Ohio Farm News

BY Brad Burgeford 

Statewide interest purchasing local malting barley and hops by Ohio brewers has Ohio State University (OSU) moving ahead with research on these crops.

Ohio commercial beer manufacturers and craft brewers send millions of dollars out of Ohio annually by purchasing hops and malting barley from West Coast farmers. To help keep some of that economic activity within the state, OSU has developed a hop and malting barley research and education program focused on production and marketing.

Agricultural statistics records indicate that in 1871 barley was planted on 81,000 acres in Ohio, producing approximately 2 million bushels. Today, barley production ranks well below other small grains in Ohio with only 6,000 acres planted in 2014 compared to 620,000 acres of wheat planted.

Most of the barley grain cultivated today is a six-row, feed winter barley variety used for livestock feed on-farm or sold at local elevators. Of the 6,000 acres, it is estimated less than 100 are of the malting barley variety preferred by craft brewers.

In 2008-09, Dr. Eric Stockinger of the OSU Horticulture and Crop Science Department began growing and testing the cultivation of malting-type barleys at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster and throughout northern Ohio.

In 2013, the OSU South Centers partnered with Stockinger and began evaluating malting barley in southern Ohio at the Piketon Research and Extension Center – exploring both fall- and spring-planted varieties.

The hop and malting barley projects are allowing Ohio State researchers and educators to develop sustainable production practices directly related to Ohio growing conditions.

Data collected from the field research trials allows us to educate growers about production, pest management practices and marketing strategies to help them generate farm profits from these highly sought-after crops.

The research is evaluating new cultivars, innovative production techniques, insect and disease control methods, harvesting, processing and marketing techniques that can be adopted by Ohio farmers.

The research will allow Ohio’s beer manufacturers to spend their money in Ohio by purchasing Ohio-grown hops and malting barley and ultimately help create Ohio jobs – allowing Ohio growers to diversify into a high-value, specialty crop.

Preliminary research results indicate hops and malting barley can be grown throughout Ohio and are adaptable to most Ohio soil types.

There is an ever-increasing Ohio market for hops and malting barley with the expanding craft brewing industry. The Ohio Department of Liquor Control reports continued interest in applications for alcohol-manufacturing permits – a trend that continues into 2015.

The majority of hops and malting barley are sold on the open market with the northwest United States supplying the most of U.S. hops. Ohio has an estimated 100 acres of hops and 100 acres of malting barley being grown on small acreage.

For those interested in learning more about the hop and malting barley research that is being conducted by OSU, there are several upcoming educational opportunities. We are hosting tours during the first Fridays of August and September at Piketon and Wooster. We will also host a Hops Field Night at Wooster, Ohio on July 23 and a Hops Field Night at Piketon, Ohio on July 30.

Registration is required for both events and the first Friday tours. Those interested must register by calling 740-289-2071, ext. 132, or by sending an email to mcglothin.4@osu.edu

Also available is the Ohio Hops Facebook page at www.facebook.com/OhioHops or the OSU South Centers website at http://southcenters.osu.edu/horticulture/other-specialties

For those who would like to be added to the Ohio Hops email list serve to receive Ohio hop updates and information, send an email to Bergefurd.1@osu.edu or call the OSU South Centers 1-800-860-7232 or 740-289-2071, ext. 132.