Brewers, farmers would be helped by tax credit examined by Policy Committee
Lawmakers meet with brewers from their districts at World Beer Cup in Philadelphia
Rep. Ryan Bizzarro April 21, 2026 | 12:44 PM
PHILADELPHIA, April 21 – The affordability crisis and economic factors have hit the beer industry particularly hard, with the last several years serving as a craft brew apocalypse. In the last 24 months, more than 65 Pennsylvania breweries have closed – eliminating jobs and stressing local economies. The House Majority Policy Committee hosted a roundtable with brewers and toured the World Beer Cup, the most prestigious beer competition in the world, to learn more about challenges with brewers from their home districts.
Policy Committee Chairman Rep. Ryan Bizzarro has introduced a bill to provide a tax credit for brewers, while supporting local farmers at a time when GOP policies have sent farm bankruptcies soaring.
“The Brews to Barns Act turns waste into opportunity,” Bizzarro said. “By connecting brewers with local farms, we reduce waste, strengthen our agricultural economy, and help local businesses lift each other up. This bill is an opportunity to help Pennsylvania brewers and farmers during a difficult economic time.”
The roundtable included input from owner and brewer Jason Lavery from Lavery Brewing Co. in Erie County; head brewer Hannah Ison from Zeroday Brewing Co. in Dauphin County; co-founder Sean Steeg from Juniata Brewing Co. in Huntingdon County; Tom Kehoe the president of Yards Brewing Co. in Philadelphia; Nick Nardelli representing Boston Brewing Co.; and representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
“Pennsylvania is a behemoth of a brewing state, we’re No. 2 in the country as far as number of breweries and the amount of beer we put out,” Lavery said. “The last couple years have been really hard for us, with tariffs, aluminum cost increases, shipping cost increases, and now the war. We’re doing everything we can to stay relevant and keep our prices low. … A simple bill like the Brews to Barns Act would go a long way to help small breweries succeed.”
Bizzarro’s legislation will provide eligible brewers with a tax credit for donating their spent grain to farmers to feed livestock. His legislation would help a brewery industry squeezed by inflation, tariffs and increasing operating costs while selling to a public with fewer dollars to spend. The bill would also aid an agriculture industry dealing with global price shocks and tariff headaches.
The event took place in a city once dubbed the Beer Capital of America. Philadelphia has served as the home for an estimated 700 breweries and even had a neighborhood dubbed Brewerytown. For centuries, immigrants powered many of these breweries, including the creation of America’s first lager in Philadelphia. While brewers noted Pennsylvania’s good-for-business tax credits, they also noted a desire for lawmakers modernize specific regulations so brewers could shift to other beverages.
Information about this hearing and other House Majority Policy Committee hearings can be found at pahouse.com/policy. Photos to be used for publication can be found at https://www.facebook.com/PADemPolicy/.