In tougher economic times it's extra vital to support Australian made products to make sure your hard-earned money goes back into the local and national economy.

It's important because by supporting local businesses, you are supporting local jobs and families, helping Wangaratta and the region prosper.

On a greater scale there is an imminent decision on a locally grown product that should follow the same principals as mentioned above.

The federal Labor government Trade Minister Don Farrell has been in talks with the European Union [EU] about ownership of the name prosecco.

It's a sticking point with free trade talks as claims of geographic indicators [GI] should be attached to prosecco.

Italy and the EU claim that it is named after a region and in 2009 the EU restricted the production of the wine to that region.

However, in Australia and other countries it has always been known as a grape variety.

Free trade is at the cornerstone of a global economy, however, there appears to be something off-kilter with Italy's and the EU's GI claims on prosecco.

Some 60 per cent of Australian prosecco is produced in the King Valley and the industry across Australia is worth more than $200 million a year.

It has grown 300 per cent in the last eight years, with local wine companies spending millions of dollars to plant more vines to meet the demand.

With immigration, local winemakers like Otto Dal Zotto of Whitfield planted the first prosecco vines in the area decades ago, bringing culture and new wine flavours to Australia.

Minister Farrell must protect Australia's right to use the prosecco name and fight tooth and nail in doing it.