Heineken has recently unveiled plans to support large-scale regenerative farming practices, targeting malting barley growers in the UK.

However, the brewing giant has stopped short of confirming an intention to follow suit in Ireland.

Heineken’s plans for the UK market are centred on the implementation of a regenerative malting barley programme, in partnership with maltsters Muntons and Boortmalt, barley merchants Cefetra, and independent agronomists Soil Capital.

The aim is to support UK farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture practices at scale.

As a consequence, growers will be directly paid a premium on regenerative barley yields, helping to reduce the risk of changing farming practices and making the transition commercially viable.

Regenerative agriculture

The approach to be taken, combined with the scale of the programme, sets it apart from other regenerative agriculture malting barley initiatives in the UK to date, Heineken has said.

Regenerative agriculture focuses on farming methods designed to improve soil health, retain carbon in the soil, support biodiversity, enhance water management and build resilience against climate change.

It is envisaged that in 2027, almost half of the malted barley sourced by Heineken will be grown through regenerative agriculture practices.

The company said this will mark "a major step" in its move to support the transition and make regenerative farming part of mainstream beer production.

UK growers participating in the new project will be expected to adopt a number of key, regenerative farming practices.

These include a commitment to reduced soil disturbance, the growing of cover crops, and the implementation of diverse crop rotations.

According to Heineken UK, the new programme is about working with partners to make regenerative agriculture "practical, scalable and commercially viable by strengthening soils and helping farms stay fit for the future".

"It is also an important contribution to Heineken’s global ‘Brew a Better World’ strategy and aims to protect water and nature as well as reduce carbon emissions," the company said.

According to Heineken UK, the new programme will be underpinned by independent measurement, reporting and verification, providing data on key outcomes to ensure transparency and credibility, with progress to be tracked over time.

Agriland has asked Heineken if it plans to commit to a similar regenerative farming project targeting malting barley growers in Ireland, however so far, it has not responded to requests for clarification.

Heineken has a major brewing centre in Cork city.