Today, three organizations (TXWA, TDSA, & DISCUS) submitted joint request letters on behalf of distillers in Texas who are shifting production at their distilleries to meet demand for hand sanitizer. One letter was sent to the Texas Division of Emergency Management requesting the following…
- Classify all Texas distilleries, employees and industry association employees as essential businesses in case shelter-in-place orders are issued;
- Receive and prioritize need requests for compounded sanitizer solutions and/or raw ingredients (ethanol) at a regional level;
- Provide procurement assistance for raw goods needed for sanitizer production, specifically: Glycerol (or Glycerine 98%), Hydrogen Peroxide 3% (or at higher percentages for dilution). Isopropyl alcohol (used as a denaturant for the final alcohol product), and Containers (with caps & closures) and bulk totes for storage and distribution; and
- Administer financial assistance made available (through centralized procurement or an emergency grant) to distilleries producing ethanol for sanitizer production.
Another letter was delivered to Governor Greg Abbott’s Office asking for statutory relief, to allow Texas distillers to expand their product sales options in the following ways.
- Allow third-party delivery companies to deliver spirits obtained at a Texas distillery directly to consumers;
- Allow distillery employees to directly deliver Texas spirits to consumers; and
- Expand the number of bottles a distiller can sell directly to consumers.