Rahr Malting Co. has announced a $6-million addition to its Alix plant.
The expansion will boost Rahr Malting’s storage capacity to 1.2 million bushels of barley, up from 400,000 bushels. That will allow the company to accept more barley from farmers during the year, reducing the risk of grain deteriorating while in producers’ hands.
Rahr Malting president Willie Rahr said increasing the plant’s storage is a necessary step before expansion of its malt production capacity can be considered. The Alix plant currently produces 180,000 tonnes of malt annually, with this sold to customers in several countries.
Federal Agriculture Gerry Ritz was at the Rahr Malting plant on Tuesday for the annoucement. He credited his government’s efforts to eliminate the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly power over the marketing of Western Canadian wheat and barley for helping attract capital investment by grain processors.
If pending legislation passes, prairie farmers will be free to sell their own wheat and barley as of Aug. 1, 2012.