West Country's cider makers want more recognition for environmental role
The industry is highlighting its long-term impact in protecting environments across generations
The West Country's cider makers say their work to protect the environment needs better recognition - as they are call for a Government white paper on the industry.
It comes as around two pubs a day shut for good in the first three months of this year - which the British Beer and Pub Association say is also a loss of around 2,400 jobs.
Barny Butterfield is the deputy chair of national association of Cider Makers and runs Devon's Sanford Orchards which makes around 10p on every pint of cider sold.
"We want to remind people just how much we invest in the countryside on behalf of everybody," he said.
"When we commit to growing cider apples we're committing our grandchildren to be invested in this most ancient and most British of drinks.
"If you ever have the pleasure of walking through an apple orchard and you hear the bird song and you see the wonderful diverse insect life and the wild flowers, you realise that this is an oasis of wildlife in what can be quite a barren agricultural landscape."
It is believed the amount of cider being drunk in the UK has fallen by a third in 10 years - with the subsequent loss of 2,000 apple orchards. At the moment UK Cidermaking contributes £2.7 billion to the economy and supports more than 65,000 jobs - taking up 15,000 acres of British farmland.
The Sandford Orchards founder says he wants the industry to be considered as part of any upcoming agricultural policy changes.
He said: "If you want to grow grains for example to make spirits or beer, you could make that decision in May and the crop can be off your field in August.
"If we make a decision to commit our land to cider orchard, we might be planting it in three years - by the time the trees are ready from the nursery - and our great grandchildren will be thinking about taking that orchard out and planting another one so it's a really big commitment.
"We need governments to understand that for industries to make commitments across generations that we need their support."
All of Sandford's apples are grown in a 20 mile radius of the cider works, with by-products bio-converted locally into natural green gas and CO2, which is used to carbonate the ciders.
The firm is also working towards having all their company vehicles charged by renewable power and uses natural lighting, rainwater harvested from their roofs, and insulation to reduce energy costs.
"People maybe don't know that you don't eat cider apples," added Mr Butterfield.
"We grow fruit that you will never see in the grocery shop we don't make cider from cooking apples and eating apples - those are for folk to eat - our apples are very much like wine grapes. They produce this incredibly interesting, complex and rich drink."