nd-crops

NEWS RELEASE                                              Barley Varieties
                                                             July 12, 2005

            ROBUST STILL TOP BARLEY VARIETY IN NORTH DAKOTA

Robust remains the top barley variety in North Dakota for 2005, though
currently seeded on the fewest acres in two decades. The 1983 Minnesota
release has been North Dakota's leading variety 20 of the last 21 years.
Lacey is the second most popular variety this year, reclaiming the spot
from Legacy which drops to third. Conlon remains the fourth most popular
variety. Tradition is fifth, up from seventh last year. Drummond rounds out
the top six; these six malt barley varieties account for 86.6 percent of
this year's barley acres in North Dakota. The state continues to rank first
in barley planted acreage in the United States, with 31.5 percent of the
nation's total.

Haybet is the top feed variety and ranks seventh overall. AC Metcalfe
remains in eighth place. The American Malting Barley Association (AMBA)
does not currently recommend this malting variety in North Dakota, although
it has this distinction in other states. Bowman and Westford complete the
top ten in order.

The data in this report are based on more than 700 positive reports of
3,760 respondents to a June survey of barley producers conducted by the
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, North Dakota Field Office.
The AMBA and the North Dakota Barley Council provided supporting funds for
the survey.

Robust continues to be the most popular barley variety in North Dakota by a
substantial margin. It accounts for 37.4 percent of the 1.25 million acres
planted, continuing a downward trend from a high of 81.2 percent in 2001.
Robust is the leading variety in all districts, except the southwest.

Lacey ranks second for 2005, up again from third last year. It represents
17.2 percent of the total barley acres planted.

Legacy is now third, down from second in 2004. It represents 11.9 percent
of the total barley acres planted.

Haybet is the most popular feed variety for the third consecutive year,
seventh overall in 2005. Primarily in the west central and southwest
districts, more than 50,000 acres are planted this year.

AC Metcalfe places second among varieties AMBA does not currently recommend
in North Dakota for malting, and eighth overall with 2.8 percent of the
total acres planted. The two-row variety is planted to almost 35,000 acres,
nearly all of which are in the north central district.

Bowman is the third most popular other variety in 2005; the feed variety is
ninth overall. Grown throughout the southwestern half of the state, more
than 14,000 acres are planted this year.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
  David Knopf, Director
  USDA, NASS, North Dakota Field Office
  NDSU, IACC Bldg., Room 448
  P.O. Box 3166
  Fargo, ND 58108-3166
  Telephone: (701) 239-5306
  E-Mail: nass-nd@nass.usda.gov
  Internet: http://www.nass.usda.gov/nd/