Minnesota Barley Bits
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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.
The assessment, 5 percent at first then dropped to 2.5 percent in 1993, was originally mandated in the 1990 Farm Bill. It's elimination will save Minnesota barley growers an estimated $2 million, according to Minnesota Barley Executive Director Marv Zutz.
BETTER INSURANCE COVERAGE SOUGHT FOR MALTING BARLEY -- Gerald Lacey, Campbell, NBGA president, and other barley leaders met recently with Federal Crop Insurance officials in Kansas City to discuss establishing a suitable coverage rate for malting barley.
Lacey says current rules make it difficult for growers, particularly those without contracts, to receive adequate malting barley insurance coverage.
Barley leaders have suggested several changes, including a 25 to 30-cent coverage level that is higher than feed barley, or one that would be based on malting barley yield and quality.
There is an outside chance that changes for malting barley insurance coverage could be made in time for the 1995 growing season, but Lacey is more optimistic for changes the following year. "In the meantime, I would recommend taking at least 65 percent coverage, possibly up to 75 percent, under feed barley."
LACEY APPOINTED TO HIGH LEVEL TRADE ADVISORY GROUP -- Lacey was appointed by the USDA last year to serve on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee, which meets quarterly to review U.S. grain trade policies and give recommendations to the USDA and the State Department. FBI security clearance is required before appointments are made to the committee.
Lacey is the first barley representative of the ATAC, which is represented by wheat through Karen Fegley of the Wheat Export Trade Education Committee and Carl Schwensen of the National Association of Wheat Growers.
MARKET DEVELOPMENT PAYS OFF IN CHINA -- The first ever sale of U.S. malting barley to China was made in December, 1994, with shipments last month. The total 3.6 million bushels of Robust sold through Harvest States was shipped by rail to St. Louis, then barged to New Orleans ports and loaded onto Chinese vessels.
Chinese inspection officials were on hand to observe the vessel loading in New Orleans, and the group also traveled to the Twin Cities, where it was hosted by the Minnesota Barley Council. The group visited the Minneapolis Grain Exchange, with grain traders, and University of Minnesota crop scientists.
U.S. barley leaders began marketing efforts in China three years ago, demonstrating how to brew U.S. malting barley. They also sponsored taste tests, with U.S. malting barley coming up on top over Australian and Canadian barley.
"The Chinese have found that with its primitive domestic transportation system, it's less expensive to buy U.S. barley then grow and move their own barley to population densities on their coastlines," says Zutz. "Hopefully, this will give us a larger foothold in the Chinese market."
A maltster and a brewmaster from the United States will assist the Chinese in the technical aspects of brewing six-row barley.
In April, two U.S. barley producers will visit China to explore the possibility of a joint malting and brewing cooperative venture, with China owning 50 percent of the venture and U.S. barley growers the other.
MN BARLEY HAS FEED GRAINS VOICE IN SEEGER -- Mike Seeger, current chairman of the Minnesota Barley Council from Red Lake Falls, serves as chairman of the long-range planning committee of the U.S. Feed Grains Council, which gives recommendations on where the USFGC should focus market development efforts.
This year there will be more concentration on Pacific Rim and South American markets. Seeger has taken a leadership role in the USFGC and through officer rotations will in a few years become the first Minnesota Barley representative to become chairman of the USFGC.
BARLEY TO URGE RESEARCH SUPPORT -- Leroy Backman, Herman, serves on the National Barley Improvement Committee, which consists of growers, crop breeders, and maltsters. The committee will convene in Washington, D.C. in March to urge government officials for continued and expanded barley research support.
Barley breeding focus now includes food emphasis -- Although the Minnesota Barley Council invests barley checkoff dollars on barley varietal breeding programs at the University of Minnesota with an emphasis on malting, and now scab resistance, there now is also a crop breeding focus on food markets.
MBC funding has helped result in the conversion of the varieties Excell, Stander, and Robust to be available also as waxy hull-less varieties, which are going through seed increases for commercial production as early as 1996.
Waxy hull-less barley is rich in beta glucans, which help reduce cholesterol in human diets.