Three Alberta farms are among 10 winners of the Canadian malting barley industry’s Elite Barley program which honours the best malt barley producers in Canada.
The awards went to Bork Farm of Chipman, Verdant Hutterite Colony of Drumheller and Sunshine Hutterite Brethren of Hussar.
“We want to celebrate the best growers and all that this program stands for, and Elite Barley is a clear representation of that,” said Mike Leslie, CEO of the Alberta Barley Commission, one of the founders and a current program sponsor.
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“Canadian malt is recognized around the world for its quality in producing beer and spirits,” said Michael Brophy of the Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute (BMBRI) in Winnipeg. “The goal of the Elite Barley program is to celebrate and promote the best management techniques in malt barley production.”
“It represented a value of about $740 million in farm gate receipts in 2009, and a significantly greater value when brewing and malting activity is considered. Much of that success depends on the growers who are at the front end of the production process.”
The knowledge gained from the production and management practices of these Elite Barley producers is valuable to share with all growers, says Leslie. Background information on the program, production tips from these producers and other resource information is available in an Elite Barley Special Report available at www.elitebarley.com.
The Elite Barley program, is co-chaired by BMBRI and the Canadian Grain Commission. Sponsors include The Alberta Barley Commission, BASF, Brewers Association of Canada, Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute, Canadian Wheat Board, Prairie Malt, SeCan, Seed-Ex Inc., Syngenta, and Rahr Malting Canada Ltd.
