While the number of farms in New York continue to decline, by over 1,000 in the last five years, the number of wineries has grown from 20 back in 1975 to today’s 194, according to the New York Wine & Grape Foundation.

What’s the reason for the boom? A change in the distribution system because of a new state law—The Farm Winery Act of 1976—which made it viable to have a small winery there. The law allowed wineries to sell directly to visiting consumers, and directly to liquor stores rather than having to go through a distributor or wholesaler. (Another round of legislation in the 1980s deregulated the wine industry, making it easier to sell to consumers directly.)

The boom isn’t limited to New York. With more than 3,000 wineries in all 50 states, wine pours more than $45 billion into the U.S. economy and employs 556,000 people, according to WineAmerica, a trade association representing 800 wineries.

California is the largest wine producer in the United States, accounting for 90% of the production. New York is the third largest producer and ranks fourth in the number of wineries, after California, Washington and Oregon.

Editor’s Note: Our cover story on Active International (the largest corporate barter company in the world) in issue #56, reported on a major breakthrough for them. It occurred some 18 years ago when they secured the nation’s second largest winery—Canandaigua Winery in upstate New York—as a client. They are still an account of Active’s. Certainly, with some 3,000 wineries across the U.S. the opportunities for barter companies to work with this industry offer great promise.


For more information on Active International see “Site Sponsors” at the top of page.

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