This photo from barleyharvest.ca shows AC Bow — one of three newer varieties being recommended for growers this year — being harvested near Lethbridge late last summer. Although only accounting for 2.7 per cent of malt acres last year, AC Bow moved up to fifth spot in popularity. Another recommended variety, AAC Connect, took fourth spot at 5.2 per cent of acres while the third, CDC Fraser, 
was in seventh place (2.1 per cent of acres).

Newer and better malt varieties starting to get some love

Maltsters still smitten with the old standards but the future belongs to new varieties

Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s a slow process to get international maltsters to accept new barley varieties, partly because of unfamiliarity and partly because farmers aren’t growing enough of them. “They do prefer what they know, which are varieties like AC Metcalfe and CDC Copeland,” said Peter Watts, managing director of the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre. “But a […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Barley, wheat at par in Alberta

Demand also seen for heated canola

MarketsFarm — Prices for feed barley and wheat are running about the same, from where Susanne Leclerc sits at Market Master Ltd. in Edmonton. Barley and wheat going into central Alberta were both running at $315 per tonne, she said. “We’re seeing buyer strength gaining coverage for the summer,” she said, but noted trading activity […] Read more


A barley crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on July 30, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Feed weekly outlook: Barley demand pressures domestic supply

MarketsFarm — Increasing demand for feed barley has created a strong but extremely tightened market for the crop and it may potentially buck seeding predictions for 2021-22. Peter Watts, managing director of the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre in Winnipeg, said rising demand from China is also raising prices for feed barley, urging growers to […] Read more



File photo of a barley field in Argentina. (Juan Pablo Marchelletti/iStock/Getty Images)

Argentine truckers end strike, freeing China-bound barley

Canada, France would have been buyers' Plan B

Buenos Aires | Reuters — Argentine truckers ended a 20-day strike that had blocked access to ports in Buenos Aires province, agricultural industry sources said on Tuesday, following a deal struck with local officials to increase freight-hauling rates. Trucks owners grouped in the informal TUDA association (Transportistas Unidos de Argentina) began blocking highways last month, […] Read more



A barley crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on July 30, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

China’s appetite for feed barley sucks in new crop from Canada, France

Tariff on Australian barley favours other suppliers

Paris | Reuters — China’s buying spree of French and Canadian barley is spilling into the 2021-22 crop with large forward purchases, due to its major feed grain needs and a prohibitive tariff on Australian barley, traders and analysts said. China has been sweeping up huge volumes of foreign crops to help feed a pig […] Read more

File photo of South African malting barley. (Sunshine Seeds/iStock/Getty Images)

South Africa’s barley growers face bleak outlook on alcohol ban

Ban reinstated against COVID-19 surge

Johannesburg | Reuters — South African barley farmers are bracing for a tough market ahead as demand for the grain used to make beer falls and stockpiles grow after a ban on the sale of alcohol was reinstated as the country battles a surge in COVID-19 cases. The government in December enforced its third ban […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Buyers’ thoughts turn to April-June

MarketsFarm — Attention on feed grains is shifting away from February-March and focusing on the April-June period, according to Erin Harakal, senior trader at Agfinity at Stony Plain, Alta. Their buyers have February-March pretty much covered, she said. Demand continues to be driven by exports to China, she added, with Prairie feedlots required to keep […] Read more

(File photo)

Feed weekly outlook: Offshore demand still lifting Prairie barley

MarketsFarm — Solid offshore demand for Canadian barley remains the key driver in the domestic feed market, keeping prices high. “It’s certainly not driven by southern Alberta, it’s driven by Vancouver and the export business,” said Allen Pirness, of Market Place Commodities in Lethbridge, on the continued strength in barley bids. Typically, arbitrage opportunities would […] Read more