“Save Beer!” – New Campaign Urges Major Brewers to Avoid Pesticides That Harm Agricultural Systems, Product Quality, and Consumers

Toxic pesticides are threatening the future of beer. Green America's new campaign urges brewers to clean up their supply chains—starting with barley and hops.

WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 6, 2025 – Green America, Beyond Pesticides, Public Research Interest Group, People and Pollinators Action Network and Re:wild Your Campus launched the new Save Beer! Campaign to call on major beer companies to eliminate pesticides from their supply chains, starting with barley and hops. Toxic pesticides like glyphosate and 2,4-D threaten human health, kill essential pollinators, contaminate water, and ultimately threaten the key ingredients and agricultural systems needed for beer production.   

In the U.S., beer is the #1 alcoholic beverage, with the typical American age 21 or older drinking an average of 26.5 gallons per year. While brands often advertise the purity of their ingredients, reports of significant pesticide levels in beer undermine those claims. And although several companies have sustainability goals, they do not explicitly include pesticide reduction targets.  

Emma Kriss, Food Campaigns Manager at Green America, said: “We love beer, and we need to take steps now to save it so that Americans can continue enjoying it for generations to come. Our goal is to help brewers implement integrated pest management systems, and ultimately regenerative organic practices that avoid using toxic pesticides like glyphosate and 2,4-D.” 

Clariss Mancebo, Policy Associate at Re:wild Your Campus, said: "Consumers should be able to trust major beer companies like Anheuser-Busch when they make sustainability pledges, but as we see time and time again these are narrow and often hypocritical pledges that tend to overlook the health of their consumers, their farmworkers, and the environment." 

Jay Feldman, Executive Director of Beyond Pesticides, said: “It is critical that corporations play a leadership role in requiring practices in the production of their agricultural ingredients that eliminate petrochemical pesticides and fertilizers, which contribute to adverse health effects, biodiversity decline, and climate change. With tremendous advances in organic hops and barley production, the beer industry should be at the forefront of ecologically responsible organic farming, that also protects workers in these labor-intensive crops.”  

Pesticide use in agriculture has exploded in recent years, with more than 800 million pounds of pesticides used annually in the U.S. Since the 1990s, pesticide use has become 48x more toxic to essential pollinators like bees. There also have been devastating impacts on soil health and ecosystem health across agricultural supply chains. 

A 2024 case study on just four U.S. food crops — soy, corn, apples, and almonds — identified a $219 billion risk for the U.S. food retail sector in financial, climate, and biodiversity costs between now and 2050 from the use of pesticides.  

New scientific research has also linked pesticides to health impacts like kidney disease and cancer. In 2024, Bayer, which produces the herbicide Roundup, was ordered to pay $2.25 billion to a man who developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma from exposure to Roundup’s active ingredient, glyphosate. 

Policymakers and several food and beverage companies are increasingly moving to phase out harmful pesticide use. Several states have taken action to restrict neonicotinoid pesticides, adopting more restrictive measures than the EPA.  Leading food retailers including Walmart, Kroger, Whole Foods, and Giant Eagle have all established pollinator health policies aimed at reducing pesticides in their supply chains. 

The campaign is calling on Anheuser-Busch, Molson Coors, Constellation Brands, Heineken USA, Pabst Brewing Company, and Diageo to: 

  • Make a time-bound commitment to eliminate harmful pesticides from your supply chains, starting with barley and hops 
  • Work with suppliers to implement integrated pest management and organic farming practices 
  • Ensure complete supply chain transparency by publicly disclosing pesticide policies and progress 
  • Support farmers and farmworkers in transitioning to regenerative, organic agriculture practices 
  • Collaborate with environmental organizations and prioritize science-based approaches 
  • Fund substantial assistance for suppliers adopting pesticide-free farming methods  
  • Use third party-verified measurement and verification to demonstrate commitment to a healthy and high-quality product 

Addressing pesticide use requires a holistic approach. Consumers are asking these companies to implement these recommendations comprehensively, demonstrating genuine commitment to eliminating toxic pesticides from their operations and to protecting the health of farmers, farmworkers, consumers, and ecosystems. 

Consumers who want to learn more about the campaign to Save Beer! or to sign the petition can go to: https://action.greenamerica.org/page/89737/action/1   

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MEDIA CONTACT: Max Karlin for Green America, (703) 276-3255 or mkarlin@hastingsgroupmedia.com. 

ABOUT  

Green America is the nation’s leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America provides the economic strategies, organizing power, and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today’s social and environmental problems. http://www.GreenAmerica.org