Thompson, Padilla introduce bills to spur research on smoke taint, bolster insurance protections for grape growers

California’s Sen. Alex Padilla and Rep. Mike Thompson are spearheading new legislation that seeks to protect the wine industry from the devastating impacts of wildfire smoke, which has ruined harvests across the West Coast in recent years and cost growers and vintners hundreds of millions of dollars.

The twin bills, to be introduced Thursday in the House and Senate, are geared to address the escalating impacts of wildfire, partly by spurring more research into smoke taint — the term for damage that can befall a grape crop and its resulting wine from smoke exposure.

Continue Reading on the Press Democrat