Barley Brewings

Issue 9
September 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.

Stander leading MN barley variety in 1997
In just four years of production, Stander is the most popular variety among Minnesota barley producers, according to this year's Minnesota barley variety survey, conducted by the Minnesota Ag Statistics Service. Robust was a close second, only four percentage points behind Stander, which claimed an estimated 290,100 acres, or 48% of the total barley acres. This six-rowed malting variety has gained popularity because of high yield and superior lodging resistance.

Even though Robust came in second in percent of acreage seeded, it remains a popular variety in the area. After a decline last year, Robust acreage increased in 1997 by three percentage points. Robust is a medium yield six-rowed malting variety, which is very resistant to lodging. Excel, in its seventh year on the market, controls 17,700 acres, 3% of the total acres. Excel is said to be a high yielding and high extracting variety with lodging characteristics similar to Robust. Morex accounted for 2% or 9,600 acres up 1 percentage point from 1996. It is a medium-yielding, medium-lodging resistance variety. Other varieties contributing to the remaining 3% of barley acres were: Azure, B1602, Bumper, Chilton, Foster, Hazen, Royal, Stark, and Westford.
Barley acreage this summer was estimated at 600,000 acres in Minnesota, up 8% from 550,000 acres planted last year. Barley in northwest and west central Minnesota account for 89% of the state's total.
Stander, Robust, Excel and Morex are recommended by the American Malting Barley Association, Inc. (AMBA) as malting varieties. Partial funding for this variety survey was provided by the American Malting Barley Assn., Inc. and the Minnesota Barley Research and Promotion Council.n

Making paper from barley straw
The Northwest Minnesota Foundation recently awarded a grant of $30,000 to the Future Fiber Partners Group to continue their research on the feasibility of partially substituting straw pulp for wood pulp in the manufacturing of fine paper. The grant matches funding already committed by the Red Lake Electric Cooperative, Blandin Corporation, the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) and the Minnesota Barley Research and Promotion Council.
The total funding of $60,000 will be used to hire researchers at the University of MN Department of Wood and Paper Science, to study how wood pulp and straw pulp may be combined to make a quality, cost-effective paper product, attractive to the paper industry.
Following the research at the University of Minnesota, pilot testing of semi loads of barley straw, wheat straw, and wood pulp will be conducted at a research pulping facility in the southern United States. This pilot testing, along with the U of M research data, will help determine the commercial viability of a value-added project using small grains straw.n

Chinese drinking more beer
China's per capita beer consumption is predicted to increase steadily towards the year 2000, according to Arend Heijbroek, manager of the Food and Agribusiness Division at Rabobank International. Increased beer consumption will result in a larger amount of malting barley use and imports. Ultimately, China will need to increase barley imports by 2.7 mmt (124 mbu) by the year 2000 to support the growing barley demand.n

U.S./Canada Grain Summit Recommendation
U.S. and Canadian barley leaders participated in a Pacific Northwest Economic Region conference in Seattle this past summer, and agreed on eight recommendations to improve cross-border trade:

The U.S. should eliminate its export subsidies. Both countries should eliminate discretionary pricing beyond normal commercial practice, modify domestic farm policies to remove imbalances and trade distortions in both countries, and work together to persuade other countries to do likewise.
Canada should move to cash buying and selling of wheat and barley to allow for price discovery and arbitrage.
Canada should eliminate Tariff Rate Quotas on U.S. barley.
Canada and the U.S. should move towards trade in wheat and barley on value-based specifications.
The U.S. and Canada should eliminate end-use certificates on wheat trade.
Canada and the U.S. should adopt non-discriminatory access to each other's grain handling and transportation infrastructure.
The U.S. and Canada should standardize trucking regulations.
Canada should deregulate and create a commercially driven and competitive rail transportation system for grain.n

Thanks again Ron!
Ron Tommerdahl, Hendrum, MN, stepped down from the board of the Minnesota Barley Research and Promotion Council this past summer, after representing barley producers in district 2 since 1990. Curt Knutson, Fisher, MN, was elected last spring as the new district 2 MBRPC board director.

This information is brought to you by the Minnesota Barley Research and Promotion Council.

