“The Pacific Northwest is home to some of the best breweries in the world. That wouldn’t be the case without our hops and natural gas. Oregon is the third largest hop producing state in the country with more than 7,600 acres. We used to be second but with cheaper energy and land, Idaho now holds that position. Most Oregon hop growers use efficient natural gas burners to dry hops during harvest in August and September. They prefer natural gas because it’s currently the cleanest fuel option. As farmers, we are conservationist who are intimately familiar with the effects of climate change on our crop and in our communities. Natural gas is part of our clean energy future. And if our state reduces access or makes natural gas more expensive for farmers and brewers, it will negatively affect Oregon’s $6.6 billion beer industry. Join us in celebrating this year’s hop harvest with a local beer or hopped cider and toast natural gas for helping make that delicious beverage possible.”

Michelle Palacios, Executive Director of Oregon Hop Growers Association