In 1981, the state legislature passed the New Jersey Farm Winery Act subsequently signed by Governor Brendan Byrne. which sought to facilitate a rebirth for the state's wine industry by exempting low-volume family-owned wineries from the restrictions, and allowed wineries to create outlet stores. This act effectively allowed anyone with a minimum of three acres and 1,200 vines to apply for a winery license. According to the "New York Times", by 1988, the provisions of Farm Winery Act had allowed the industry to grow from 7 wineries to 15, increased the acreage of wine grapes, and the state became the country's tenth largest producer with 204,000 gallons. Comparatively, New Jersey ranked sixth in the country in per capita consumption of wine, with a total of 27,194,000 gallons drunk in 1986.