behind the Brew Issue 3

No Barley, No Beer!
Barley is one of the key ingredients in beer and tto ensure we meet our bold commitment of a carbon neutral
value chain by 2040, we need to find a more sustainable way to grow it. To cut our carbon emissions we’re
running an innovative low carbon farming trial in Yorkshire. Our partners in the trial are malt supplier Muntons,
11 barley farmers and Future Food Solutions. Steve Cann, Director of Future Food Solutions, tells us more.
Drop the C
About 40% of the carbon footprint in HEINEKEN’s beer is at the
agricultural end of production and nitrogen is a major part of that
footprint. So, one of the main aims of sustainable farming is to reduce
the amount of nitrogen that farmers use and to harness CO 2
more
efficiently.
Pop-up rainforests
Cover crops act like pop-up rainforests, drawing CO 2
out of the
atmosphere, ensuring the soil becomes nutrient-rich, whilst also
increasing organic matter in the soil.
All good things happen in Yorkshire!
It’s also a fact that Yorkshire is historically a great place to grow barley.
The weather conditions mean the area is less prone to drought and
with many of the farms we work with close to Muntons Malting Plant
at Flamborough, and the Tadcaster brewery also close by, we’re using
less transport in the whole process – another win for sustainability.
Better crops and better margins
Better soil health means better crops and better margins for our
farmers.
HEINEKEN also benefits from a more sustainable, more resilient
supply of barley that will help the business meet its ambition to hit
carbon neutrality through its entire value chain by 2040.
Perhaps most importantly, the consumer enjoys a tasty, refreshing
beer in the knowledge that it has had a significantly reduced impact
on the environment.
Cover crops are a variety of plant types, like radishes, clovers and
grasses. They’re not for harvesting – but keeping a growing root in the
ground between harvests improves the soil health.
This, in turn, means the farmers have to add less nitrogen to the soil
which reduces the overall carbon footprint. Every 1% increase in soil
organic matter allows each hectare of land to absorb an additional
240 tonnes of water, helping the soil to act like a sponge, avoiding
drought and also preventing flooding in the area.
This saves the farmer money, reducing the amount of nitrogen that
needs to be added to the barley crop and makes the crop more
resilient to drought.
It really is a win for everyone.
A Farmer’s Viewpoint:
Tamara Hall from Molescroft Farm in Beverley, East Yorkshire,
said:
“This collaboration has been a big risk, but one we had to take
as it’s essential to change the way we farm going forward. The
cost of nitrogen and loss of carbon over the years means we
need to be more sustainable and working with HEINEKEN
has helped us by covering the cost of the cover crop seed.
Additionally, the capture of carbon from the atmosphere and
locking it into the soil has made a positive difference already.”
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