53-304. Winery; payments required; Winery and Grape Producers Promotional Fund; created; use; investment.

Each Nebraska winery shall pay to the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission twenty dollars for every one hundred sixty gallons of juice produced or received by its facility. Gifts, grants, or bequests may be received for the support of the Nebraska Grape and Winery Board. Funds paid pursuant to the charge imposed by this section and funds received pursuant to subsection (4) or (5) of section 53-123.15 and from gifts, grants, or bequests shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for credit to the Winery and Grape Producers Promotional Fund which is hereby created. For administrative purposes, the fund shall be located in the Department of Agriculture. All revenue credited to the fund pursuant to the charge imposed by this section and excise taxes collected pursuant to section 2-5603 and any funds received as gifts, grants, or bequests and credited to the fund shall be used by the department, at the direction of and in cooperation with the board, to develop and maintain programs for the research and advancement of the growing, selling, marketing, and promotion of grapes, fruits, berries, honey, and other agricultural products and their byproducts grown and produced in Nebraska for use in the wine industry. Such expenditures may include, but are not limited to, all necessary funding for the employment of experts in the fields of viticulture and enology, as deemed necessary by the board, and programs aimed at improving the promotion of all varieties of wines, grapes, fruits, berries, honey, and other agricultural products and their byproducts grown and produced in Nebraska for use in the wine industry.

Funds credited to the fund shall be used for no other purposes than those stated in this section and any transfers authorized pursuant to section 2-5604. Any funds not expended during a fiscal year may be maintained in the fund for distribution or expenditure during subsequent fiscal years. Any money in the fund available for investment shall be invested by the state investment officer pursuant to the Nebraska Capital Expansion Act and the Nebraska State Funds Investment Act.

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