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Black Hops Farm Plans Hopsyard-Processing Facility In Loudoun County, Virginia

11/21/2014
Black Hops Farm will initially convert 15 acres of former pasture land in Loudoun County, Virginia, into a hopsyard and processing facility.

According to Governor Terry McAuliffe’s Office, Black Hops will become the largest hopsyard in Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic’s first commercial-scale hops production and processing facility. Black Hops Farms will invest in the site improvements, buildings, and equipment needed to convert the former residence and horse farm into a commercial hops production and processing facility. A key role for the new processing facility will be to provide hops for Commonwealth Gin, as it is one of the important botanicals used in the production, so it can eventually be a 100 percent Virginia-sourced spirit.

“We’re so excited to be playing a part in the growth of the hops industry in Virginia here in partnership with Loudoun County,” said Jonathan Staples of Black Hops Farm. “Our collaboration with Solomon Rose and Organarchy Hops from Maryland has already made this a regional hops project with the benefit of their skills, expertise, and knowledge of the industry. The Governor’s leading role in projects as large as Stone in Richmond, to our facility in Lucketts, makes clear to us that the state is committed to being a major player in the beer and spirits world and has allowed us to accelerate this project by several years. With so many farmers already growing hops across the state, we’re hoping that we can play a part in making Virginia the hops capital of the East Coast.”

“The new Black Hops Farm facility will revolutionize the hops industry in Virginia, allowing hops growers to harvest and process efficiently their hops for market. The new processing capacity will enable existing Virginia producers to move assuredly in expanding their production and will encourage new producers to enter the market by removing key barriers to the profitable production and marketing of local hops. In addition to supporting current and prospective hops producers, the facility will benefit Virginia’s craft brewery industry as a whole by increasing the amount of hops produced in the state, as well as their quality and their ability to be used by a greater number of brewers,” the Governor’s Office said.

Governor McAuliffe said, “This is a significant win for the Commonwealth as it fills a critical need for current and future craft brewers and builds on my administration’s efforts to increase Virginia’s position in the fast growing craft beer industry. In addition, this entrepreneurial venture is an excellent example of the important role that our diverse agricultural industry can and will play in my economic development strategic plan to build a New Virginia Economy.”

The company, providing important hops processing services for the entire region, will invest about $1 million, create 11 new jobs in Loudoun County, and source more than 60 percent of their hops from Virginia over the next three years, the Governor’s Office said. The Commonwealth of Virginia is partnering with Loudoun County and Black Hops Farm on this project through the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services worked with Loudoun County to secure this expansion for Virginia. Governor McAuliffe approved a $40,000 grant from the AFID Fund to assist Loudoun County with the project. Black Hops Farm is also committing to purchase at least 3,500 pounds of Virginia hops over the next three years, an average of 61% of their purchases.

“This one-of-a-kind facility in Loudoun County represents another step forward for Virginia as we become bigger players in the nation’s fast growing craft beer industry, which saw sales increase by more than 17 percent in 2013,” said Todd Haymore, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry. “This project enhances the Commonwealth’s position in the industry, which had an economic impact of just under $625 million last year, by promoting the research and production of hops, a huge potential cash crop for our agricultural producers.”

Loudoun County Economic Development Director Buddy Rizer added, “The construction of this hops drying and pelletizing facility will support Loudoun’s emerging farm brewery sector, and strengthen the link between the county’s rural and urban economies. It will encourage more local entrepreneurs to grow hops, because having the ability to process them will expand the market for them. This is the catalyst that we need to increase agricultural production of hops in Loudoun County.”

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