Wyden And Other Lawmakers Safeguard Hops In Senate Version Of Farm Bill

By Brian Bull

Published June 28, 2018 at 4:32 PM PDT

Hops growing in the rural community of Creswell, Oregon.

Good news for Oregon’s hop growers. The Senate version of the Farm Bill – which passed today – includes an amendment allowing the USDA to tackle several plant diseases that affects hop crops. KLCC’s Brian Bull reports Oregon Democratic Senator Ron Wyden helped craft the provision.

Wyden joined his colleagues on the Senate Bipartisan Small Brewers Caucus in amending the latest Farm Bill. The language encourages further work to study and control powdery mildew and downy mildew. The diseases can obliterate 15 percent of a hop field or more, costing millions in lost revenue for hop growers.

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden at a Lane County town hall event in February 2017.

Blake Crosby is president of Crosby Hops, based in Woodburn. He supports the senators’ efforts.

“Historically, I’ve heard stories of the Willamette Valley, of total crop destruction from some really bad outbreaks of downy mildew that just weren’t handled appropriately," Crosby tells KLCC.

"It can be even worse than that, which I think underscores the importance of having this type of support at the federal level, from USDA.”

The Brewers Association endorsed the amendment.