Anheuser-Busch has announced that it is closing its Moorhead, Minnesota Malt House and selling its grain elevators in Sutton and West Fargo, North Dakota. An agreement with Rahr Malting Company will transition Malt production capacity to Rahr’s Shakopee, Minnesota Malt facility in 2025.
Montana Grain Growers Association President and Moore Farmer Boyd Heilig expressed concern for North Dakota barley growers, that will now have to haul their barley to a new location.
“We were notified by Anheuser-Busch yesterday here in Montana. They called the Grain Growers officers and told us that they were closing these facilities…We really want to give our condolences to the barley farmers in North Dakota because you sure don’t want to lose your source to take your malt to the local elevator.”
Heilig says the announcement has no current impact on Montana growers. “Talking to Anheuser Busch, that’s not going to affect Montana producers. They’re good to go still, and then they’re going to focus more on heading the barley to Idaho Falls. There’s a lot of dynamics going on… but we wanted to let our producers know that it won’t affect them this calendar year.”
Heilig says that Montana had the most acres in Barley production this year at more than 990,000, followed by Idaho and then North Dakota.
Anheuser-Busch says it remains committed to it’s grower partners and will continue to buy barley directly from farmers.
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Northern Ag Network
