Sacramento, CA — Wine Institute issued the following statement today in response to the announcements that the United States would be placing tariffs on imports from Canada, and the Canadian government responded with retaliatory tariffs against U.S. wine. Additionally, provincial leaders across Canada’s largest provinces are threatening to remove U.S. wine and beverage alcohol from their provinces in response to the U.S. tariffs.
“Canada is the single most important export market for U.S. wines with retail sales in excess of $1.1 billion annually,” said Robert P. Koch, President & CEO of Wine Institute. “Wine is one of the U.S.’s most highly value-added agricultural exports, so any loss of access to the Canadian market will damage the entire US wine sector. Our wineries have spent decades building market share and brand loyalty across Canada. These actions put all of this at risk. In addition, all of beverage alcohol is already facing unprecedented challenges in the marketplace so these tariffs and potential product removals come at a time when their impact will be particularly hard to absorb. We urge both governments to work together to resolve this dispute as soon as possible to minimize the economic harm.”
The U.S. wine industry has long supported the position that wine, as a unique agricultural product, should not be targeted in trade disputes unrelated to wine. Wine Institute strongly advocates for the removal of wine from all trade retaliation lists regardless of the market. Retaliatory tariffs invariably harm U.S. wine producers and impede the growth of the wine sector.
About Wine Institute
Established in 1934, Wine Institute is the public policy advocacy group of more than 1,000 California wineries and affiliated businesses that initiates and advocates state, federal and international public policy to enhance the environment for the responsible production, consumption and enjoyment of wine. The organization works to protect the economic and environmental health of the state through its leadership in sustainable winegrowing. To learn more about California wines, visit Discover California Wines.
