National Barley Council Created

Apr 17, 2013

Barley Council of Canada Incorporates

For the first time in Canada, the barley industry will have a national voice with the creation of Barley Council of Canada (BCC). The group announced on Wednesday, that it will be formally incorporating and will be representing farmers and barley industry members.

"This is the first time in history the entire value chain has been brought together from coast to coast on a Board of Directors." said Brian Otto, BCC chairman. "We are proud to move forward as the national voice for barley."

The BCC says that it will be focusing on five key areas moving forward: innovation and research, crop production practices, market development, increasing market understanding, and communication in the industry.

Federal Agricultural Minister Gerry Ritz took the opportunity to congratulate the BCC on its incorporation and says that he looks forward to working with the group to represent barley farmers.

The newly minted BCC says that it’s eager to implement project initiatives.

Video: How farmers are protecting the soil and our food security | DW Documentary

For a long time, soil was all but ignored. But for years, the valuable humus layer has been thinning. Farmers in Brandenburg are clearly feeling the effects of this on their sandy fields. Many are now taking steps to prepare their farms for the future.

Years of drought, record rainfall and failed harvests: we are becoming increasingly aware of how sensitively our environment reacts to extreme weather conditions. Farmers' livelihoods are at stake. So is the ability of consumers to afford food.

For a few years now, agriculture that focuses solely on maximum yields has been regarded with increasing skepticism. It is becoming more and more clear just how dependent we are on healthy soils.

Brandenburg is the federal state with the worst soil quality in Germany. The already thin, fertile humus layer has been shrinking for decades. Researchers and farmers who are keen to experiment are combating these developments and looking for solutions. Priority is being given to building up the humus layer, which consists of microorganisms and fungi, as well as springtails, small worms and centipedes.

For Lena and Philipp Adler, two young vegetable farmers, the tiny soil creatures are invaluable helpers. On their three-hectare organic farm, they rely on simple, mechanical weed control, fallow areas where the soil can recover, and diversity. Conventional farmer Mark Dümichen also does everything he can to protect soil life on his land. For years, he has not tilled the soil after the harvest and sows directly into the field. His yields have stabilized since he began to work this way.

Isabella Krause from Regionalwert AG Berlin-Brandenburg is convinced after the experiences of the last hot summers that new crops will thrive on Brandenburg's fields in the long term. She has founded a network of farmers who are promoting the cultivation of chickpeas with support from the scientific community.