Adoption of new malt barley varieties by malt barley exporters

Canadian malt barley is grown in western Canada and is sold to maltsters who produce malt, a key ingredient in the brewing industry. Brewing companies have resisted switching to new malt barley varieties because it may affect their products. Maltsters are reluctant to buy new malt barley varieties, and farmers are reluctant to adopt new varieties given uncertainty over market demand. As a result, farmers have tended to keep growing the same variety of malt barley despite improved varieties being available. A similar lag in the adoption of new varieties is not occurring in Canada’s main export competitor markets, leading to a potential innovation gap. The project will provide an overview of the current malt barley marketing and supply chain environment in Canada and will examine the development and marketing of malt barley varieties in Australia and selected European countries. The project will assist SaskBarley in identifying potential roadblocks in the adoption of new barley varieties within current Canadian malt barley value chains.

Faculty Supervisor:

Jill Hobbs;Eric Micheels

Student:

Partner:

Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission

Discipline:

Business

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

University of Saskatchewan

Program: