The American Malting Barley Association, Inc. strongly opposes the use of desiccants or herbicides such as glyphosate for post-heading treatment of malting barley, wheat, or other grains in North America being processed for malting, brewing, and distilling.

The AMBA board of directors, in a recent press release, cited concerns expressed by the organization's technical committee for potential chemical residues and effects on germination from such treatments that can impact processing or the quality of the final product.

AMBA is nonprofit trade association with business members representing maltster, brewer, distiller and other food manufacturers using malt.

Malting barley group opposes post-heading treatments on grains

Glyphosate is not labeled for post-heading application on malting barley in the United States as a pre-harvest aid to kill weeds, as a desiccant to dry down the crop, or for any other reason.

AMBA president Michael Davis said that the organization’s members will not knowingly buy malting barley, wheat or other grains, regardless of the grain’s origin, that are treated after heading with these chemicals. Residue testing is being performed.

According to the University of Minnesota, two basic types of barley — feed and malting — are grown in the state.

The U-M breeding program focused on malting varieties for the last half century. Earlier, high protein feed varieties for livestock were developed. As rail and truck distribution improved, breweries in St. Louis, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and other Midwest centers dominated the U.S. market. Quality barley was made possible by the climate and soils of western Minnesota and the Dakotas.

A 1992 economic study documented that about two-thirds of all beer produced in the U.S. contained barley developed by U-M Agricultural Experiment Station scientists.

According to the USDA, in 2014 Minnesota ranked 10^th in the nation for barley production.

Saskatchewan, Canada, does not allow desiccants and pre-harvest glyphosates for malt barley production. Malting barley has to be delivered to customers in a living state as it is the primary ingredient in beer processing.