TTB NEWSLETTER | Weekly News

July 3, 2019

Due to the holiday, we’re publishing early this week.

Happy Independence Day to our readers!

Greetings! This week’s top news includes that we recently published two rulemaking documents proposing to eliminate most standard container sizes for wine and distilled spirits, we’ve posted the presentation we used at a recent webinar on the new Conditionally Approved status in COLAs Online, we’re seeking candidates for an Assistant Chief Information Officer, three wineries recently served permit suspensions for trade practice violations, and a reminder to register for our last trade practice seminars.

TTB PROPOSES THE ELIMINATION OF MOST STANDARDS OF FILL FOR WINE AND DISTILLED SPIRIT

On Monday, July 1, 2019, we published two deregulatory proposed rules in the Federal Register proposing to eliminate all but a minimum standard of fill for wine containers (Notice No. 182), and all but a minimum and maximum standard of fill for distilled spirits containers (Notice No. 183).  The term “standard of fill” is used in the TTB regulations to refer to the amount of liquid in the container, and our current regulations prescribe certain specific standards of fill for wine and distilled spirits containers sold within the United States, such as 750, 500, 375, 100, and 50 milliliters.  The proposals are intended to eliminate unnecessary regulatory requirements and provide consumers broader purchasing options.

We welcome comments on these proposed deregulatory actions, and we also seek comments on the relative merits of alternatives, such as adding new authorized standards of fill or developing an expedited process for adding additional standards in the future.  All of these approaches would be intended to eliminate restrictions that inhibit competition and the movement of goods in domestic and international commerce.  We have already received comments on the existing standards of fill regulations in response to Notice No. 176, Modernization of the Labeling and Advertising Regulations for Wine, Distilled Spirits, and Malt Beverages, and we will take those and any additional relevant comments we received in response to that notice into consideration for these proposals as well.

The comment period for the two proposed rules closes on August 30, 2019.

Read Notice No. 182 (regarding wine)

Read Notice No. 183 (regarding distilled spirits)

WEBINAR PRESENTATION POSTED: COLAS ONLINE - CONDITIONAL APPROVAL STATUS

We recently held a webinar to give COLAs Online users an introduction to the new application status, Conditionally Approved.  Under certain limited circumstances, TTB specialists may now propose changes to the information you entered in the label approval application, which puts it in the conditionally approved status.

You have seven days to review and then approve or decline the proposed changes.

If you couldn’t attend the webinar, you may view the presentation we used to learn more about this new status and the process for viewing, accepting, or declining the proposed changes.

TTB JOB POSTING: ASSISTANT CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

We are seeking candidates to fill an IT Program Manager/Assistant Chief Information Officer (Network Security and Operations)position in Washington, DC. Among other things, the incumbent will perform the following duties:

• Plan and carry out all activities related to network security and operations.
• Develop network security and operations strategies, policies, plans.
• Maintain a network infrastructure.

No prior Federal experience is required. If you are interested, you must apply through USAJOBS no later than July 12, 2019, or when we have received 50 applications, which may be sooner than the closing date.

For more details, view the vacancy announcement: 19-TTB-47-DH

THREE NAPA COMPANIES HAVE PERMIT SUSPENDED FOR CONSIGNMENT SALES

Hartwell Vineyards, LLC; Monticello Cellars, Inc.; and Barrelhead Wine Company each served one day permit suspensions for engaging in unlawful consignment sales. These suspensions are a result of the joint operation that TTB conducted with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control in March 2018.

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER FOR OUR LAST TRADE PRACTICE SEMINARS

We are hosting our last trade practice seminars of the fiscal year on August 1, 2019, in St. Louis, Missouri.  Please click here to register for the morning session and here to register for the afternoon session.

If you cannot make this seminar, you can view the presentation from this year’s seminars.

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