A petition that has garnered nearly 3,000 supporters is hoping to change agriculture regulations that are threatening breweries operating on agricultural land.
Two breweries in B.C., including one in the Shuswap, say they have been told a change in legislation that doesn’t allow hops growers to use agricultural land for beer could put them out of business.
The petition, addressed to Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick, is asking the province to update the current ALR regulations to allow farm-based breweries. Currently, they have to produce 50 per cent of the product that goes into their beer from their own farmland. That does not include hops, as it is not considered a main ingredient in beer, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.
The requested change would allow hops to be considered a farm product, and therefore go towards the 50 per cent threshold.
Jenna Hickman – Infonews.ca – March 15, 2017.