Barley

The combined area of winter and spring barley accounts for over one million hectares of the arable cropping in the UK. This area can largely be distinguished into two main markets; feed and malt. 

Winter barley has many advantages for growers - it can assist with rotation and harvest spread, as well providing the opportunity for early movement, generating cash at a critical time.

Spring barley has increasing importance particularly for the domestic malting, brewing and distilling markets, where we have been able to respond rapidly to the changes in consumer requirements, not least in improving processibility and reducing the genetic risk to food safety issues.

The Limagrain UK breeding programme is led by Mark Glew (pictured right) and is based at our head office in Rothwell, Lincolnshire. If you have a question for Mark or another member of the barley breeding team, please click on the 'Ask a Breeder' link at the top (left) of this page.