In Saskatchewan, a dedicated board of six barley farmers has been tirelessly working to enhance the profitability of barley for producers across the province. At the recent 2024 Barley Symposium held in Saskatoon, SaskBarley Executive Director Jill McDonald sat down with Seed World Canada to delve deeper into SaskBarley’s journey of transformation. “Our primary purpose is to increase the profitability of barley for Saskatchewan producers,” McDonald explains. Over the past decade, the board has strategically directed its efforts towards research, with a bold goal of investing a large chunk of its dollars into this critical area. One of their major achievements has been in pushing for variety acceptance of malting barley varieties. McDonald highlights the challenges faced by barley due to its low variety turnover. However, through concerted efforts by groups like theirs, end users are beginning to understand the importance of embracing new varieties, leading to a positive shift in the