Barley and health

“In 2021 Idaho grew 37% of the nation’s barley. It’s been hovering around a third the last few years and In 8 of the last 10 years. Idaho was the top barley state. Montana has been second and North Dakota third but together our three states make up about three quarters of the nation’s barley crop. Now we all know that barley is an important ingredient in most beers. But according to Laura Wilder, Executive Director of the Idaho Barley Commission, barley can be used in lots of food items and…”Barley has many health attributes. It’s high in fiber, low glycemic index, good for gut health. It’s a great food ingredient but lots of people are stuck in the notion that it’s just for barley soup, but I’m here to tell you it’s not your grandma’s barley anymore, and you can put it in salads, you can put it in casseroles. It’s a great addition to add protein and fiber and other nutrients to other dishes.

So, barley has a great story to tell, it just hasn’t been as commonly used. So, we are working on market development both domestically and for some export markets.

We have lots of agricultural commodity’s dollars into Idaho. We want to point out barleys contributions as well. It’s very significant and very important to the state.”