Governor joins brewer in celebrating completion of barley elevator in Sidney

Sidney, Mont., is the best kept secret in the United States. The residents are humble, hard working and always willing to lend a helping hand. That is why it is so exciting to be a part of the grand opening of the newest economic development success in Montana right in Richland County. It feels good to reward the positive characteristics that make northeastern Montana strong.

Sidney Herald

I am very pleased to be working with Busch Agricultural Resources to dedicate the company’s latest malt barley loading facility in Montana. Aug. 12 will truly be a historic day for Sidney. In the past, Anheuser-Busch Cos. have shown their commitment to promoting economic growth in the other Montana communities – Fairfield, Fromberg and Conrad – and I know you will do the same in Sidney.

Agriculture is our state’s largest industry, bringing in an average of 2.3 billion dollars a year. Malt barley is already a $60 million industry in Montana, and it has the potential to grow to be much larger.

With this facility, Busch Ag Resources has moved into a relatively untapped region of eastern Montana and western North Dakota. We know that two-row and six-row malting barley varieties do well here. For the Mon-Dak growers, this expansion represents a solid market for an excellent crop that can be grown in rotation with sugarbeets, potatoes and other high-value crops.

Malting and brewing companies purchased between 18 million and 24 million bushels of barley annually in Montana during 1997-1999, before the recent drought. While the prospects for dryland crops are good here, irrigation also has been added on more than 18,000 acres during the past three years. More irrigation projects are pending, particularly in northeastern Montana.

Attracting new malt barley facilities has been a focus of efforts by the Montana Department of Agriculture and my Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity in an overall quest to increase the value of Montana’s agricultural industries.

We have worked diligently to provide the necessary resources for this facility, in cooperation with the Richland Economic Development Corporation, the Richland County Commission, and many other individuals and entities.

Sidney has always had a resilient spirit. The people of this area have never been afraid of hard work and sacrifice. This facility once again proves that eastern Montana has the characteristics that are needed to ensure economic success.

Copyright 2003 Sidney Herald Leader.

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