6-7 FB Barley Malt

 What’s the state of barley in Idaho?

 I recently had a discussion with Clark Johnston who is a commodities broker and owns an operation called JC Management company out of Utah. I was talking with Clark about the volatility in certain crops like corn and potatoes and he mentioned the importance of contracts. Then I got a press release from Travis Brown of the Idaho Grain Producers Association talking about the same sort of thing so I called him up and asked him to give me an update. “The majority of barley in Idaho is grown for malt and those malt barley acres are contracted with many of the brewing companies or malting companies in the state of Idaho and we have almost all of the major ones within the state. So those contracts are private, they are in agreement between the grower and the buyer, however, those growers that do not have contracts, they can still grow malt barley but they are going to take their chances and take whatever price there is out there on the open market when harvest comes or whatever other risk management strategy they choose. So most malt barley acres in Idaho are contracted head of their harvest. So you take your chances with not contracting and that may be the same case in corn that you are referencing with Mr. Johnston. Is that kind of what you are thinking