Press Releases

2012 AMBA Recommended Malting Barley Varieties

2012-01-09

AMBA releases the list of recommended malting barley varieties for 2012. The recommended two-rowed varieties for 2012 are AC Metcalfe, CDC Copeland, Charles, Conlon, Conrad, Harrington, Hockett, Merit, Merit 57, Moravian 37, Moravian 69, Pinnacle, and Scarlett. Six-rowed varieties are Celebration, Lacey, Legacy, Quest, Robust, Stellar-ND, and Tradition.

AMBA Barley Variety Identification Workshops

2011-08-04

AMBA will be conducting four Barley Variety Identification Workshops this fall. The workshops will be held from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the following locations:

Idaho Falls, ID 10/11/2011

Great Falls, MT 10/13/2011

Fargo, ND 10/18/2011

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Quality Guidelines for Malting Barley Breeders

2011-03-31

AMBA periodically updates ideal quality targets for malting barley breeders. These guidelines are both in analytical format as well as in comparison to popular commercial varieties.

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Charles Production Guide

2010-04-27

Production Guidelines for CHARLES: A New Two-rowed Winter Malt Barley

The yield potential for winter barley significantly exceeds that of spring barley and may require less irrigation over the length of the growing season. In years where winter kill wasn’t an issue, winter barley yields averaged over 25 bu/A more than spring barley (1997-2007) in Extension Variety Trials in southern and southeastern Idaho. The potential for increased yields in a winter malt barley variety should lead to increased profitability for growers over spring malt varieties. Currently, all winter barley varieties are feed types. The first release of a two-rowed winter barley with acceptable malt quality and brewing characteristics occurred in 2005, with the release of ‘Charles’ winter barley by the USDA-ARS, Aberdeen, ID, and the University of Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station (AES).

Full Guide

Barley Storage Concerns

2010-04-27

AMERICAN MALTING BARLEY ASSOCIATION, INC. EXPRESSES CONCERN WITH 2004 CROP BARLEY STORAGE MILWAUKEE
While growing conditions in 2004 were generally better than those experienced in 2002, some of the same concerns are appearing in many areas. American Malting Barley Association, Inc. (AMBA) officials are asking barley producers to closely monitor grain bin conditions over the coming months to help avert potentially costly losses.

Full Release

AMBA Disapproves of Post-Heading Herbicide Treatments

2010-04-27

AMERICAN MALTING BARLEY ASSOCIATION, INC. DISAPPROVES OF POST-HEADING TREATMENT OF BARLEY WITH HERBICIDES

American Malting Barley Association, Inc. (AMBA) malting and brewing members will not knowingly buy malting barley that has been post-heading treated with herbicide, such as glyphosate, regardless of the barley's origin. Although post-heading herbicide application to barley, as a pre-harvest aid to kill weeds, as a desiccant to dry down the crop, or for any other reason, is legal in the United States and Canada, the use of such treatment on malting barley is strongly discouraged by the Canadian and US malting and brewing industry.

The AMBA Board of Directors, citing concerns expressed by the organization's Technical Committee for potential herbicide residues in malt made from treated barley, has voted to disapprove of post-heading treatment of malting barley with herbicides. This decision is in keeping with the Industry's long standing policy against the use of additives.