Unique business in Mississippi feels impact from shutdown

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – The partial government shutdown nears its fourth week and a unique business based in Northeast Mississippi is at a standstill when it comes to product development.

It has been a busy eight months at Queen’s Reward Meadery.

Jeri Carter opened the business last May.

Queen’s Reward makes mead, or wine made with honey, water, yeast, and other flavors.

“We are the only meadery in the world making mead with Mississippi honey,” said Carter.

Each flavor must go through a two step process.

Workers at the Washington, D.C. based Tobacco and Trade Bureau  first have to approve the recipe, which takes about a week. Then, the new flavor’s label has to get approval, and that can take four to six weeks.

However, the partial government shutdown means TTB employees are not on the job, so Queen’s Reward Meadery can’t get any new flavors approved.

“We have a flavor we are really excited about we wanted to have ready in time and released for Valentine’s Day, which is not obviously going to happen because we have to wait for both of those processes to happen and even if the government opened back up today, if the shutdown ended today, with the backlog there would be no way they could get that processed and be able to get that ready, maybe Easter,” said Carter.

Jeri Carter calls herself the “Queen Bee” at Queen’s Reward Meadery and while she said the shutdown hasn’t shuttered her business, she would like to see some progress made in Washington to bring an end to the partial government shutdown.

“Quit being political and make the decision you think is best for the county, it may not be the same decision I would make, but it’s frustrating to me to watch politicians change their opinion because they would have to go against what their party thinks, do what you believe is right,” said Carter.

Queen’s Reward can continue bottling and selling flavors that have already received the TTB’s stamp of approval.

Queen’s Reward is the only meadery in the state of Mississippi.

For more information on Queen’s Reward Meadery visit www.queensreward.com