BANFF, Alta. – Barley growers want their crop to go beyond a salvage operation when nothing else can be sown.
“We are not keeping up with the other crops that we grow,” said Doug Walkey, executive director of the Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund.
“We are trying to get the best deal of development and research for the province.”
Alberta Beef Producers, Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, the Alberta Barley Commission and malting companies are joining forces to find more money to improve barley. About 80 percent of the crop is destined for livestock feed and more work is needed on fusarium resistance, improved yield and higher feed values.
The research is aimed at trying to make barley more competitive with other crops.
ALMA has set aside $8 million to improve feed grains like barley and triticale. The research should be completed by 2015.
“There are a lot of requests compared to the dollars we have available,” he said.
Applications are under review now and proposals with additional funding from agencies, industry and commodity groups are favoured.
“We are expecting to be writing the first cheque for March of this year,” Walkey said.
