A beer giant has announced it will be introducing a major new scheme, giving farmers a huge boost. Heineken is launching a regenerative malting barley programme, in partnership with maltsters Muntons and Boortmalt, barley merchants Cefetra, and independent agronomists Soil Capital.

Farmers are being encouraged to adopt regenerative agriculture practices at scale. They will be paid a premium on regenerative barley yields, helping to reduce the risk of changing farming practices and making the transition commercially viable.

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.

In 2027, almost half of the malted barley sourced by Heineken will be grown through regenerative agriculture practices, marking a major step in the company’s move to support the transition and make regenerative farming part of mainstream beer production.

Heineken is the UK’s largest beer, cider and pub company, brewing over 1.3 billion pints of beer every year and supplying 80% of UK pubs. Over 95% of the company’s beer is brewed in the UK, underlining the importance of developing more sustainable farming practices for home-grown ingredients.

The shift to using regenerative malting barley will extend across the company’s portfolio, including Heineken, Cruzcampo, Birra Moretti, John Smith’s, Foster’s and Amstel. The first yield is due to be harvested in 2026, brewed and served to consumers in 2027.

The programme aims to support UK farmers to accelerate the adoption of regenerative farming practices such as reduced soil disturbance, cover crops and diverse crop rotations, contributing to healthier soils and strengthening the long-term resilience of British barley.

Soil Capital will work closely with onboarded farmers to provide expert advice as they transition to regenerative practices, measuring the impact of the new methods on more than 30 indicators, including soil health, increased biodiversity and water management.

Sonia Thimmiah, corporate affairs director at Heineken, said: “British malting barley is at the heart of some of the UK’s best-loved beers, so making it more resilient for the future matters.

“This 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.”