U.S. Grains Council Connects Mexican Brewers to Montana Barley Producers

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) recently organized farm visits, educational opportunities and business-to-business meetings between a major Mexican brewing company and stakeholders in the U.S. barley industry.

Pictured above, Montana Wheat and Barley Board Member Kevin Bradley (second from left) speaks to attendees about his crop and shares an informational brochure about barley production and applications he created with his children.

Mexico is one of the top beer producing countries in the world, and the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) recently continued to support the connection with U.S. barley producers by organizing meetings between procurement staff from a major Mexican brewer and barley growers in Montana.

“Like many industries, Mexican brewers are increasingly interested in ensuring their products are sustainably produced, and that work starts on the farm,” said Javier Chavez, USGC senior marketing specialist. “U.S. barley growers strive to produce top quality barley while causing minimal impact on the environment, and the Council is proud to help share their work with international buyers.”

Attendees touched down in Bozeman, MT, and kicked off the agenda at Montana State University where Barley Malt and Brewing Lab Director Hannah Uhlman welcomed the group and discussed the biological factors of U.S. barley that make it ideal for brewing. Participants also toured the university’s malt quality lab and greenhouse to see how the crop is grown and tested.

The agenda included visits to five local barley farms, a maltster and a barley elevator to provide a wholistic view of the U.S. barley value chain and how quality and sustainable practices are always the top priorities.

“Participants were extremely interested in developing new business contacts to source sustainable barley for their expanding operations, and this program certainly accomplished that through farm visits and educational opportunities to learn about the quality assurance measures that exist throughout the U.S. agriculture industry,” Chavez said.

Source: Northern AG Network