The South Dakota Craft Brewers Guild has requested that beer enthusiasts take action to support the small and independent brewers of South Dakota and the community of beer drinkers.

Please read the following information provided by the South Dakota Craft Brewers Guild.

The South Dakota Craft Brewers Guild is asking you to please contact your State Senator immediately and ask him or her to vote in favor of Senate Bill 169 and to vote against Senate Bill 173.

These competing bills would both significantly change the laws concerning craft beer in South Dakota.

• Senate Bill 169, introduced by the Governor’s office and Senate Commerce Committee promotes growth and access to market for small and independent brewers in South Dakota by reducing barriers to entry, allowing them access to market through the ability to distribute their own product directly to retailers, and addressing several inefficiencies in the current laws.
• Senate Bill 173, supported by lobbyists from Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors as well as their distributors contains very troubling language for South Dakota’s craft breweries. The South Dakota Craft Brewers Guild believes that SB 173 is an attempt to continue limiting craft brewer access to market and ultimately to decrease your options in the marketplace. The South Dakota Craft Brewers Guild needs your immediate help. Please call your Senator’s office directly or, if this is not possible, please send an email.

Find your legislator’s contact information by entering your home address here.

Find the full text of the bill, links to your legislators, and information about craft beer in South Dakota by visiting dakotabrewers.org.

Please identify yourself by name and say that you are a constituent and in which city or rural area you live. Ask the Senator to please vote in favor of SB 169 and in opposition to SB 173 because SB 169 promotes the ability to grow small business in South Dakota while SB 173 limits South Dakota’s small, independent brewers and puts them at a competitive disadvantage to national and out of state producers and wholesalers. Feel free to talk on about the positive impact of local craft breweries in your communities.

It will only take two minutes of your time and your expressing your opinion will be essential to our cause. Find out more at dakotabrewers.org.

Cheers,

Derek Fernholz, Fernson Brewing Co.

President, South Dakota Craft Brewers Guild