U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., called for the re-introduction of a bill that would subsidize small and independent breweries nationwide, according to a Thursday statement.
The bill, officially titled the Small Brewer Reinvestment and Expanding Workforce Act, or the Small BREW Act, expands the number of qualifying small breweries and subsidizes craft brewers. Baldwin cited the importance of the industry to Wisconsin while explaining the bill.
“Wisconsin’s brewers have been at the center of our culture and anchors of local communities since our state’s beginning,” Baldwin said in the statement.
The industry’s future is predicted to grow significantly with about 1.5 new breweries opening daily nationwide, according to the statement. Baldwin said craft breweries require more raw materials, which strengthens the economy in more than just job creation.
The Small BREW Act will generate millions of dollars for the economy and thousands of new jobs, according to a Harvard economic impact study Baldwin cited.
