November 1997
Barley 
Brewings
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Prairie Grains is the
official publication of
the Minnesota
Association of
Wheat Growers,
North Dakota Grain
Growers Association,
South Dakota Wheat,
Inc., and the
Minnesota Barley
Growers Association.
Staying ahead in the grains race
A recent transportation study by the U.S. Feed Grains Council has three major findings.
1) Asia will be a major market for feed grains imports and as demand grows in that region, improvements in our storage and transportation infrastructure will facilitate imports to Asia.
2) Global freight rates will rise modestly, but will not dampen world trade. This means exports will continue to flow to major markets such as China and Southeast Asia.
3) Competing export countries, particularly Argentina, Australia, and Brazil, are catching up with the U.S. edge in transportation infrastructure. But the U.S. feed grains sector can stay a step ahead through customer satisfaction and the marketing of services and value-enhanced grains.
Pulp Future
Minnesota Barley's involvement in a task force that is studying the feasibility of using wheat and barley straw to make paper was featured this fall in the Ag Utilization Research Institute's "Ag Innovation News." The task force has found that up to 30% of paper fibers can be made up of wheat and barley residue, and that pulp from wheat and barley straw, mixed with wood pulp, meets paper industry specifications. The thrust of the task force work now is determining if there is a market for ag fiber pulp, and if it can be produced at a competitive price.
RRV Barley Day Jan. 8
Red River Valley Barley Day will be held Thursday, Jan. 8, 1998 at the Ramada Inn, Grand Forks. Highlights will include an address by Bruce R. Weber, associate administrator of the USDA Farm Service Agency, updates on barley scab research, barley marketing, and more. There is no cost to attend. Registration begins at 8 a.m. Sponsored in part by the Minnesota Barley Research and Promotion Council.
Barley research priorities
Mike Davis, who heads the American Malting Barley Association and the National Barley Improvement Committee, says a top priority for the U.S. barley industry is the development of scab tolerant varieties. Other key research areas: barley gene mapping, system for regional vomitoxin testing, isolating and stopping the gushing factor produced by the fusarium fungus. There are personnel needs as well, including more researchers to concentrate on pathology relating to barley, and a new barley breeder at the U of M to work with Don Rasmusson in a transition period prior to his retirement.
"Corn may feed the world, but barley keeps it happy!" -- Lynn Dahleen, USDA-ARS barley geneticist, Fargo.
Canada lifts U.S. barley import barrier
Earlier this fall, Canada suspended the tariff-rate quota it had in place that restricted the movement of U.S. barley. Little U.S. barley is exported into Canada, but the National Barley Growers Association says the move is an essential first step toward better market access for U.S. barley and barley malt.
This information is brought to you by the Minnesota Barley Research and Promotion Council.