Posted January 13, 2015
Senator Chuck Schumer is establishing an insurance program benefiting Capital region farmers growing malt barley for craft beer and distilling industry, according to a Daily Journal article available here. ABC News10 also published an article available hereand WKBW here.
Malt barley is essential to the growth of the craft beer industry.
Currently, there is no federal insurance for malt barley in New York, making it difficult for craft brewers, because they will be required by law to source 90 percent of ingredients from local farms and malt houses, according to News 10.
“All you need is some bad weather, hail or early frost or it can be some international condition. All of a sudden another country jumps a huge amount of product on the market. And you’re stuck. So farmers more than just about anyone need insurance,” said Schumer.
Schumer will discuss the issue late Monday morning at the Albany Distilling Company.
For more information on crop insurance programs, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
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