The funding bill that recently reopened the U.S. government included support for the United States Department of Agriculture. This appropriation bill contains great news for the barley community and the end users of barley, including brewers.

In a year where many programs are being cancelled or pared back, the barley industry’s three major initiatives received:

• An additional $500,000 for the U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative bringing the funding level to $14.5 million
• An additional $250,000 for the Barley Pest Initiative bringing the funding level to $3.75 million
• $1 million in funding to establish the new Resilient Barley Initiative

All three initiatives are critical to ensuring an adequate and high-quality supply of barley for all end users, including brewers. Of particular interest is the establishment of the Resilient Barley Initiative (RBI) that is designed to address the challenges of the cultivation of barley with changing growing conditions in the major growing areas. Highlights of the RBI include exploration of new winter barley varieties that will expand barley’s cultivation footprint into different areas which supports local supply chains, benefiting small and independent brewers.

The success in securing this funding is in no small part due to the work of the National Barley Improvement Committee (NBIC), a coalition representing the U.S. barley community of growers, researchers, processors, users, and allied industries. The NBIC works to secure both funding and favorable agricultural policies at the federal level.

The Brewers Association has played a significant role in the NBIC for the past decade with staff representation on the NBIC and participation in the organization’s annual Hill Climb. NBIC’s next Hill Climb will occur March 9-11, 2026, and will include nearly 30 barley stakeholders advocating in 90+ congressional offices over the three-day trip.