Canada: Government invests in market development and growth for Canadian malting barley

Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced on February 28 an investment of over C$960,000 for the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) to expand existing and develop new markets for Canadian barley and barley products, The Newswire reported.

Canadian barley, as a cereal crop, is important for crop rotations, furthering sustainability and has a lower environmental impact compared to other crops. Barley is also the main feed stock for the livestock industry in Western Canada. This investment demonstrates the Government of Canada's commitment to help strengthen, diversify and grow markets for Canada's malting barley, which in turn contributes to a stronger Canadian agricultural sector.

With this funding, through the AgriMarketing Program, CMBTC will undertake marketing and promotional initiatives in major export markets and prospective countries. It will also provide technical services to optimize the quality and performance of Canadian barley, as well as education and training to help customers gain acceptance of the unique qualities and special processing attributes of new malting barley varieties.

The AgriMarketing Program, under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, aims to increase and diversify exports to international markets and seize domestic market opportunities through industry-led promotional activities that differentiate Canadian products and producers, and leverage Canada's reputation for high-quality and safe food.

"Canada's barley producers have faced many recent challenges, including a historic drought and the pandemic. Despite adversity, the industry continues to look for opportunities in domestic and global markets. This investment will help the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) promote malting barley, which will strengthen its competitiveness and contribute to national economic growth," the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, said.

"Through the AgriMarketing Program, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is providing an important investment that matches CMBTC member contributions, to fund our work providing technical and marketing support to Canada's barley value chain, promoting the premium value proposition of Canadian barley and malt in global markets,” Peter Watts, Managing Director, Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre, said.

Quick Facts

Canada is the fifth largest barley producer and the third largest malt barley exporter in the world.

Domestic and export sales of Canadian malting barley and processed malt generate C$1 billion annually.

Established in 2000, the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) is an independent, not-for-profit research facility that serves the Canadian malting barley supply chain by providing technical services and marketing support to stakeholders, including breeders, farmers, seed companies, exporters/importers, maltsters and brewers.

The funding announced today builds on a previous AgriMarketing investment of over C$1.4 million in 2019 for the CMBTC to conduct research to better understand markets, highlight the quality and value proposition of Canadian malting barley for existing and new customers, and provide educational programming to help customers better understand the value chain.

01 March, 2022