NY Farmers to Get Access to Crop Insurance for Malt Barley

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York farmers who want to grow malting barley for the growing craft beer industry are getting some help from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says starting next year, crop insurance will be available for malting barley in four New York counties. If a farmer who has a contract to sell malting barley has a crop failure, the insurance can pay up to 1.85 times the established market price for the loss.

The state's farm brewing law passed in 2012 requires that a certain percentage of grain used in production must be grown in New York. But the state's climate makes it risky to grow barley of the quality needed for malting.

The craft brewing industry says crop insurance will help increase barley production in New York.