Malting barley growers who supply Stradbally Town and Country remain in limbo as weather looks set to turn and farmers hope to get out to fields to plant crops.
Stradbally Town and Country has over 200 suppliers of malting barley.
In January, managing director Martin McDonald informed those suppliers that Boortmalt had cut the merchant’s contract and the majority of suppliers are still without a malting tonnage for 2026.
Stradbally is an area of the country famous for growing malting barley, long associated with the production of Irish drinks.
In the Guinness Storehouse, there is a display of barley with a sign saying 'Grown with love in County Laois'.
However, there will be very little malting barley grown in Co Laois in 2026 and none will be assembled in the county.
Announcement
Since the announcement of the contract cut, the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) held a meeting with Boortmalt to find a resolution.
Laois IFA representatives were told there would be communication with them - which did not come.
Growers agreed at a Laois IFA meeting that they would not take offers off any other merchant until there was an update - which has not come.
Since that time, it has been reported that Daltons Chancellors Mills of Kilkenny has been given extra tonnage requirements to supply Boortmalt.
Daltons has contacted a number of Stradbally suppliers to supply them with barley and it is understood some growers also contacted Daltons.
However, the majority of the over 200 growers have not been accommodated.
The Irish Farmers Journal understands that many of these growers cannot supply Daltons as the distance to the intake in Athy is too far to draw and keep combines moving and most do not have suitable tipping facilities on farm.
'Strong links'
Laois IFA chair Henry Burns told the Irish Farmers Journal: “We want to see the Stradbally intake maintained. The intake is there a long number of years and has strong links with farmers in the area and we want to see it maintained.
“The message we have been giving to Boortmalt is very clear. There’s a lot of traditional malting barley growers feeding into Stradbally Town and Country and the proximity of the branch is crucial to them.
“All Stradbally Town and Country suppliers should have the same opportunity to supply malting barley.”
The Irish Farmers Journal reported last week that Stradbally was made an offer by Boortmalt, which it described as unviable.
The merchant sent a text to growers, which said they had made an extremely generous offer to Boortmalt and that the ball was in their court.
As this fiasco rumbles on, seed and fertiliser needs to be delivered on to farms. Seed for crops to replace malting barley needs to be ordered.
Alternative contracts need to be found and farmers need to decide if they will even plant crops if they will not have malting barley tonnage for 2026.
The disconnect between the malting and drinks industry and farmers is astounding.
As these companies look to farmers to reduce their emissions, count their carbon and label products as sustainable, they need to learn that sustainability has three pillars – economic, social and environmental.
The malting industry is falling down on economics and social sustainability and as it cuts a contract 14km from a malting plant, environmental sustainability goes out the window.
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