Bend brewery highlights sustainable hops and natural growing practices
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- At Worthy Brewing in Bend, sustainability is showing up in both the brewery’s hops and the produce grown for its menu.
The brewery says many of its hops come from Indy Hops, an Oregon-based company that works with growers using environmentally responsible practices. Some of those hops are certified through Salmon-Safe, a program that recognizes farms and other land uses that adopt science-based methods to reduce pollution, manage stormwater and improve water quality to help protect salmon habitat. Salmon-Safe also says its beer-related program highlights craft brewers sourcing certified hops and malts from Northwest watersheds.
“We primarily use a lot of hops grown here in the state of Oregon. Through Indy Hops is one of them — especially where they have Salmon Safe certification which helps with reducing erosion as well as pesticide use which make it safe for salmon and other aquatic life,” said Worthy Brewing's Brewmaster, Nick Robbins.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture says it regulates pesticide sale, use and distribution under Oregon’s Pesticide Control law, along with federal pesticide rules. The agency says every pesticide sold in Oregon must be registered, labels are legally enforceable, and some products require applicator licensing and certification before they can be used.
ODA also says it monitors compliance through applicator and dealer record reviews, marketplace checks and complaint follow-up. The agency says it has a hop testing program and can investigate if a complaint arises, including testing for suspected adulteration under state law if a product contains an unsafe level of pesticide residue.
The department says hops, like other raw agricultural commodities, must meet pesticide tolerance standards established by law before they can enter the food or feed supply. Restricted-use pesticides require licensing, and ODA says it also provides outreach to growers and pesticide users on label interpretation and drift prevention.
At Worthy’s restaurant and garden, the same focus on responsible growing extends to the kitchen.
Farm Manager Jessica Walker says the garden supplies ingredients used on the menu, including chives for fries, arugula for salads, beets, garlic and sunflower seeds. She says she avoids heavy pesticides whenever possible and instead uses predator insects, water sprays and, when needed, organic or non-toxic insecticides.
Walker said one of the products she uses has a powdery texture that can damage insects when it is dry. “has really sharp points on it. If you touch this, it's actually really nice and powdery to us. But for insects it just cuts them to pieces, especially if the sap is dry. If it's wet, it doesn't work as well.”
Worthy Brewing says the goal is to grow ingredients in a way that supports both the food it serves and the environment surrounding it, while leaning on Oregon-grown hops and locally produced garden items.
