With hop growers and brokers facing uncertainty in the beer market due to the worldwide impact of COVID-19, along with historic levels of hop inventory, many observers—ourselves included—thought we might see a plateau in acres farmed.
Instead, USDA data show that in 2020, Pacific Northwest growers planted 5 percent more acres than in 2019—reaching a whopping 59,174 acres (an acre typically yields just under 2,000 pounds of hops). Here, we’ve visualized some of the key data points in this new report, as the places where hops are grown, and varieties planted, continue to shift rapidly.
Source: USDA-NASS and Hop Growers of America Annual Statistical Report