NOM 186 & NOM 006 Clarification
As we recover from Tales of the Cocktail the Tequila Interchange Project would like to take this opportunity to thank our supporters. We are constantly amazed by your commitment to the maintenance of the history and integrity of tequila and all agave distillates. Recently we have been receiving feedback that there is confusion in regards to the petitions on our website. We would like to take this opportunity to clarify the issues involved in the legislation in our petitions and the current status of each.
First off, why petitions? Frequently the amount of time that is available for us to react to certain legislative processes is very limited. The supporters of the Tequila Interchange Project are spread over the globe so the electronic petition is the fastest and easiest way to organize our supporters within our set time constraints. We encourage each of you to thoroughly read the petitions before you add your signature. If you have any questions please contact us at the tequilainterchangeproject@gmail.com and we will answer as expeditiously as possible. It is very important to us that you understand what you are signing so that you can pass along your knowledge and passion regarding agave to those around you.
Each of our petitions was in response to a NOM. NOM stands for the Norma Official Mexico, the rules that govern the production, bottling, marketing and business practices of tequila as well as the requirements that specify the protection of the Appellation of Origin of Tequila (AOT). Our petitions reflect our belief that if a NOM is written taking into account the voices of all parties involved they will uphold the tradition of tequila while protecting the livelihood of its producers, the concerns of the consumers and the Appellation of Origin.
We have spent the last several months responding to NOM 186, the focus of our first petition. When introduced NOM 186 would have been detrimental to the livelihood of thousands of producers of agave distillates, the biodiversity of Mexico and the future of artisanal production in Mexico. Thanks to your efforts the NOM has been returned for further review with a list of suggestions from the members of TIP and producers who attended open forums in Guadalajara and Mexico CIty since the beginning of the year. The members of TIP, our supporters and the producers of agave distillates set a new precedent of organization and collaboration in their response to NOM 186. With the aid of our academic members we will continue to monitor the status of NOM 186 as it is being reviewed and take further action if needed.
The current petition is in regards to NOM 006. This NOM defines the characteristics and primary material used to make the product that is protected by the AOT. This NOM is reviewed and amended every five years. When last reviewed this NOM was amended to include the category of extra anejo and to allow flavored tequilas. Our current petition offers suggestions for the imminent review and amendment of NOM 006 and features four points. Our petition suggests the end to the bulk export of tequila for bottling in order to ensure no adulteration of product, the use of agave azul on tequila labels rather than the vague use of the word agave, the use of the word tequila for only 100% agave azul distillates and the declaration of all sugars used beyond agave azul on the labels of mixtos. The opportunity to respond in a public forum to NOM 006 ends next week so we encourage you to take the time to read and sign our current petition. To sign, click here.
Over the next week we will be posting information regarding the Tequila Sensory Analysis and Agriculturally Anonymous seminars at Tales. In addition we will continue to monitor the situation in regards to NOM 186 and 006 and post any updates here. Once again we thank you for your support and are humbled by the response to our efforts. Together we have helped to raise the voices of the artisanal producers and consumers of tequila. And the world is starting to listen.