Support Ohio Craft Brewers – Make Your Voice Heard TODAY

UPDATE: The glassware giveaway, pay-to-play amendment written by Anheuser-Busch/InBev will NOT be included in House Bill 522 when it goes to a full Senate vote. A HUGE and heartfelt “THANK YOU” to everyone who called and wrote their state senators to oppose this amendment. Your voice was heard today: thank you for standing up for Ohio’s craft breweries and protecting consumer choice in the marketplace.

We need your help to defeat Anheuser-Busch InBev’s new pay-to-play scheme designed to limit retailer independence and curtail consumer choice in the beer market. AB/InBev attempted to sneak in an amendment to House Bill 522 mere hours before the Senate Agriculture committee vote this past Tuesday. We were able to get the vote on that amendment postponed a week, but now we need YOUR help to stop it for good.

The Ohio Craft Brewers Association is asking you to please contact your State Senator immediately and ask him or her to vote against House Bill 522 currently in the Senate Agriculture Committee, but which could come up for a full Senate vote as early as next week.

HB 522 contains language written by Anheuser-Busch InBev that would double the amount of branded glassware that a manufacturer may provide at no cost to a retailer from 2 to 4 cases annually, and caps the total number of cases that a retailer may receive annually at 7. Read the amendment (PDF)

The Ohio Craft Brewers Association believes that large, multi-national brewing conglomerates like Anheuser-Busch InBev will use their considerable financial resources to unduly influence retailers in their selection of which beers to carry. Craft brewers would see limited access to store shelves and taps at bars and restaurants, ultimately decreasing your craft beer options in the marketplace.

Anheuser-Busch InBev is launching a direct assault on Ohio’s growing craft beer industry with HB 522. Tell your State Senator to reject Big Beer’s attempt to legislate away fair competition and consumer choice.

 

The Ohio Craft Brewers Association is seeking your immediate help.

Please call your Senator’s office directly, or if that is not possible, please send an email. You can find your Senator’s contact information by entering your home address on this link:

http://www.ohiosenate.gov/senators/district-map

• Please identify yourself by name, say that you are a constituent and in which city or rural area you live.
• Ask the Senator to please vote against House Bill 522, specifically referencing the glassware amendment, because it gives an unfair advantage to global brewers, will limit the ability of Ohio’s craft brewers to get their beer into retailer accounts, and reduce your ability to access beers from Ohio’s small and independent craft brewers.
• Feel free to also talk about the positive impact of your favorite local craft breweries in your community. Ohio breweries employ 6,000 people and are revitalizing neighborhoods and towns across the state.

 

It will only take a couple minutes of your time and expressing your opinion will be very helpful to ensuring the continued growth of craft beer in Ohio. Thank you for your support and assistance.