Following on from the Grain to Glass report, which was produced by a range of industry organisations and highlighted the importance and interdependence of the brewing and farming industries, the role beer making and agriculture play in the UK economy has again been toasted at this year’s NFU Conference.

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Delegates at this year’s NFU conference have reiterated the report’s proposals, in an attempt to increase the sector’s profile. As part of Defra’s recent push to support UK exports, helping producers find new markets outside of the EU, the government said it will be supporting the brewing industry, which contains a number of small and medium sized businesses, often working with local farmers. Beer was listed third on Defra’s Food and Drink Action Plan 2012 of the top 10 UK exports of agri-food and drink with a value of £536m.

The NFU, which was a partner in last November’s report, said in a statement, “We will continue to lobby hard on behalf of barley farmers, hop growers, malsters, brewers and publicans and during this year’s NFU Conference, we will raise a glass to this British success story, and try to ensure we have the right policies in place to ensure this supply chain thrives in the future.”

Industries involved in last year’s Grain to Glass initiative set out their recommendations to help shape a brighter future for farming, beer and pubs in rural Britain. The four key demands were:

• 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.

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