Wolnzach/Hüll, March 24, 2021 The General Meeting of the Society for Hop Research (GfH) takes place every year at the start of the new hop season. Due to the measures in place to contain the Corona pandemic, the meeting had to be held virtually this year.
In close cooperation with the Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture, practical research is carried out at the Hop Research Center in Hüll and work is done on securing the future of Germany as a hop-growing location.
In his report, Dr. Michael Möller, Chairman of the Board of GfH, referred in particular to the numerous investments made at the Hüll site, but also to the newly bred varieties in the areas of bitter hops, aroma hops and fine aroma hops. Following on from the joint efforts of the hop and brewing industries to advance the reorientation of hop cultivation in Germany against the background of climatic but also agricultural and socio-political change, Dr. Michael Möller emphasized the need for the practice-oriented Hüll Research and Service Center. However, he also appealed to his fellow brewers to incorporate the breeding progress achieved in the form of climate-tolerant, healthier and more efficient hop varieties into the recipes of their beers so that the conversion of the cultivation area can continue in the coming years. “It would be a great pity if we had to grub up again precisely the high-quality and efficient aroma varieties that we have put into the ground in recent years simply because there are too many hops in the market as a whole!” says Dr. Möller
Stephan Sedlmayer, President of the Bavarian State Research Centre for Agriculture and cooperation partner of the GfH at the Hüll Hop Research Center, used the General Meeting for a strong commitment of the Free State of Bavaria to the outstanding crop plant hops. He praised the effective and practical work at the Hop Research Center, but also underlined the need to adapt existing structures to the new challenges for future-oriented research work and sustainable hop production.
The urgently needed co-financing by the GfH of existing and future research projects entailed by climate change, legal requirements in plant protection and fertilization, but also the preservation of the competitiveness of hop farms, is a shining example of government and private sector cooperation for the benefit of an entire industry. “Hops and Bavarian beer are flagships of the Free State – and this should not change in the future!” says President Sedlmayer.
Photos of the general meeting can be obtained via beyer@hopfenforschung.de.