Canadian barley brings in big bucks

Barley is a significant contributor to the economy and job creation

By Diego Flammini, Farms.com

It’s been a hard day in the field.

The sun has been up since nearly 6:00am on a mid-July day and you’ve had 86°F (30°C) beating down on you for nearly 12 hours.

After returning from your fields, you reach into your fridge, push aside the water and juice and reach for a frosty beer.

As you drink the ice-cold beverage you can’t help but think about the barley producers who play an integral role in making beer possible.

The Canadian government isn’t overlooking them either.

“Canada’s barley industry is a major contributor to jobs and economic growth,” said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz during the 38^th Annual Convention of the Western Barley Growers Association (WBGA). “Our Government is committed to working with industry to expand opportunities at home and abroad, ensuring that Canada remains a world force in barley.”

Barley is a crucial commodity in Western Canada as it produces more than $700 million in cash receipts and more than $700 million in exports. The beer industry adds $14 billion to the Canadian economy and provides more than 160,000 jobs across the country.

We (were) very pleased to have Minister Ritz address the delegates at the Western Barley Growers Association's 38th Annual Convention,” said WBGA President Doug Robertson. “Minister Ritz and the Federal Conservative government have been key forces responsible for modernizing the Canadian grain industry and allowing producers to better control their own resources and manage their operations in a profitable way. We are pleased to continue to work with him in this and other initiatives that benefit Canadian farmers.”

In November of 2014, the federal government announced an investment exceeding $1.9 million to the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Part of the centre’s mission is to “support the commercialization of Canadian malting barley and malt through applied research and analysis in our pilot malting and pilot brewing facilities”.

Barley