Papa John’s Making Changes; Hops Production Increases

Papa John’s International announced the pizza chain will begin using chicken products that have been raised without human or animal antibiotics by next summer. The Louisville, Kentucky based company said it’s working with its suppliers to make sure the chicken it buys not only has never had antibiotics, but also has been fed a 100-percent vegetarian diet. The company said it would be the first national pizza chain to do so. Papa John’s said the change will directly affect its grilled chicken pizza toppings and its chicken poppers as it makes sure suppliers stay on track to meet the summer deadline.

Production of hops, used in brewing beer, increased 11 percent during the 2015 growing season, according USDA’s 2015 National Hop Report. Production for Idaho, Oregon, and Washington in 2015 totaled 78.8 million pounds, up 11 percent from 2014. Production increased in all three States; 30 percent in Oregon, 26 percent in Idaho, and six percent in Washington. Acreage increased in all three States as well. Washington growers produced 75 percent of the United States hop crop in 2015.