Fairness in Vineyard Data Act

Bill Number

H.R. 4205

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-06-26: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Last Updated

2026-05-19T12:31:05Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Fairness in Vineyard Data Act aims to improve transparency and availability of data on grape production in the United States by requiring the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct surveys and publicly release detailed information. This supports better decision-making for farmers, businesses, and policymakers in the grape industry.

Key Provisions

• Short Title: The bill is named the "Fairness in Vineyard Data Act."
• Initial Survey and Data Release (Section 2(a)(1)):
• Within one year of enactment, the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) must conduct a nationwide survey on grape production.
• The survey covers: total acreage (land area used for grapes), production levels, how grapes are used (e.g., for wine, juice, or fresh consumption), and details broken down by grape type, variety, county, and year planted.
• Results and raw data must be posted publicly on the NASS website.
• Ongoing Annual Data Publication (Section 2(a)(2)):
• Starting two years after enactment, and for the next three years, NASS must annually publish data from the five states with the highest grape production from the previous year (based on the initial survey).
• This data will also be made available on the NASS website.
• Funding Authorization (Section 2(b)):
• $2.5 million is authorized for fiscal year 2026 to cover the initial survey and data release.
• $1.5 million is authorized annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2030 to support the ongoing data publications.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill introduces new mandatory requirements for USDA to collect and publish detailed, state-specific grape production data on a regular basis. Previously, such data may have been collected sporadically or at a national level without the same level of granularity (e.g., by county or variety) or annual publication focus on top-producing states. It does not amend existing laws but adds these obligations to enhance agricultural statistics reporting.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: The USDA and NASS will need to allocate resources for surveys and data management, supported by the authorized funding. This could improve the agency's role in providing reliable agricultural insights but may require new staffing or processes.
• Citizens and Industry: Grape growers, winemakers, and related businesses gain access to timely, detailed data, which could help with planning plantings, marketing, and responding to market changes. Consumers and researchers may indirectly benefit from better-informed supply chains.
• International Relations: No direct impacts; the bill focuses on domestic U.S. production data and does not address trade or foreign policies.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Grape Producers and Vineyard Owners: Primary beneficiaries, especially in high-production states like California, Washington, New York, Oregon, and Pennsylvania, as they receive localized data for operational decisions.
• Agricultural Businesses: Wine, juice, and fresh grape industries that rely on production trends for investment and supply planning.
• USDA and NASS: Responsible for implementation, with funding to offset costs.
• State Governments: Particularly in grape-growing regions, which may use the data for local economic development or policy.
• Researchers and Policymakers: Gain tools for studying agricultural trends, climate impacts, or economic forecasts.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: The bill is straightforward and administrative, mandating data collection under existing USDA authority without raising privacy concerns (as it focuses on aggregate production data, not individual farms). It includes specific funding authorizations, which Congress must appropriate separately.
• Constitutional: No apparent issues; it aligns with Congress's power to regulate commerce and support agriculture under Article I, Section 8, without infringing on states' rights or individual liberties.
• Political: Supports the agricultural sector, potentially appealing to rural constituencies and bipartisan sponsors (introduced by Representatives Tenney and Morelle). It promotes data-driven policy without controversial mandates, though long-term funding depends on future budgets. The limited duration (four years of annual reports) suggests it could be a pilot for broader agricultural data reforms.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24]

Cosponsors (1)

Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25]

Recent Actions

• 2025-06-26: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
• 2025-06-26: Introduced in House
• 2025-06-26: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Fairness in Vineyard Data Act — issued 2025-06-26 — PDF (3 pages)