Worried About Global Warming? Sit Back and Grab a Beer -- Nothing To Do With The Bakken

Connecting the dots just keeps getting more and more fun.

Some days ago I posted a link to a very, very long PDF that suggested global warming will have a negative effect on North Dakota's durum crop, but the world will not notice; in fact, it may work out even better. Global warming will push the durum crop farther west into Montana, and because of longer growing seasons may actually result in greater annual production of durum.

It turns out durum may not be the only grain / grass that benefits from global warming. There is good news for Norm, Cliff, Cheers, Homer, and Moe's Tavern.

It turns out that a major ingredient of beer, barley, is adapting to global warming, and is actually thriving. In addition, under increased CO2 conditions, barley does just as well, perhaps better, and actually affects soil less severely, assimilating nitrogen more efficiently.

Like durum, it would be expected that increased barley production would be predicted moving farther west into Montana.

And then this. Don sent me this link a couple days ago:

It was a welcoming crowd that greeted officials from MillerCoors and Halverson Construction during a Friday afternoon meeting at the Community Center in Power, Montana.

Company representatives were on hand to present the plans for the 3.2 million bushel barley elevator that will be constructed [here].

 “This is the first time since the early seventies the companies have built a new grain elevator.” Since that time the companies have expanded existing elevators or acquired them from other operators.

Power, Montana, is about 450 miles due west of Williston.

The article continues:

Smelser described the size of the bins to be erected; each bin will be 90 feet in diameter and 100 feet tall, towering over the triangle of land where the elevator will be built, a tract bordered on the east by Power itself; on the North by the BNSF railroad and on the south by the highway.

The plant’s receiving capacity will consist of two truck pits and rail, and will be able to handle 20,000 bushels per hour. The design will allow the elevator to receive half of the barley during the harvest season. When shipping, the elevator can process 15-30 rail cars per day; currently the railroad offers one train a week to Power.

So, worried about global warming? Sit back, have a beer, and think about those Warren Buffett-owned trains carrying Montana barley back east.

How good is Montana barley?

Presently, some Montana barley goes into all the products produced by MillerCoors, according to Rockhold: “Montana barley is great quality.” Currently, 16 percent of the barley used by MillerCoors comes from the Big Sky State; with the construction of the Power Elevator that number will rise to 25 percent.