Some of the best growers in Western Canada say good fortune is the key to having their barley selected for malting year after year. "It's mostly luck," said John Mezei of Bow Island, Alta., who was named grand champion at the 2002 Malting Barley Quality Competition organized by the Barley Development Council in Winnipeg.

Blake Nestibo of Goodlands, Man., who produced the best quality six-row malting barley in Manitoba, also took little credit for the feat.

But Michael Brophy, Canadian Wheat Board senior program manager for malting barley market development, said they are both too modest.

Brophy said the wheat board could sell more malting barley if producers grew more top quality crop.

The board usually sells about 2.3 million tonnes, but Brophy said the CWB thinks it could sell 3.3 million tons.

When Harrington barley was a major variety, the selection rate was even lower.

Mezei, who farms in the arid area near Medicine Hat, Alta., seeds early so he can harvest early.

09 April, 2003