The Barley Bin

Every disease rating in the SaskSeed® Guide has an origin story — one that begins years before you put the crop in the ground. In this episode, host Mitchell Japp and East-Central SK barley producer Gord Moellenbeck, who has been growing malt barley for nearly 40 years, discuss why the disease package comes before yield when every acre has to make malt. Then the experts who build resistance from the ground up: Dr. Kelly Turkington (AAFC Lacombe) on the nurseries screening thousands of lines a season; Dr. Randy Kutcher (USask) and Dr. Gurcharn Brar (U of A) on tracking down resistance in wild barley germplasm; and Dr. Aaron Beattie (Crop Development Centre) on the decade-plus it takes to turn one trait into a variety you can actually grow. It's the story behind the number in the provincial seed guide — and a look at what's at stake when the system that produces resistance comes under pressure.

In this episode we take a closer look at the barley leaf diseases that don’t always get top billing — but can still have real agronomic and economic consequences. In this episode of The BarleyBin, Mitchell Japp is joined by Dr. Randy Kutcher and Dr. Kelly Turkington to talk through the symptoms, patterns, and management considerations for scald, net form net blotch, spot form net blotch, spot blotch, and bacterial leaf streak . The conversation focuses on practical disease identification in the field and why the difference between fungal and bacterial disease matters. A misdiagnosis can lead to unnecessary fungicide applications, wasted money, and increased risk of fungicide resistance in pathogen populations. For images of the diseases discussed in this episode and more supporting resources, visit barleybin.ca/category/podcasts

In this episode, host Mitchell Japp is joined by Jill McDonald, Executive Director of SaskBarley, and Cody Glenn, Chair of the SaskBarley Board of Directors, to discuss the importance of leveraging partnerships across the value chain to multiply the impact of farmer levy dollars.

Fusarium Head Blight remains one of the biggest disease threats facing barley growers in Canada. In this episode we follow up with our FHB coverage from S1E2 and explore how the research is keeping up in the fight against Enemy #1. Mitchell Japp revisits FHB with industry leading pathologists Dr. Kelly Turkington (AAFC) & Dr. Randy Kutcher (CDC), as well as cereal crop breeder Dr. Gurcharn Brar (U of A). They discuss the fundamentals of disease risk, how spray timing impacts FHB management, why lesser-known mycotoxins are getting more attention, and how researchers are finding fungicide resistance in unexpected places. A useful listen for producers, agronomists, and anyone following crop research on the Prairies.

In this episode Mitchell Japp talks with SaskBarley director Chad Ferguson about PRCOB, the Prairie Recommending Committee for Oat and Barley, and how new varieties get selected for registration. They explore how the variety registration process works in Western Canada, how data is reviewed, and how recommendations are made for new crop varieties. It’s a helpful inside look at one of the key committees shaping the future of barley production.

Season 3's disease management mini-series wraps up — but the story is just getting started. In this final episode of the series, host Mitchell Japp brings the story of barley disease research into the present and future. Today's research programs look very different than they did even twenty years ago. The tools are more advanced, the questions more complex, and the expectations — from farmers, industry, and markets — are higher than ever. Hear from Dr. Kelly Turkington (AAFC Lacombe), Dr. Randy Kutcher (University of Saskatchewan), and Dr. James Tucker (AAFC Brandon) as they reflect on how genomics and molecular science have transformed what's possible — and what challenges still lie ahead, from root diseases and leaf spots to emerging threats like stripe rust and ramularia. You'll also meet Sheila Andrade, a U of S graduate student using advanced imaging and AI to detect Fusarium-damaged kernels and predict mycotoxin contamination — and farmer Zenneth Faye, a longtime SaskBarley director who shares why research investment is more important than ever for Prairie barley producers. This is the story of a field in transition — and the people carrying it forward. Part 3 of a mini-series on barley disease management.

In this episode of the BarleyBin Podcast, host Mitchell Japp explores the turning point in Western Canadian barley disease management — the rise of Fusarium head blight (FHB). By the late 1990s, Prairie researchers had built solid tools for managing root and leaf diseases. Then FHB spread aggressively — and for malting barley farmers, it wasn't just a yield problem. A field could look great, yield well, and still get rejected at the elevator because of DON levels. Disease had become a market access issue. Hear from leading researchers Dr. Kelly Turkington (AAFC Lacombe), Dr. Randy Kutcher (University of Saskatchewan), and Dr. James Tucker (AAFC Brandon), along with Saskatchewan farmer Zenneth Faye, as they share how the barley industry fought back — through resistant varieties like AAC Connect, evidence-based fungicide timing, and integrated management strategies. This is the story of how researchers gave farmers options when they needed them most. Part 2 of a mini-series on barley disease management.

This episode of SaskBarley’s BarleyBin is the first in a three-part series on the past, present, and future of barley disease research. We explore the foundations of barley disease research, how it has changed over time, and why it remains important for producers, agronomists, and the barley industry today. The conversation highlights the role of research and collaboration in supporting stronger barley production and shaping the future of the sector. Follow SaskBarley on social media for more updates, and find more barley production resources at barleybin.ca. Part 2 of a mini-series on barley disease management.

In the following 4 episodes of The Barley Bin podcast, we feature all four 2023 SaskBarley Director Elections candidates. They address challenges like underutilized malt barley markets, they emphasize vital promotions and they discuss industry insights. The candidates share how they each advocate for a diverse, experienced board, expressing eagerness to contribute to SaskBarley’s initiatives. Listen now for more candidate perspectives and decide who you’re voting for!

