Chivas Brothers supports Scotland’s farmers – The Spirits Business

Pernod Ricard’s Scotch whisky arm, Chivas Brothers, has launched a programme to support barley growers in Scotland and their farming practices.

In spring the company also launched a long-term programme to support Scotland’s waterways, as it continues on with its goals of stewarding the environment in the region crucial to its whisky production.

For this latest project, titled ‘Dalmunach Growers Pilot Group’, Chivas Brothers has partnered with Bairds Malt (a malt producer for the brewing and distilling industry) and Scotgrain (an agricultural merchant).

The agricultural programme will run for a three- to five-year period – initially involving eight farmers in an on-farm trial, each of whom have volunteered.

The trials will look to reduce carbon emissions and cover various methods of improving soil health and biodiversity; from the use of fertilisers and cover-cropping to wildflower strips.

Chivas Brothers said that roughly a third of its carbon footprint comes from the growing and processing of agricultural raw materials. The company is one of the biggest purchasers of malted barley in Scotland, with most of it sourced from Bairds Malt.

The programme is designed to reduce the company’s carbon footprint, as well as secure the supply of barley and future-proof the lives of farmers in regional Scottish communities.

Ronald Daalmans, environmental sustainability manager at Chivas Brothers, said: “Establishing partnerships with our growers represents a critical moment in Chivas Brothers’ sustainability journey.

“The ongoing impact of climate change means our growers are having to adapt their practices – and many are faced with tough decisions regarding sustainable practices because it is cost prohibitive to implement new techniques without certainty of how they’ll affect crops through the growing cycle.

“Working together makes us stronger – not only to reduce carbon emissions at pace, but also to provide invaluable insights that can benefit the farming community at large.”

To help improve the project as it goes on, there will be Growers Group meetings where around 60 farmers from the Bairds Malt and Scotgrain communities will share their insights and knowledge.

Victoria Buxton, agronomist and farm business manager at Bairds Malt, added: “To have the support of Chivas Brothers reinforces that climate change is an issue that affects the whole supply chain and we’re all equally invested.”

Last year, Chivas Brothers pledged to invest more invest more than £60 million (US$76m) to reach net zero by the end of 2026.