The American Malting Barley Association (AMBA) has named Kyle Day from Suntory Global Spirits and Walker Modic from New Belgium Brewing as co-chairs of its Sustainability Committee, established in May 2024. The committee includes representatives from the malting, brewing, and distilling industries, along with six grower representatives, to tackle sustainability challenges and enhance resilience in the barley supply chain.
Kyle Day, who serves as the Forest & Field Sustainability Senior Manager at Suntory Global Spirits, brings over 15 years of experience in ingredient procurement, focusing on sustainability for the past few years. He holds a B.S. in Natural Resource Conservation, a G.C. in Environmental Systems, and an M.S. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Kentucky. In his current role, Day collaborates with suppliers and industry partners to advance sustainable agricultural and forestry initiatives. He also serves on the boards of The White Oak Initiative, the Associated Cooperage Industries of America, and The Nature Conservancy of Kentucky.
Walker Modic, Director of Environmental Programmes at New Belgium Brewing, leads the company’s initiatives in climate, water, and biodiversity. Before joining New Belgium in 2022, Modic managed environmental engineering and compliance at Bell’s Brewery, overseeing sustainability strategies, byproduct utilisation, and natural resource efficiency. He has a background in environmental research, having worked at the EPA’s National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, where he received the Scientific and Technological Achievement Award. Modic holds an M.A. in Sustainability and Environmental Management from Harvard University and an M.S. in Molecular and Structural Biochemistry from North Carolina State University.
The committee has also formed three focused workgroups: one dedicated to communicating the sustainability benefits of various barley varieties, another on nitrogen management and research, and a third to develop a climate action roadmap for barley. As a trade organisation representing maltsters, brewers, and distillers, AMBA aims to foster a resilient supply of quality malting barley through research, development, and advocacy that unites stakeholders across the industry.
