Licensed to Wine

Cultivating Communities, a Salem-based nonprofit dedicated to promotion of travel, tourism and economic development, has proposed a wine country license plate to the Oregon Legislature. It would be added to other premium plates available through the Oregon DMV.

The plate celebrates Oregon’s rich viticultural and culinary heritage. If approved it will create a revenue stream for Cultivating Communities.

Angie Morris, CEO of Cultivating Communities, aims to raise money for her nonprofit as well as raise awareness of Oregon wine. “The wine country plate will serve as a colorful, moving billboard, promoting Oregon’s status as an agri-tourism hot spot, a message that will crisscross state boundaries via U.S. interstates, bringing exposure not only to Oregonians, but to people all across the nation.”

Proceeds will support grants to organizations working to bolster economic growth and job creation while enhancing Oregon’s quality of life. Approximately 50 percent will be reserved for initiatives in the mid-Willamette Valley counties of Marion, Polk and Yamhill; at least 35 percent goes to support initiatives outside the Valley, while the remainder will be used for production and marketing of the new plate.