RAYMOND, Neb. — It may just be one of 2019's most hated words - tariffs. And this time, it's affecting the wine industry. The United States has placed a 25% tariff on foreign wines and other goods. Owner and winemaker Jim Ballard of the local winery, James Arthur Vineyards, says these tariffs will affect the domestic wine industry as well.
"These tariffs affect all the way down, trickle down. So it does affect us in many ways," he said.
According to Ballard, these tariffs will affect competition and business abroad.
"It just restricts that flow of wine going back and fourth," he said.
But this may also be a chance for the community to indulge in local wines.
"It might give us an opportunity to really showcase what we do locally and some of the great wines that we make here in Nebraska," Ballard said.
According to Ballard, Nebraska wines are unlike any other, being more fruitful and flavorful.
"We can actually make pretty good wine in Nebraska," Ballard said. "You know the grapes that we grow aren't like the grapes they grow in the west coast or up in the east cost or Europe or places like that. It's very different. It's like comparing apples to oranges."
But these tariffs are sure to shake up the billion dollar industry.
