What are Farm Wineries and Farm Cideries?
The following is excerpted from the NYSLA website. For the full document go here: NYSLA Winery-Quick-Reference
Farm Winery License – a farm winery may produce wine, wine product, cider, and mead, has a 250,000 gallon limit on annual production, and requires the licensee to use 75% New York State grapes or other fruits in its wine and wine products, 100% New York State apples/pome fruits in its cider, and 100% New York State honey in its mead. A farm winery may sell its own and any other New York State labeled products (e.g., beer, cider, wine, mead, braggot, liquor) at the licensed premises and to go. A farm winery must be located on a farm. Initial application cost is $525 for a 36-month license.
A farm winery may make New York State labeled wine, New York State labeled wine products, New York State labeled cider and New York State labeled mead.
Can I distribute my own products to licensed retailers? All manufacturing licenses come with the right to self-distribution.
Can I sell my own products for consumption at my winery? Other manufacturer’s products? A farm winery may sell for consumption at the licensed premises: (1) any wine, wine product, or cider it makes as well as (2) any other New York State labeled product (beer, wine, cider, mead, liquor).
What is a branch office? A branch office is a privilege of a farm winery and is an off-site location at which all activities of the licensed premises may be conducted (production, product sale, on premises license, etc.). A farm winery is entitled to up to five branch office permits. There is no fee required to obtain a branch office permit.
How much wine must I produce? At the licensed facility, you must produce at least fifty gallons of wine, and/or wine product, and/or cider, and/or mead annually. You cannot rely on a contract manufacturer to produce the annual production minimum for you. If you are producing at a branch office as well as your licensed facility, you will still need to produce at least fifty gallons at the licensed facility.
A farm winery may produce up to 250,000 gallons of cider annually.
Can I contract manufacture for another manufacturer? Yes, you may contract to produce for another manufacturer any product that both you and the other manufacturer may produce. If in New York State, the other manufacturer must also be licensed. Any product you produce for another manufacturer will count against your production cap (if you have one) and any product purchased by another licensed New York State manufacturer will also count against its cap (if it has one).
Is another manufacturer considered a second business? No, multiple manufacturers may operate at the same premises – see alternating proprietorships/tenant manufacturing above. One entity may also hold more than one license at a single premises – e.g., a farm winery and micro-brewery.
A quick reference sheet for Farm Cideries can be found here: NYSLA cidery-quick-reference-3-25-2022.pdf. The main difference between a farm winery and a farm cidery is that a farm cidery does not need to be on a farm. Rockland Cider Works’ license is a Farm Winery license.
The New York State Liquor Authority does not conduct checks on the statements made by applicants.