Iowa Spirits Volume 1 2018 - 10

The major difficulty, which the ABD identified
and contained, was that alcohol sales were largely
unregulated. The vendors were poorly informed
about the relevant state laws and enforcement
was sparse.
During the 2017 RAGBRAI, the ABD provided
education to more than 400 entities along the
route across northern Iowa.
In addition, members of the ABD offered the
Program for Alcohol Compliance Training
(I-PACT), a free course designed to help aspiring
licensees become more familiar with the laws
related to selling and dispensing alcohol. A key
focus was ensuring that no alcohol was sold to
underage or intoxicated persons.
In 2017, more than 500 people were certified
by the program before the opening day of
RAGBRAI. By the time the event began, vendors
were much more knowledgeable about Iowa laws
and safety protocols, which made the race more
secure and enjoyable.
How did they accomplish so much? It's a
months-long process which includes multiple
steps from the ABD:
* Presentation at a meeting held by RAGBRAI
that brings in the committees for all overnight
towns.
* Presentation at a meeting held by RAGBRAI in southern Iowa. The ABD met with individual
that brings in the committees for all pass-through vendors and tailored their training to each client.
towns.
In 2017, however, the program was more efficient
* Meeting with Iowa State Patrol to discuss and well-organized.
safety along the route.
According to Compliance Officer Heather
* Meeting with wholesalers to discuss licensing Schaffer, their success in 2017 resulted from a
and compliance rules and
little fine-tuning. In addition to indiregulations.
vidual meetings, they convened at
* Holding a conference call with
During the 2017 event,
central locations with wholesalers
all local authorities (city clerks,
education was offered to
and local authorities. They also met
county attorneys) along the route to
more than 400 entities
with groups of comparable vendors.
discuss licensing and compliance
serving cyclists.
They might talk with all the Coors
rules and regulations.
or Anheuser Busch retailers at the
* Calling each brewery, winery
same time, for example, to streamand distillery along the route to discuss licensing line the process.
and compliance rules and regulations
So far, the feedback has been overwhelmingly
* Visiting each licensee/permittee along the positive for this award-winning program. Jake
route to discuss licensing and compliance rules Holmes, Program Planner for Education and
and regulations.
Outreach, says that vendors have appreciated
During the actual RAGBRAI event, ABD t h e c h a n c e t o l e a r n m o re a b o u t I o w a
compliance officers, investigators and education regulations.
& outreach members split into teams and check
the locations at the overnight and pass-through BACKGROUND AND INFLUENCE
towns.
ABD's main reason in starting the initiative for the
The year before, in 2016, RAGBRAI was held RAGBRAI event was tied to the event's size, with

IOWA SPIRITS

Iowa Spirits Volume 1 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Iowa Spirits Volume 1 2018