Aussies Buy Malt

 Barley farmers in Idaho…Good news from Down Under. Allright, why the lame attempt at an Australian accent? I’m trying to assimilate…meaning that our friends from the other side of the globe are buying in to our barley and malt industry. According to The Idaho State Journal United Malt Holdings, the Omaha, Neb.-based parent company of Great Western Malting, which has a Pocatello location, was acquired by Sydney, Australia-based GrainCorp.?     The deal is worth approximately $655 million. This doesn’t mean that the folks running United Malt are going to lose their jobs, or, just as importantly that Idaho barley growers have nothing to fear in terms of  losing their market according to Jim Anderson, Chief Executive Officer of United Malt Holdings: “They don’t need to fear and I think this is actually going to make us stronger and a better buyer of barley from the Idaho farmers. All they need to know is that it’s going to look exactly the same and we’ll remain partners with the Idaho producers for another 75-80 years.” They didn’t buy because they know Australians have a huge appetite for good beer? “Almost as huge as here in the U.S. That might be one of the reasons