2021 North American Barley Crop Report

Ashton Lewis, BSG

With the 2021 harvest in, brewers and maltsters are seeing firsthand how this year’s barley crop has been impacted by widespread drought and global logistics challenges.

The vast majority of North American barley crop is grown within the North Central and Northwestern regions of United States and Western Canada. Drought throughout the summer has only increased in these areas since last year, affecting this year’s crop. The 2021 yield is expected to be between 37% to 38% lower than in 2020, despite Canadian farmers seeding the highest number of hectares since 2009.

The reduction in crop volume is a direct result of the drought that hit during plant growth stages and barley head development. The key barley-growing regions across the northern US and western Canada experienced a severe lack of moisture during the weeks of the crop’s highest water demand.

The combination of decreased harvest volume and increased logistics and transportation costs across all global business sectors will impact malt prices. Rahr Malting is committed to strict quality control standards and well-positioned to receive top quality and consistent barley, thanks to long-term relationships with the farmers who supply the Alix, AB and Shakopee, MN malting facilities.

Although the 2021 North American harvest for barley crop produced lower than normal yields due to drought, BSG is well-positioned within our global supply network to deliver on the best quality ingredients for you and to achieve your desired brewing results.

For more agricultural reports from BSG and our partners, please visit https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/agricultural-reports/