A YORKSHIRE BARLEY merchant has launched a new ‘grower to brewer’ contract that aims to secure locally grown malting barley for individual breweries.

The contract from Isaac Poad & Sons – which deals with around 50,000t of malting barley per season – allows growers to supply barley to brewers for a fixed price, explained managing director, Simon Cockerill.

“With standard malt prices on the floor at present…we are worried that farmers are not going to be growing winter malting barley next season.”

While the contract is only available to Yorks growers, supplying small breweries such as Black Sheep and the York Brewery, he believes other growers and merchants need to look at such initiatives to secure supplies.

“If we’re not careful more brewers will look to overseas to source barley.”

Typically the contract offers a price of £115/ tonne for May delivery of 1.6% nitrogen Maris Otter, or £105/ tonne ex-farm for harvest delivery, he added.

York Brewery is the first brewery to enter in to the contract, using Halycon Malt, he said.