In the following 4 episodes of The Barley Bin podcast, we feature all four 2023 SaskBarley Director Elections candidates. They address challenges like underutilized malt barley markets, they emphasize vital promotions and they discuss industry insights. The candidates share how they each advocate for a diverse, experienced board, expressing eagerness to contribute to SaskBarley’s initiatives. Listen now for more candidate perspectives and decide who you’re voting for!

In the following 4 episodes of The Barley Bin podcast, we feature all four 2023 SaskBarley Director Elections candidates. They address challenges like underutilized malt barley markets, they emphasize vital promotions and they discuss industry insights. The candidates share how they each advocate for a diverse, experienced board, expressing eagerness to contribute to SaskBarley’s initiatives. Listen now for more candidate perspectives and decide who you’re voting for!

In the following 4 episodes of The Barley Bin podcast, we feature all four 2023 SaskBarley Director Elections candidates. They address challenges like underutilized malt barley markets, they emphasize vital promotions and they discuss industry insights. The candidates share how they each advocate for a diverse, experienced board, expressing eagerness to contribute to SaskBarley’s initiatives. Listen now for more candidate perspectives and decide who you’re voting for!

Welcome to a special edition of the Barley Bin podcast! Usually, our goal with this podcast is to bring you right inside the barley bin. But today, we’re going to do something a little different – we’re taking you on a trip back through time, deep into Canadian barley history. In parts 1 and 2, we heard about the development of Harrington, the first two-row malting barley variety to come out of a Canadian breeding program, and the varieties that followed it in subsequent decades, most notably AC Metcalfe, which seemed to satisfy demands of farmers and maltsters/brewers at the time of its release in the late 1990s. But in the early 2000s, everything was about to change again – marking more challenges ahead for our breeders. Welcome to Part 3 of this special edition of the Barley Bin: CDC Churchill - The future of Canadian malting barley

Welcome to another a special edition of the Barley Bin podcast! Usually, our goal with this podcast is to bring you right inside the barley bin. But today, we’re going to do something a little different – we’re taking you on a trip back through time, deep into Canadian barley history. In part 1, we heard about the development of Harrington, the first two-row malting barley variety to come out of a Canadian breeding program. This was also the variety that put Canada on the map as a trusted global supplier of malting barley. In today’s episode, we are going to delve into life after Harrington. Join us as we dive in and get itchy.

Welcome to part 1 of a special edition of the Barley Bin podcast! Usually, our goal with this podcast is to bring you right inside the barley bin. But today, we’re going to do something a little different – we’re taking you on a trip back through time, deep into Canadian barley history. Today, Canada is a top producer and supplier of barley and malt to the global malting and brewing industry. But that hasn’t always been the case. In the early 1970s, the Canadian malting barley industry was miniscule in relation to its size today. There are several reasons for this increase. One of them is that, in the last 50 years, Canadian barley breeders have worked diligently to develop new malting barley varieties to meet the needs of Canadian farmers and the malting and brewing industry. This hasn’t always been an easy, or clear cut task. But it does make for an interesting story! Join us as we dive in and get itchy, looking back at the development of some of Canada’s most well-known malting barley varieties.

Since 1984, Jim Anderson has been involved in the R&D program in what is now Nutrien Ag Solutions. Since that time, the program Jim has been working in has had 34 barley varieties supported for registration. The most successful varieties include: B1602 (malt), Winchester and Stetson (6-row, semi-dwarf, feed), Westford and Dillon (hooded, forage), Xena, Champion and Brahma (2-row, feed). Current varieties include Oreana (semi-dwarf), Claymore and Altorado (all 2-row, feed types). Altorado will be launched in 2022. Another four new varieties are being tested in regional trials. In our conversation we talk about Jim’s experiences with Nutrien and its predecessor companies, growing and developing barley varieties for prairie farmers. We delve into historical varieties, variety development and Jim’s passion for generating good quality data for farmers. Nutrien Ag Solutions Varieties of Grain Crops Feed barley yields as influenced by variety and management Alberta Seed Guide – Cereals (with yield by yield potential) Barley Bin podcast with Dr. Aaron Beattie

We chat with Chuck Penner from Left Field Commodity Research about the current barley market and some signals for what might happen in the coming months. Strong demand for barley over the past year combined with the 2021 drought are influencing barley prices and feed buyers are starting to seek alternatives. We discuss these factors and more that will influence feed and malt barley markets for the coming months. SaskBarley Enewsletters Left Field Commodity Research

We chat with Jason Skotheim, who is in his final year of his second 4-year term as a SaskBarley director. Jason is the current vice-chair, following six years as chair. Jason operates a farm north of Prince Albert with his brother and is one of the founders of Horizon Manufacturing. Jason has focused on facilitating good governance and supporting projects that are valuable for farmers. We talked about all of these topics and more, including Jason’s experience with hulless barley.

We connected with Dr. Phillip Harder, hydrologist from Centre for Hydrology , University of Saskatchewan about his twitter thread from this summer, charting precipitation and growing degree days for 2021 over the past several decades. We talk about how 2021 has compared to past droughts, the impact of heat compared with water deficit and what the implications are for next year. Twitter thread and charts Les Henry article AAFC Drought Watch Maps Herb Cutforth tall stubble research P Harder thesis Dave Sauchyn – Dendoclimatology

In our first episode of season 2, we talk with Keith Armstrong, Head Brewer, Great Western Brewing about new barley varieties. Keith is head brewer at Great Western Brewing, and is enthusiastic about consuming barley. Barley is a high quality, nutritious grain, with a heart healthy label from Health Canada, but has been set aside for lesser grains in our diet. We discuss the status of barley, connecting consumers with barley and how making barley more accessible and familiar is good for us and barley growers. Resources: Master Brewers Podcast Episode with Keith Armstrong Google Ngram for barley, malt etc. Google Ngram About Google Ngram AMBA (American Malting Barley Association)