Craft Brewers Support Clean Water Funding in Farm Bill

Brewers know that you can’t make great beer without clean water. That’s why 30 craft breweries from across 17 states signed a letter urging leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees to support voluntary programs in this year’s Farm Bill to help agricultural producers reduce nutrient pollution in our nation’s waterways. The letter urges Farm Bill negotiators to include the COVER Act and the Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act, to protect and preserve the historic investments made in the Inflation Reduction Act, and to defend against harmful policy riders that would seek to exempt pesticides from the Clean Water Act. With both the House and the Senate in the midst of Farm Bill negotiations, farmers, brewers and beer drinkers alike rely on Farm Bill programs to continue providing clean water.  

What is agricultural nutrient pollution? 

The fertilizers that many farmers apply to their fields contain nitrogen and phosphorus, which together are called “nutrients.” These nutrients are important for plant growth, but only about 50% of the fertilizer applied actually makes it into plants. The rest can be washed off into waterways or carried down into groundwater by rainfall and irrigation, especially if the fertilizer is applied at the wrong time. Soil erosion caused by plowing, tilling, and removing natural vegetation can also carry nutrients into nearby waters. 

While nitrogen and phosphorus are both naturally occurring elements, adding too much of them to the environment can cause serious problems. Nutrient pollution of water bodies can cause a process called eutrophication, in which algae feed on nutrients and grow rapidly (“bloom”). These algae block sunlight, smother aquatic plants, and can be toxic to wildlife. When the algae die and decompose, they consume oxygen, creating “dead zones” in waterways where aquatic life can’t survive. The EPA has reported that agricultural pollution is the leading cause of water quality impacts to rivers and streams. 

Not only is nutrient pollution bad for aquatic plants and animals, it can also make our drinking water unsafe. Nitrates in drinking water can cause cancer, thyroid disease, and harm pregnant women and babies. Additionally, some algae that thrive in eutrophic waterways produce toxins that are dangerous to human health. This happened in Toledo, Ohio in 2014, when toxic algal blooms fueled by agricultural pollution contaminated the city’s water supply and rendered it undrinkable for several days. Other communities like Des Moines, Iowa have had to install and operate expensive technology to remove excessive nutrients from their water.  

Why do breweries care about nutrient pollution in their source water? 

Pollution in a brewery’s source water can affect the taste and quality of the beer. In areas affected by nutrient pollution, breweries may need to invest in additional water treatment equipment to ensure the consistency of their batches. And if the public water supplies in a brewery’s community become contaminated, the brewery might pay higher water costs or experience interruptions in supply. 

How can the Farm Bill support farming practices that reduce nutrient pollution? 

The good news is that better agricultural practices can help address this problem. Among other solutions, planting cover crops during off-seasons can both reduce the need to add nitrogen during the growing season and keep nitrogen on fields, preventing nutrient leaching and soil erosion. Reducing or eliminating tillage can improve soil structure and reduce the risk of erosion and nutrient runoff. Leaving strips of natural vegetation along waterways as buffer zones can filter runoff and stabilize streambanks, and organic farming techniques can reduce the use of fertilizers and other chemicals. The federal government operates several voluntary incentive programs to encourage these practices. 

That’s where the Farm Bill comes in. The Farm Bill is a comprehensive piece of legislation that Congress passes every five years. It includes a wide range of agricultural and food-related policies. Some of the policies being considered for inclusion in this year’s bill would support agricultural practices that reduce nutrient pollution.  

For example, the COVER Act would provide crop insurance savings to farmers who plant cover crops or use other soil-building practices, and the Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act would fund soil health research programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Voluntary programs like these are critically important given that most agricultural pollution is not regulated under the Clean Water Act. 

What are craft brewers saying about these programs? 

Thirty craft breweries based in 17 states have signed a letter asking the leadership of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees to provide robust funding for these important programs in this year’s Farm Bill. Importantly, the letter asks that the resources provided for these programs in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 not be reduced or diverted from high priority areas impacting the environment. The breweries also ask that no harmful provisions be included in the bill that would exempt pesticides applied to waterways from the Clean Water Act. 

You can read the full letter, and see the list of signatories, here.