'Grain to Glass' has been produced jointly by the NFU and the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), to highlight the huge importance of the beer supply chain to Britain's rural economy.
Heralded as one of the nation's unsung success stories during the economic downturn, the report concludes that much more could be done by the government to encourage Britain's barley farmers, hop growers, maltsters, brewers, publicans and beer drinkers.
At the report’s launch in the Houses of Parliament last Tuesday (22 November), NFU President Peter Kendall said: "Beer and pubs are the beating heart of the British countryside, vital to the local community and rural tourism industry.
“But they are also an important market for farmers. Sales of malting barley for brewing and distilling will be worth almost £400 million to British agriculture this year, while the home-grown hop industry, after a long period of decline, is also showing signs of a revival, thanks to the real ale revolution. 
“It’s in all our interests – not just farmers, brewers and publicans – but anyone who cares about this country’s economy and countryside or who simply enjoys a glass of beer – that we sustain the ‘grain to glass’ supply chain and that’s what this campaign is all about.”
NFU’s East Midlands’ combinable crops board chairman, Mark Leggott, who attended the report’s launch said: “As well as having a serious message, the event was a wonderful way for the whole malting barley chain to showcase the top quality products we grow and make in this country. By collaborating, in what is both a traditional and innovative process, the brewing chain provides more than 29,000 jobs and contributes more than £571 million to the East Midlands’ economy.”
One of the nation’s top brewers is supplied by barley growers from the East Midlands: Molson Coors, makers of the Carling, Grolsch and Worthington brands amongst many, work in partnership with the region’s foremost grain trading company, Frontier Agriculture.
Frontier and its farmer customers have supplied Molson Coors with malting barley since 2004. A growing proportion of the malting barley supplied by Frontier comes from customers who are members of the Molson Coors Growers’ Group (MCGG). This group was created specifically to bring together and benefit all links in the malting barley supply chain. Frontier, Molson Coors and of course farmer members are all represented in the group.
Jonathan Hoyland, barley trader for Frontier said: “We’re very proud of the group because it has improved communication and delivered efficiencies for all parties involved.
“We enjoy a strong relationship with Molson Coors and have a successful group in the MCGG. The relationships we’ve built help growers to plan by variety, specification and contract terms with a very high level of certainty. This is especially important for Molson Coors because specialist malting barley growers, who might otherwise be tempted to shift focus to an alternative crop, can now plan well ahead sure in the knowledge that there is a healthy market for their grain.”
One of the Molson Coors grower group members, Mike Daniells of J Wharton Agriculture, Swaby near Alford, Lincs is enthusiastic about the farmer-brewer relationship: “We have a great two-way communication with our customer, Molson Coors, we know what they want from our crop and we can tell them our issues and thoughts, too. It’s an admirable way of doing business and we’re pleased to be part of it.
“The Lincolnshire Wolds have a great tradition of quality malting barley growing. So we know that our top quality produce and how we’ve grown it, can be traced right back to the field. We take an extra pride in our product and knowing that Molson Coors does too, adds an extra dimension.”
The report recommends four key policies:
- Brewing: a review of the structure and impact of beer duty on employment and growth in the rural economy;
- Farming: More investment in crop research and development; less and better regulation, both on and off the farm and in transport;
- Pubs: Support for pubs as a vital part of tourism infrastructure and a review of the impact of red tape;
- Planning: Planners and local authorities to recognise the importance of the pub as the hub of rural communities and to reflect it in their policies.
This is well overdue says Ralph Findlay, Chairman of the British Beer and Pub Association who said: "The need for economic growth is now top of the political agenda and rightly so. Beer is a product made from natural ingredients and pubs are at the heart of local life. The right policy and regulatory framework could help us create much needed jobs in rural areas. The tax on beer is a particular issue that must be addressed by the government but a new approach on a wide range of issues is needed."
The report has also been welcomed by tourism experts. James Beresford, Chief Executive of Visit England, added: "Pubs are crucial to the tourism offer in rural areas. As well as being attractions in their own right they can provide essential services and support local food and drink, enhancing the visitor experience. We are delighted that the recommendations in this report support the objectives of the England Tourism Framework and urge you to take action to deliver growth in rural areas.”
Notes to editors:
The British Beer & Pub Association is the UK's leading organisation representing the brewing and pub sector. Its members account for 96 per cent of the beer brewed in the UK and around half of Britain's 51,000 pubs
Web: www.beerandpub.com
Twitter: @brigidsimmonds
Regional Press Officer: Alison Pratt
NFU East Midlands, Agriculture House, North Gate, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9NX. Tel: 01572 824260, fax: 01572 824251, email: Alison.pratt@nfu.org.uk, website: www.nfuonline.com. Twitter: @Alinfuemids
The NFU is the voice of British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members.
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