Brewing is one of the unsung success stories of the current downturn – and the government should be doing more to help the industry flourish by supporting the supply chain from farm to pub.
That’s the conclusion of a new report from the NFU and the British Beer & Pub Association which was launched at Westminster today.
Grain to Glass is a joint initiative that demonstrates the huge importance of the beer supply chain to our rural economy and communities - from the barley and hops in the field to the pint in your local pub.
Around 270,000 rural jobs in Britain depend on brewing and pubs, and more than £3.5 billion is paid in wages. However, high taxes, heavy regulation, and decreasing beer consumption have left the sector facing challenges – which the BBPA says could be overcome with the benefit of thousands more jobs if the government gets the policy framework right.
The supply chain is already playing its part, says the NFU, with growers working hard to improve the quality of barley and hops and schemes like Red Tractor greatly enhancing the local provenance of British beers. NFU President Peter Kendall said: “Beer and pubs are the beating heart of the British countryside, and farmers value the role that they play as community hubs, and in rural tourism, as much as anyone.
“But they are also a vitally important market. Sales of malting barley for brewing and distilling will be worth almost £400 million to British farmers 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, or loves the British countryside and a glass of beer, that we sustain the grain to glass supply chain, and everything that depends upon it, and that’s what this campaign is all about.”
Ralph Findlay, Chairman of the British Beer & Pub Association, comments: “As a brewer, and as a company running British pubs, I know how vital the agriculture industry is to British Brewers and the UK economy.
“The right policy and regulatory framework can 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.”
Key policies being put forward by the industries involved in the Grain to Glass initiative include:
- 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.
Click here to read the Grain to Glass report.
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