As world warms, brewer Carlsberg breeds more climate tolerant crops

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As climate change warms our world, it has affected farmers and their growing practices, even threatening beloved beverages, like beer. Danish brewer Carlsberg, the world’s fourth largest, is breeding more climate-tolerant crops, hoping to future-proof its beer production. Human-caused climate change has made the world hotter and increased the likelihood of both long droughts and intense bursts of rainfall, affecting farmers and their growing practices. “It’s impacting a lot,” says the laboratory’s vice president, Birgitte Skadhauge. “Some areas, it’s a lot of drought, it can be heat, extreme heat, but it can also be far too much rain that’s affecting the plants and also the quality of the crops.” Researchers have long known the raw materials required for beer production—barley, hops and yeast—will be affected by climate change. A study published last year in the journal Nature Communications found projected hop yields in Europe will decrease between four to 18% by 2050. Climate change is anticipated to only further the challenges producers are already seeing in two key beer crops—hops and barley. “I’ve seen rather well-developed models saying that it will be difficult to grow the normal crops in southern Europe in the future, even in the 2050s,” says Tavs Nyord, a senior consultant at green think tank CONCITO. “You will see the changes already at that time.” The Danish beer brewer, founded in 1847, has more than 140 beer brands in its portfolio, and last year, produced 101 million hectoliters of beer, according to its annual report. The hope is to breed and domesticate crops that can better withstand summer heat, warmer winters, changing pests and diseases. In a climate-controlled greenhouse in Copenhagen, rows of experimental barley crops grow under scientist supervision. To test climate-tolerant crops, experts can elevate temperatures, even day length by changing light intensity. And rather than using genetically modified ingredients—“beer drinkers are not fully ready to drink beers with GMO crops in,” says Skadhauge—they’re using traditional breeding methods. This article was provided by The Associated Press.