Barley is the third largest feed grain crop produced in the United States, after corn and sorghum. Barley is a short-season, early maturing crop. Therefore, it is produced in a variety of climates and in both irrigated and dryland production areas. Production is concentrated in the Northern Plains and the Pacific Northwest. The United States is the eighth largest producer of barley in the world with current production estimated at 4.9 million planted acres.
Barley is classified as either six-row or two-row, depending on the physical arrangement of the kernels on the plant. Barley is also described as hulled or hull-less by the presence of beards or awns covering the kernels. Six-row barley is grown primarily in Minnesota, South Dakota and Idaho. Two-row barley is grown in Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon and California. North Dakota, Idaho and Montana are the three largest barley producing states. October 2005 . . . Barley
- Barley, Farmer Profiles, Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education (SARE), USDA - This program provides producer profiles explaining how specific farmers are exploring sustainability.
- Vertical Coordination in the Malting Barley Industry: A ‘Silver Bullet’ For Coors?, Ag Marketing Resource Center, Kansas State University, October 2004 - Looks at the traditional production contracts held by Coors for its barley production and the future of the brewing industry.
Links checked January 2008.