No Hops, No Barley, No Beer: Brewers Association Advocates for Federal Research Funding on Capitol Hill

Last week, Brewers Association (BA) staff members Marc Sorini, Michael Mohr-Ramirez, and Chuck Skypeck joined with supply chain partner organizations - the National Barley Improvement Committee (NBIC), the Hop Growers of America (HGA), and the Hop Research Council (HRC) - on Capitol Hill to advocate for United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) research funding and favorable agricultural policies at the federal level.

Central to a long list of projects and successful initiatives that the NBIC supports, the priority focus for barley in fiscal year 2027 is the Resilient Barley Initiative (RBI). In fiscal year 2026, the RBI received its first $1 million in federal funds. The RBI strengthens research capacity to address increased resiliency of the barley crop in the face of environmental stressors that dramatically impact the yield and quality of barley. This critical initiative is a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional collaborative research project of USDA ARS and university programs, involving scientists across 15+ states.

HGA and HRC also have a long list of policy initiatives that are critical to the viability of the hop industry that are as diverse as international trade issues to labor availability. More directly related to brewery operations is the continued federal funding of the USDA ARS Public Hop Breeding programs in Corvallis, OR, and Prosser, WA. Both breeding stations are primarily supported by federal funds. The stations focus on developing disease resistance, water use efficiency, and other agronomic considerations in new genetic material that benefits the entire brewing industry.

Working with key executives from partner organizations, growers, researchers and other end users, the NBIC completed over 100 visits with key congressional offices and USDA administrators. Representatives from the hop industry made over 30 similar visits.

Bigger picture: Brewers Association collaboration with NBIC, HGA, and HRC's advocacy demonstrates shared commitment to creating a viable future for the cultivation of barley and hops and ensuring a stable source of high-quality raw materials for brewers to continue producing world class beer.