The craft spirits category is in crisis, and the need for industry advocacy has never been greater. On July 21 and 22, ACSA members gathered in Washington, D.C., for our annual Legislative Fly-In to educate Congress about the issues facing our small business manufacturing sector. Participants spoke directly with lawmakers and regulators about challenges impacting the craft spirits industry.

This year, we walked into congressional offices with three issues front and center:

Distributor consolidation: As the distribution tier continues to consolidate, small distillers are being squeezed out of shelf space and market access. Attendees shared directly with lawmakers how these challenges are impacting their businesses.

Tax reduction for small distillers: We advocated for tax policies that better reflect the realities of operating a small distillery.

Regulatory burden: Compliance demands on small producers are often wildly disproportionate to the size of their businesses. We advocated for modernization that better supports independent distillers.