(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

Fear of feed expected to keep malt barley acres low

CNS Canada — Concerns about weather dictating the quality of malt barley is keeping producers from seeding the crop this year, one industry participant says, while weak prices offer no extra incentive. “Acres are definitely going to be down, because of the fear of getting feed barley, which is horrendously low-priced,” said Rod Green of



Bill Legg, a veteran barley breeder at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Brandon Research Centre, is retiring soon. His work was recognized by the Prairie Grain Development Committee March 1 in Winnipeg.

Veteran AAFC barley breeder Bill Legge retiring

AC Metcalfe was a huge hit with farmers, maltsters and brewers and one of his best-known career achievements

Bill Legge, the plant breeder who developed AC Metcalfe, Western Canada’s most popular two-row malting barley for around 15 years, is retiring. Legge has been breeding barley at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) Brandon Research Centre for 30 years, Tom Fetch, an AAFC plant pathologist and chair of the Prairie Grain Development Committee (PGDC), said

Brothers Chris and Lawrence Warwaruk hope a malt-barley variety demonstration featuring 
historical varieties will spark a discussion on the farmer-brewer connection.

Back to the future for local brewer

Farmery brewers are hoping to highlight the farm-brewer connection and show the ingredients that make beer to the public

A farm-based beer maker is offering a unique agri-tourism destination that will show attendees the historical ingredients that were used to make beer. Neepawa’s Farmery Estate Brewery, run by brothers Chris and Lawrence Warwaruk, are showcasing the malt barley varieties ranging from a century ago to modern times on their operation, which also produces other


While overall beer consumption is seen as flat, the amount of craft beer produced in North America has been rising.

Craft brewing gives malt barley prices a hop

Acres are seen rising by about five per cent this spring

The craft brewing industry appears to be providing the fastest-rising demand for malt barley, which has been steadily pushing prices higher — but overall reduced demand for beer and increased acres could keep a lid on that strong pricing. “Many maltsters are either 100 per cent craft, or moving the percentages up all the time

Funds assist with malt barley analysis

Staff / Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) has been granted $82,000 from the Western Diversification Program to do more complex testing and analysis of malting barley to meet increased international barley quality standards. “This investment will allow the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre to strengthen the international competitiveness of Western Canada’s malt and malting


Malt barley facing stiff competition

More malt barley in Western Canada will be grown solely on a contracted basis as increasing competition from easier-to-grow genetically modified crops will cause producers to turn away from malt barley, Patrick Rowan, senior manager of Canadian barley operations with BARI-Canada said at the annual Wild Oats Grainworld conference Feb. 26. Genetically modified soybeans and

Farmers don’t want their research dollars to boost fortunes of big corporations

Head of Western Grains Research Foundation is studying the idea of a farmer-owned 
breeding company, but says any decision is a long way off

Grain producers want their research dollars to benefit them, and not big corporations in the post-single-desk world. “At what point are we going to stop funding research and selling it off and paying for it again and again,” Rob Brunel asked at the recent Keystone Agricultural Producers annual general meeting. He said he doesn’t want


Barley organizations get federal funds

MP Steven Fletcher, on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, has announced funding of more than $525,000 to the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre, the Malting Industry Association of Canada, and the Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute to develop a Canadian malt barley brand. A government release said funds will be used for product

New website for info on Prairie checkoffs

The Alberta Barley Commission (ABC) recently launched a new website to help western Canadian grain farmers and buyers better understand the new collection system for the wheat and barley checkoff. The website, www.wheatbarleycheckoff.com, provides information about the checkoff, the remittance process, reporting procedures and answers frequently asked questions. In accordance with the federal “Regulations Respecting