Sacramento – Senator Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) and Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) have been appointed co-chairs on the Senate Select Committee on California’s Wine Industry. The committee is made up of a bipartisan group of Senators from around the state who are charged with overseeing the diverse issues affecting California’s wine industry.

“There is a lot happening with California Wine and I couldn’t be more excited to join with Senator Dodd and co-chair this important committee in the years to come,” said Senator McGuire. “We’ll be working together and be focused on some of the biggest issues facing the thousands of growers and vintners in the coming months.”

“The wine industry is a crucial economic driver for our region and the state as a whole. I look forward to partnering with Senator McGuire to help lead the state’s agenda on wine and viticulture,” said Senator Dodd. “We need to look at the challenges facing our wine industry and work to identify pragmatic solutions. The committee will review key issues, including innovation in environmental sustainability, farmworker housing, and competitiveness in a global marketplace.”

California makes 90 percent of all the wine produced in the United States. The California wine industry has an annual economic impact of over $57 billion to the state and creates 325,000 jobs. The wine industry is also an essential part of California tourism, bringing in upwards of 23 million tourists annually. Wineries in the Senators’ districts are a particularly integral part of local tourism, accounting for more than half of all tourists spending on wine throughout all of California.

Senator McGuire is a third generation Northern Californian, whose family farmed prunes and grapes in the Alexander Valley for nearly a half century. Senator McGuire was elected to the state Senate in 2014, and is Chair of the Governance and Finance and Fisheries and Aquaculture Committees. He serves on the Budget and Fiscal Review Committee and the Budget Subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection, Energy and Transportation, is Vice Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus; and a member of the Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee; and the Transportation and Housing Committee.

Senator Dodd was elected to the state Senate in November, having previously served in the state Assembly and on the Napa County Board of Supervisors. While in the Assembly, Senator Dodd served as chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Wine. He has significant experience in advancing policies that preserve agriculture and open space, and has served in leadership roles promoting California wines internationally.

Senator Mike McGuire represents the 2nd Senate District, which includes all or portions of Sonoma, Marin, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt, Del Norte, and Trinity Counties. You can learn more about the district and Senator McGuire at www.sen.ca.gov/mcguire.

Senator Bill Dodd represents the 3rd Senate District, which includes all or portions of Yolo, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Contra Costa, and Sacramento Counties. You can learn more about the district and Senator Dodd atwww.sen.ca.gov/dodd.

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