January 13th and 14th are the last days for businesses and citizens to make their voices heard on how the impending tariffs on EU imports will impact their livelihoods and the neighborhoods we live in.
The current administrations two-stage tariffs are scheduled to raise the import taxes on wine and select food goods 100%, meaning that the cost of imported wine, olives, olive oil and other critical components of the hospitality supply chain will double in landed goods price.
On a simple level, the wine that you buy today will cost twice as much. Yes, 100% more for that bottle or that glass.
On the human level, thousands of small businesses, tens of thousands of jobs, billions of dollars of income will be lost. And millions of consumers impacted in how they interact with the businesses that create the very personal fabric of their lives.
The backstory is well documented, and I suggest these three articles, one from Eric Asimov of the New York Times, one from Forbes, one from an importer here in NY.
And this post from myself that I sent the large subscriber base of my wine blog.
Tariffs from the current administration are driven to right the perceived inequities of EU countries giving tax advantages to their native companies over US concerns, especially the Boeing/Airbus dispute.
My very own tech industry has disturbingly been a supporter of these tariffs seemingly without understanding or considering the impact.
The social nets are filled with acerbic banter on this. For politic action, do your homework and vote this year to implement changes you believe in.
For today—actually for the next two days—if you have concerns that this change to very fabric of our hospitality business –from importers, distributors, restaurants, bars, food and wine shops, then spend a moment to have your voice heard.
Only the very largest of the players in these sectors will survive if this goes through.
But the small businesses will not, as the tariffs are levied not on Europe but when the product hits our shores. This means the products will be sent back, and some 70% of the inventory of wine being sold, and core components of our food business will simply be gone.
When thousands of containers are rejected at the ports, when hundreds of millions of dollars of goods are not ordered, stores will be emptied, and the results will ripple up and down the chain from consumer to producer.
Invariably eliminating jobs and business that deliver and depend on these supplies. From your favorite Italian restaurant to your local wine shop.
Do note that whether the tariffs last two months or two years, the market and these jobs will simply be gone.
On the community side as someone who had a business in this field, who has blogged on the wine culture for 10 years, and who very much relishes this global community of good people, working to share culture, I am doing what I can.
This is a nonpartisan call to action.
You can look at it from the perspective of the decimation of the culture that surrounds our artisanal wine and hospitality community that is so strong in this country.
You can look at it from the decimation of small businesses and the impact that has on people.
I look at both.
I made calls. I wrote letters. I did what I could and am hopeful that with logic will prevail and this actions will be reconsidered if not mollified.
I don’t want to be Chicken Little and run around screaming but indeed, if implemented the sky will have fallen on this important piece of our lives. And destroyed a way of life for many that will impact us all.
I’m being practical not dramatic.
I work my life to build markets and create jobs in sectors I care about, so I am sharing this threat as many outside of the wine world simply are unaware.
This article by my friend Christy Frank does a detailed job of laying out the details and how you can act.
If you are a consumer go here.
It is our responsibility to act on what we believe.
This is one that truly matters to me as it will impact the very life I live, and the community of shops and artisans that define the aspects of my world that I love the most.
