The American Malting Barley Association welcomes nearly 100 attendees to the Barley Improvement Conference

01/20/2026

The American Malting Barley Association welcomes nearly 100 attendees to the Barley Improvement Conference

The American Malting Barley Association (AMBA), a trade organization representing users of malting barley, hosted their biennial conference in San Diego, California, focusing on barley improvement. Attendees represented the entire supply chain, including researchers, growers, processors, and end users. Nearly twenty research presentations were given over the two-day event. The conference theme, Staying the Course in Uncertain Times, acknowledges the evolution of malting barley demand and contraction within its associated industries, while recognizing the need to seek continuous improvement to remain competitive. The event also hosted a poster session featuring the work of early career scientists.

“It’s no secret that demand for barley and barley based beverages has decreased in recent years, but now is not the time to abandon R&D efforts around barley improvement,” said Ashley McFarland, AMBA President. “As the industry looks to right-size, efficiency is more important than ever. Investments in barley research that allow us to get more return with fewer inputs will bolster resiliency throughout the supply chain.” McFarland was confirmed the new President and CEO of the organization during the AMBA board meeting held in conjunction with the conference. She replaces Scott Heisel who will retire in April. His keynote, “All Among the Barley” concluded the event and reflected on his thirty-nine years with the AMBA organization.

The next Barley Improvement Conference will be held January 2028 at a location to be determined.

Presentations from the 2026 Barley Improvement Conference

(Slide deck linked to title and recordings posted, when available)

Accelerating Barley Improvement session