Farmers Urged to Send in Malting Barley Samples

Farmers are reminded that the deadline of October 31, 2003 is nearing for entering the Barley Development Council’s 2003 Malting Barley Quality Competition. Farmers are eligible to enter the competition if they grow two-row or six-row malting barley varieties from the Canadian Malting and Brewing Technical Centre’s 2003-04 Recommended List and their malting barley is selected by October 10, 2003.

To enter the competition, a representative sample (about one pound or four cups) must be appropriately packaged and sent with an entry form to the Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute’s Winnipeg office to be received by October 31, 2003. Farmers will receive an entry form and instructions with their malting barley selection contract letter of confirmation from the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB). In addition, entry forms are available from all competition sponsors listed below, from malting barley selectors and CWB Farm Business Representatives.

“The Brewers of Canada are a sponsor of the Malt Barley Quality Competition because we believe that it is important to acknowledge those farmers who strive to be the best,” said chair of the Barley Working Group at the Brewers of Canada, Scott Brown. “Weather plays its part, but knowledge, commitment and care go a long way toward harvesting world class malting barley, and we feel that should be rewarded.”

Commercial malting barley selectors will judge the entries for two- or six-row malting barley submitted from each crop district. Winning district entries will then be judged to select provincial winners, and an overall grand champion. District and provincial winners will be announced in November. District winners will each receive an expense-paid trip for two to Regina to attend a special program being held in conjunction with Agribition on November 23 and 24, 2003. Provincial winners will go on a second expense-paid trip in early 2004.

With a return to more acceptable growing conditions this year, the Barley Development Council and the competition’s sponsors hope to see many more samples submitted to the 2003 Malting Barley Quality Competition than were submitted in 2002. All growers whose malting barley has been selected by the October 10 deadline are strongly encouraged to submit a sample.

“Please don’t pre-judge your sample – let the judging panel do the judging!”, said President and CEO of the Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute and MBQC committee chair, Dr. Erin Armstrong. “With the relatively early harvest this year, there’s lots of time to get samples in to the BMBRI office before the October 31 deadline for sample receipt. The winners always have a great time on the prize trips!”

Sponsors of the 2003 Malting Barley Quality Competition include: Gold – The Brewers of Canada and Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute; Silver – Agricore United, Canadian Grain Commission, Canadian Wheat Board and Prairie Malt Limited; Bronze – A.C. Toepfer (Canada) Ltd., BARI Canada Inc., Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre, Cargill Ag Horizons, Quality Assured Seeds, SeCan Association, Seed-Ex Inc.; and Supporter – Hetland Seeds, N.M. Paterson & Sons Limited, North East Terminal, Parrish & Heimbecker, Ltd., Pioneer Grain Company Ltd., Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and South West Terminal.

The Barley Development Council is an umbrella organization that includes representatives from all aspects of the barley and malting industry in Western Canada. Its goal is to promote development of the western Canadian barley industry.

For further information contact:
Dr. Erin Armstrong
Chair, Malting Barley Quality Competition Committee
Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute
Phone: (204) 927-1407
E-mail: info@bmbri.ca