Malt Barley Availability

[charliep]

From today's e-malt.

Begin quote.

Canada: Very quiet off shore activity for Canadian barley, harvest held back by rain - IMBM
The usual activity for domestic buyers of barley in Canada is occurring (light buying) but off shore and US markets remain very quiet for Canada as seller. On the contrary, US barley continues to move into Canada, IMBM reports (CHARLIE - NOTE).

The harvest is behind in Canada with only 13% harvested in Saskatchewan at September, 6 for all crops and 9% for barley – progress since September, 6 would have been limited in Saskatchewan due to continued wet weather and wet field conditions. (CHARLIE - ALBERTA SEPT. 9 NUMBERS 7 % COMBINED) There has not yet been a killer frost so far but that could happen at any time here forward, IMBM experts said.

The CWB has given indications for export markets at values reflecting higher global pricing, showing no willingness to be aggressive so far. Canada is still unsure of what production and quality of malt barley it will have to work with will be and so the CWB may be unsure of what new crop it will have to work with.

[charliep]

Apologize for my standard question but is anyone seeing cash plus offers for malt barley - particularly old crop? Are the malsters talking to you?

Not wanting to turn into a CWB policy issue but interesting maltsters can bring US barley into Canada for a cash price but can only source from the CWB in Canada. The US farmers can make decisions to sell (in this case to a Canadian maltster via a US grain company/broker) for a daily price whereas a western Canadian farmer has to go through the rigamoral of CWB contracts, maltster contracts, cashplus contracts, etc., etc. etc.

[rosco]

I called Canada Malt in Bawlf yesterday about pricing, as I was considering whether to go with a GDC for feed barley if my malt is poor quality. Was told that they only had the cwb malt pool price, no special contracts yet. But the criteria on malt was out the window. The only thing they are looking at is chitting. They aren't even worried about any of the usual "too's" (too wet, too stained, too high px, too light, too bad)
Rosco

[charliep]

Thanks rosco

Talked to other sources and they confirmed your comments. Sounds like farmers are using the pool and normal contracts based on the more favorable August PRO ($4.50/bu ish Alberta to maybe $5/bu with maltster incentives).

Someone has to help me why it is still acceptable to deliver for a small percent of a forecast and a hope of a final payment? Why not walk out the door with a price or at least a 90 % down payment? Why not make cash plus a requirement for signing any malt barley contracts?

[cottonpicken]

Surprise surprise surprise-sliding grading scale,who
was the gomer down a few threads wondering how 3's
become 2's and 2's become ones.

And what douche came up with 3 and extra 3"s
stupidest *** thing ever-the next number is 4 grover

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6_1Pw1xm9U

ya it was worth the 15 seconds to find

[Hopperbin]

Didn't the Canadian maltsters used to be able to price most of their barley purchases before planting? Did that change? Is the CWB importing the malt?
Is the gov't paying for it all?
Should a Canadian farmer have to settle for second grade beer?

[charliep]

On your last question - between adjuncts, wheat ales and imported malt in domestic beer, malt product disappearance in Canada has decreased from about 300,000 tonnes to current levels of 140,000 tonnes.

[bucket]

Why isn't the cwb calling for antidumping suit against the american producers since that is what the US has done with wheat and durum.

It goes to show whose interests the cwb takes care of. Not the farmers.

An import of barley into canada should be financially harmful to western canadian producers? As the current price for malt in the bin should be considerably higher. The freight charges should make it more expensive to bring in. At the same price freight included the US is dumping.

Where are all the board supporters. They should be screaming.

[wmoebis]

gomer here.

The dif between wheat and malt barley for grading purposes is: Maltsers can malt anything, they can malt feed bly if they want and pay you malt price.
Grain companies do not grade malt barley unless it is for thier own sale or export. Malt is either selected or not by "the maltster" depending if it meets thier specific needs for the batch of malt they are making, including grain companies selection on sales. Grain companies can tell you if they think it will make malt selection but that is their opinion they will still send either samples or results from their lab to a selector.

There is no grading of malt barley anymore there used to be special select, select and standard select both 2 row and 6 row. I some cases the elevators were paying standard select then turning around having it graded by third party and selling it for select or special select pocketing the dif. That is when street malt and paying on the driveway came in and all malt is the same price now. 'Not all the reasons but in a nut shell'.

The reason I asked how come the #3 last year was a #2 this year was, The grades haven't changed yet, other than a few minor tolerances in the guide and they don't make up the standards until after harvest and the quality of grain for sale is known by the grain standards commitee.

If it is a 2 this year it could have been a 2 last year. Unless the quality factors in the sample were altered or the grain company has blending ability to move it up a grade this year. I was wondering what those factors were. If a sample has #3 factors in it that grade can not change unless there is blending done to increase grade. If a grain company wants our grain because they have room to blend it up that money should go back to farmers not the grain company.

Did the grain company blend out the #3 last year and ship as a #2? If so producer could have marketed it as a #2 last year.

I guess in my world there is more to marketing than price and runing from elevator to elevator to see who will give me the best grade. I market the good qualities in my grain not take a loss on the bad. If a company wants my good kernals to make money on they have to buy it right. My poor quality blended with others poor quality makes a better quality I want paid for the better quality that it took my grain to get it there.

All I am getting at is: FOR ME Knowing my quality 'kernal for kernal' and knowing what blending room there is, is an important marketing tool when the price is set by others.

I do know my grain before I go to an elevator. If I have a #3 and they offer me a #2 I want to know why they won't give me a #1 if they have the blending ability.

Not saying that most elevators aren't doing there best to help us out but 'If knowing my quality and being on top of quality in the system' before I market makes me a gomer in others eyes, so be it.

[charliep]

You are right in that maltster can malt out of specification barley (except spouting). As highlighted above, it creates a whole bunch of problems in both the malting and brewing processes that potentially impact the final product the consumer sees/tastes. There is a reason quality beer requires quality malt barley.

Having said, the bulk of the beer market (read low cost) is not so picky. I note China (and reading Russia today) have used something lower quality and even (hopefully not struck by lightening for speaking sacrilege) near beer with no malt barley (or wheat for that matter).

to quote emalt - “The only thing worse than a brewery without malt is a pub without beer.”
Unknown thinker

[charliep]

I should note there is no such thing as special select or sample select anymore. All malt barley is select in the CWB payment system although you may get premiums/discounts for certain attributes (farmer negotiation with the maltster). You are right in that it does make it difficult to understand your quality/get paid for it when your buyer has a sliding scale and wants to buy the best of the best. Lots of discussion on this issue in the past.

[charliep]

You said what I said above. Should read more carefully. Sorry about that.

[Burbert]

No wonder, so many guys/gals are saying f--k malt and are goin wit feed. Right now, I'm filling a feed contract wit last years malt. I suspect that the grain company, is upgradin it, and holdin it back fer malt. Contracts, smontract, lying and cheatin always prevails in grain sails................ What an amazin system we youngs have created here in Comedia....

[charliep]

Don't know why you are complaining. Malt barley marketing and grading is the same as it was 50 years ago - no innovation or creativity. You should be happy - your smile is justified.

[jensend]

maltsters will figure out what they can produce and price feedstock accordingly. everytime there's poor quality that's how it goes. crap grain is crap grain and they won't try to make a farmer rich in the best of times let alone now.