Copyright Prairie
Grains Magazine
September 1997

Issue 9 September 1997	Barley Brewings

Library Home E-Mail Back 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.	Stander leading MN barley variety in 1997 In just four years of production, Stander is the most popular variety among Minnesota barley producers, according to this year's Minnesota barley variety survey, conducted by the Minnesota Ag Statistics Service. Robust was a close second, only four percentage points behind Stander, which claimed an estimated 290,100 acres, or 48% of the total barley acres. This six-rowed malting variety has gained popularity because of high yield and superior lodging resistance. Even though Robust came in second in percent of acreage seeded, it remains a popular variety in the area. After a decline last year, Robust acreage increased in 1997 by three percentage points. Robust is a medium yield six-rowed malting variety, which is very resistant to lodging. Excel, in its seventh year on the market, controls 17,700 acres, 3% of the total acres. Excel is said to be a high yielding and high extracting variety with lodging characteristics similar to Robust. Morex accounted for 2% or 9,600 acres up 1 percentage point from 1996. It is a medium-yielding, medium-lodging resistance variety. Other varieties contributing to the remaining 3% of barley acres were: Azure, B1602, Bumper, Chilton, Foster, Hazen, Royal, Stark, and Westford. Barley acreage this summer was estimated at 600,000 acres in Minnesota, up 8% from 550,000 acres planted last year. Barley in northwest and west central Minnesota account for 89% of the state's total. Stander, Robust, Excel and Morex are recommended by the American Malting Barley Association, Inc. (AMBA) as malting varieties. Partial funding for this variety survey was provided by the American Malting Barley Assn., Inc. and the Minnesota Barley Research and Promotion Council.n Making paper from barley straw The Northwest Minnesota Foundation recently awarded a grant of $30,000 to the Future Fiber Partners Group to continue their research on the feasibility of partially substituting straw pulp for wood pulp in the manufacturing of fine paper. The grant matches funding already committed by the Red Lake Electric Cooperative, Blandin Corporation, the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) and the Minnesota Barley Research and Promotion Council. The total funding of $60,000 will be used to hire researchers at the University of MN Department of Wood and Paper Science, to study how wood pulp and straw pulp may be combined to make a quality, cost-effective paper product, attractive to the paper industry. Following the research at the University of Minnesota, pilot testing of semi loads of barley straw, wheat straw, and wood pulp will be conducted at a research pulping facility in the southern United States. This pilot testing, along with the U of M research data, will help determine the commercial viability of a value-added project using small grains straw.n Chinese drinking more beer China's per capita beer consumption is predicted to increase steadily towards the year 2000, according to Arend Heijbroek, manager of the Food and Agribusiness Division at Rabobank International. Increased beer consumption will result in a larger amount of malting barley use and imports. Ultimately, China will need to increase barley imports by 2.7 mmt (124 mbu) by the year 2000 to support the growing barley demand.n U.S./Canada Grain Summit Recommendation U.S. and Canadian barley leaders participated in a Pacific Northwest Economic Region conference in Seattle this past summer, and agreed on eight recommendations to improve cross-border trade: The U.S. should eliminate its export subsidies. Both countries should eliminate discretionary pricing beyond normal commercial practice, modify domestic farm policies to remove imbalances and trade distortions in both countries, and work together to persuade other countries to do likewise. Canada should move to cash buying and selling of wheat and barley to allow for price discovery and arbitrage. Canada should eliminate Tariff Rate Quotas on U.S. barley. Canada and the U.S. should move towards trade in wheat and barley on value-based specifications. The U.S. and Canada should eliminate end-use certificates on wheat trade. Canada and the U.S. should adopt non-discriminatory access to each other's grain handling and transportation infrastructure. The U.S. and Canada should standardize trucking regulations. Canada should deregulate and create a commercially driven and competitive rail transportation system for grain.n Thanks again Ron! Ron Tommerdahl, Hendrum, MN, stepped down from the board of the Minnesota Barley Research and Promotion Council this past summer, after representing barley producers in district 2 since 1990. Curt Knutson, Fisher, MN, was elected last spring as the new district 2 MBRPC board director. This information is brought to you by the Minnesota Barley Research and Promotion Council.
Copyright Prairie Grains Magazine September 1997

Barley Brewings

Copyright Prairie Grains Magazine September 1997

Copyright Prairie
Grains Magazine
September 1997