDA, Non-Beverage Alcohol, TTB COLAs and FormulasWith the increasing pace of the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the related emergent need to increase the available supply for hand sanitizer products across the United States, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), followed by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), have relaxed requirements for certain alcohol producers to produce these products without first amending their existing permits or obtaining prior formula approval. On March 18, 2020, TTB came forward advising industry members that it has found it necessary and desirable to waive provisions of the internal revenue law to provide certain exemptions and authorizations for distilled spirits permittees to produce ethanol-based hand sanitizers to address the demand for such products during this time of national emergency. More specifically, TTB’s guidance provides: The exemptions are in effect through June 30, 2020. Alcohol fuel plants (AFPs) and beverage distilled spirits plants...Continue Reading TTB Relaxes Consignment Sale Restrictions in Wake of Coronavirus Cancellations By Alva C. Mather on Mar 16, 2020 Posted In General Interest, Trade Practices, TTB COLAs and FormulasOn Friday, March 13, 2019, in the wake of growing concerns and related mass cancellations of large events all across the United States, the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) announced that it is relaxing federal restrictions on alcoholic beverage returns that might otherwise violate prohibitions associated with consignment sales. As a refresher, the Federal Alcohol Administration (FAA) Act 27 C.F.R., Part 11, Subpart D, and more specifically 27 C.F.R. § 11.31, provides that “it is unlawful to sell, offer to sell, or contract to sell products with the privilege of return for any reason, other than those considered to be ‘ordinary and usual commercial reasons’ arising after the product has been sold.” Sections 11.32 through 11.39 provide those circumstances that are considered “ordinary and usual commercial reasons” under the FAA, including: Defective products Discrepancies between the products ordered and delivered Products that may no...Continue Reading We use cookies to improve the functionality and performance of this site. By continuing to use this site, you are providing us with your consent to our use of cookies. Please see our Privacy Policy for details.CLOSE

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Regulatory and Distribution Law Updates for the Alcohol Industry

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