Organic Farmers' Desired Qualities For Barley

Summary

Barley is a versatile crop that can fit well in many organic farming systems. However, organic farmers in the United States have had limited adoption of barley as a regular crop in rotation. Researchers conducted a survey of organic barley producers to find out what they considered to be the main obstacles to growing barley. The primary obstacles are limited markets and price. The breeding and development of better-quality barley suitable for specialty markets may be a way to expand markets and secure a better price. Yield was identified as the most important characteristic to the farmers responding, but other traits such as nutritional quality were also ranked high. Naked or hull-less barley is one possible alternative that allows organic farmers to sell into multiple markets. Most respondents expressed interest in the development of such varieties suitable for organic farming conditions.