CANADA

The 2024 Canadian barley growing season has shown considerable variability across the prairie provinces. Saskatchewan and Manitoba have experienced favourable growing conditions, with timely and sufficient rainfall throughout the season. This has led to a robust barley crop, with good quality and optimal protein levels, meeting the necessary standards for malting purposes. Both yield and quality in these provinces are above average, contributing positively to the overall outlook for the crop.

In contrast, Alberta, has faced prolonged dry conditions, which have significantly impacted crop development. The barley harvested in Alberta is below average in quality, characterized by thin kernels and elevated protein levels. Moreover, yields in Alberta are substantially lower than expected, further contributing to the province’s challenging season.

Despite Alberta’s struggles, the strong performance in Saskatchewan and Manitoba is expected to balance out the overall production, pulling the total Canadian barley crop up to an average level. The contributions from these two provinces will be crucial in offsetting the deficiencies observed in Alberta, ensuring that the overall crop volume and quality are maintained at acceptable levels to service our Canada Malting Co. customers.

Feed Market Impact

The feed barley market has been particularly affected by the variability in yield and quality across the prairies. As a result, there has been increased pressure on the availability of suitable feed-grade barley, driving prices upward. Livestock producers are facing challenges in sourcing adequate supplies of good-quality feed, which could have downstream effects on livestock production costs and consumer prices.

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UNITED STATES

The 2024 U.S. barley crop is expected to fall short of the latest USDA production projections, with several key growing regions facing challenges that have impacted both yield and quality.

Dryland areas in Montana and Idaho experienced significant moisture deficits throughout the growing season, resulting in reduced yields and inconsistent quality. In Montana, barley production was further complicated by late-season rains in the north-central region, which caused sprout damage to the crop. This has made it difficult for end users to find suitable supplies, as they sort through the affected barley to determine what can be utilized.

In Idaho, the overall crop was average, but yields on irrigated acres showed variability. Some growers faced yield losses due to early-season frost and issues with voles, which damaged crops in certain areas. These factors have contributed to an uneven quality profile across the state.

Similar to Montana, southern Colorado also saw adverse weather conditions during the harvest, with rain leading to sprout damage in the barley crop. This has compounded the quality challenges, and end users are now evaluating the crop to see what can meet their specifications.

The reduced production and variable quality have made sourcing suitable barley more complex, particularly for malting and feed purposes. With production down from previous projections and quality concerns prevalent in key growing regions, the market is likely to see increased competition for high-quality barley and put additional pressure on supply chains.

While the barley season has been challenging in the US this year, Great Western Malting has a vast network of growers to help mitigate supply chain issues. Our grain team is working hard to identify and utilize the best-quality barley from this year’s crop, and our maltsters will continue to adjust their recipes accordingly to continue providing premium malt products to our customers.

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