On behalf of the board directors, SaskBarley (Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission) has announced that they will hold an election this fall to choose three new members for the Board of Directors.
About SaskBarley:
The purpose of the Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission (SaskBarley) is to increase the production and value of barley for both the producer and consumer. The organization is led by a producer-elected Board of Directors from across Saskatchewan.
SaskBarley works to identify, develop and support research, market development, and extension initiatives that establish long-term, profitable and sustainable barley production for Saskatchewan producers.
More information on our candidates can be found below!
The Candidates:
Chad
Ferguson
- I have been in Agriculture my entire life and grew up on a family farm by Naicam, SK
- Our farm had honeybees and crops but over the years we slowly exited the bees to expand cropland
- I attended the U of S and obtained a Diploma in Agribusiness and a Degree in Plant Sciences
- Worked off farm for 9 years while also farming with my father until 2016 when he unexpectedly passed away
- Myself, my wife Wendy, my son, and my daughter are all fully involved in our farm which has now grown to 3,500ac
- I have been on many community boards and organizations over the years
- I am always looking to learn more and make improvements to myself and others
There are many opportunities for barley growers to enhance their marketing and growing of the crop. It all just depends on the time and effort a person is willing to invest to make a difference. I would like to outline those opportunities and help growers apply those techniques to their operation. This could be anything from trying varieties or using the latest and greatest tech to help their crop during the growing season.
Barley growers have many challenges. One of the big ones is market opportunities and end user acceptability. This is a huge push for barley, specifically malt varieties to be perfect every year so that end users have prestige product. This is not always possible given the changes in weather and different grower strategies for harvesting. Another problem is market access throughout the world. Saskatchewan produces some of, or possibly the best barley in the world and yet it seems to be a struggle to market this product throughout the world.
The barley industry is certainly on the right path to success. Over the past few years, producers have taken on new varieties and maltsters seem to be in the mood to try these new varieties as well. With a continued push towards these new varieties and agronomics I think the barley industry has significant room to expand.
I look forward to being a part of SaskBarley.
Gordon Moellenbeck
Gordon Moellenbeck has been a farmer for over 40 years in the Englefeld area. He is actively involved in promoting and expanding his malt barley operation, growing crops for Prairie Malt and working with Canterra Seeds with Connect barley. For the past two years, Gordon was asked to promote Saskatchewan grown barley with Sask. Federated Co-op beer production, brewed at Great Western Brewery. Gordon has always pursued new farming techniques, especially advances in quality barley production. He strives for purity in his barley, practicing excellent farm management with yearly crop rotations and keeping all farm equipment clean.
Gordon attended the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre Intensive Malting Course in 2017 in Winnipeg, MB. At the Malt Academy, many opportunities and new ideas were discussed with Dr. Yueshu Li, who is an International Master Brewer. Always expanding his knowledge of new ideas with barley & malt analysis results in Gordon’s own quality crops.
Gordon, and his brothers, operate a mixed farming operation, growing barley, canola, and wheat, as a part of the Bell M Farm family operation. Corn is also grown to assist in feeding the family Shorthorn cattle herd. As a past 4-H leader for 10 years, and supervisor at Schulte & Doepker Industries, Gordon has developed excellent leadership and communication skills, including working very well with others.
Matt
Enns
Matt Enns actively farms in a multi-generational grain operation alongside his father near Rosthern. The 8,500 acre grain farm has a rotation including canola, wheat, peas, lentils and barley and the Sask Valley area is a well-known producer of malting barley. Matt attended the University of Saskatchewan earning a B.Sc. in Physical Therapy while playing out his athletic eligibility with the Huskies, the highlight of which was a national championship in 2004. After graduation, Matt worked as a physiotherapist in Saskatoon and farmed with his dad. This continued for 10 years until a neighbor’s farm went up for sale and Matt was able to join the farm full-time.
In 2016, Matt happened upon the world of craft beer and saw an avenue to capitalize on their farm’s ability to grow premium malting barley. This led to attendance at the “Malt Academy” at Winnipeg’s Canadian Malting Barley Technical Center, touring of malting facilities and feasibility studies involving Saskatchewan’s end-users of malting barley. The result was the eventual founding of Maker’s Crafted Malts. Maker’s is located in Rosthern and is Saskatchewan’s only craft malting facility. Matt produced the first commercial batch in January 2018 and together with co-maltster, Antoine Guiard service brewers and distillers across Saskatchewan the prairies and beyond. Maker’s is a member of the Craft Maltsters Guild and Matt has attended numerous Craft Malt conferences and has presented on the agronomics and philosophy of growing malt barley. The malting facility has led to numerous opportunities to educate and further the connection between the farm-gate and the general public. Maker’s has annual agronomic and variety trials with new (and occasionally very old) varietals. These are toured multiple times annually, typically including a farmer/brewer day.
Matt is a current director on the board of SaskBarley alongside being a board member with the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Center and a recent board member for the North American Craft Maltsters Guild. Matt is also SaskBarley’s representative at the Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute. Matt is passionate about high quality malting barley and believes there are many upcoming opportunities for Saskatchewan growers.
Thomas
Sunderland
I farm in the RM of Ponass Lake with my father and brothers. Together we farm 7,500 acres. About half of our acres are seeded to barley each year. We work directly with a maltster for most of our production. Barley has always played an important role on our farm and I’ve grown it myself since I started farming 17 years ago. I studied at the U of S where I received a Diploma in Ag-business in 2011. I’m running for the SaskBarley Commission in order to help maintain current markets and to work towards growing more market opportunities for farmers.