BMBRI Statement against Desiccants for Malting Barley

July 25, 2017

BMBRI Statement – Desiccant Use on Malting Barley:

For almost twenty years BMBRI malting and brewing industry members have been consistent with the following position statement for the information of malting barley growers and their crop inputs retailers.

“BMBRI members require that barley offered for selection for malting must not have been treated with glyphosate or any other chemical that acts as a desiccant on the barley”

Malting and brewing industry BMBRI members’ opposition to the use of pre-harvest desiccants on malting barley remains unchanged. Individual BMBRI malting and brewing industry members purchasing malting barley from growers in Canada have their own means of implementing this position in their malting barley production and selection/delivery contracts. Reported results from recent agronomic research on use of glyphosate as a desiccant to malting barley do not provide BMBRI with sufficient evidence to change the above position. Growers are also cautioned that any label information on glyphosate or other products that suggests they are approved for use as desiccants on malting barley is not supported by the Canadian malting and brewing industry members of BMBRI.

BMBRI’s position is consistent with a similar position from the American Malting Barley Association (AMBA) below representing its members who buy malting barley and other brewing products in North America, including from Canada.

Current AMBA Position:
“The American Malting Barley Association, Inc. (AMBA) strongly opposes the use of desiccants or herbicides such as glyphosate for post-heading treatment of malting barley, wheat, or other grains in North America being processed for malting, brewing, and distilling. The AMBA Board of Directors cites concerns expressed by the organization’s Technical Committee for potential chemical residues and effects on germination from such treatments that can impact processing or the quality of the final product. Glyphosate is not labeled for post-heading application on malting barley in the United States as a pre-harvest aid to kill weeds, as a desiccant to dry down the crop, or for any other reason.”

Dr. Michael P. Davis, AMBA President, notes that “our members will not knowingly buy malting barley, wheat or other grains, regardless of the grain’s origin, that are treated after heading with these chemicals and residue testing is being performed.”

For further information contact Michael Brophy (mbrophy@bmbti.ca) or any Canadian malting company representative.