Food21 of Pennsylvania wants to demonstrate the power of connecting local farms’ productive capacity to one of the fastest growing industries in the region – craft brewing. Last year it launched Farm to Tap, a pilot program that creates a hyperlocal value chain from farms to malt houses to regional craft brewers.

“This is mutually beneficial to all links in the regional craft beer food chain. Significantly, when Food21 commits to a $3,000 investment in seed excluding our indirect costs, we deliver to the state’s economy over $20 million in direct revenue benefit,” says Food 21’s President Joe Bute. 

On April 17, All Saints Brewing Co. in Greensburg, Pa., will serve Old Hanna’s Town Ale, the region’s first craft beer entirely produced through local partnerships.