The Congressional House Small Brewers Caucus, working in conjunction with the Brewers Association and other industry trade groups, has sent a letter to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requesting USDA boost hop research to develop varieties that can better grow in different climates, diversifying production around the country. The letter asks that USDA-Agricultural Research Service increase funding for hops genetics/molecular biology research from 0.7 full time employees (FTE) to 1.0 FTE, while continuing to fund the existing 1.0 FTE pathology research program for Fiscal Year 2017, as “this critical boost in research would result in breakthroughs in hop cultivation that will help sustain the significant growth of this important industry.”