Fifteen barley producers from across Canada are being recognized for their excellence in producing malt barley during last year's harvest.Frank Hamel, of Old Seed Potatoes Hamel Farms Ltd. in Olds, was among the selected nominees in the running to be honoured for this achievement by Elite Barley.“I was a little surprised I guess,” said Hamel, who has been a resident of the Olds area since 1996, and has been working with barley production there for more than 10 years. “They contact you before to ask if you'd like to be a nominee if you qualify, and I said yes I would.”Hamel said that in the past eight years his barley production has seen a very high acceptance for marketing due to its quality.“There are a few small things different that we do, but really there is nothing outstandingly different, the process is very similar for all growers,” said Hamel.Every year Hamel's barley harvest brings in roughly 80 to 2,200 bushels a year, depending on weather conditions for that year's harvest.This is Hamel's first time being nominated for this honour, but while he feels it's a very nice gesture of recognition, it is not going to change how he does his work.“It's a nice award but I don't think it means anything for us,” said Hamel. “We will keep growing more barley as always and get the same grade and quality as always too.”Elite Barley is an annual grower recognition program and industry-led effort overseen by the malting barley value chain.Each year it celebrates the best production techniques by Canadian barley producers and companies.
