b'are hesitant to try new varieties of barley. CDC Copeland has become so prized by brewers that farmers are reluctant to stop growing it, and brewers have become so reliant on the variety in the brewing pro-cess that even after almost two decades, they dont want to switch.Brewers get used to doing things a certain way. Each variety behaves a certain way in the malt plant and the brewhouse, Harvey says. Theres a lot of management and skill that goes into it, so once you have something that works, anyone would be reluctant to make a change.Its been that way as long as I can remember, and my memory goes back a long way. Copeland has been great, but 20 years is too long for a variety to be relied upon. The breeders turn out a better vari- Eric Lefol is credited with helping breedBrian Rossnagel is now a professor ety every five years or so, and in my mindCDC Copeland. He is now manager of theemeritus at the Crop Development Centre.thats the ideal life cycle for a variety. Fdration des Francophones de According to Harvey, part of theSaskatoon.danger in using a variety like CDC Copeland for so many years is the chancebiological risk when one or two varietiesfall to a newer, better variety with a supe-of disease organisms mutating and gain- dominate. It only makes sense to haverior agronomic packagethe question ing a footholddisease resistance even- many varieties out there growing. is which variety will eventually inherit the tually breaks down. Harvey adds that even though its stillcrown.SWYou expose yourself to a great deal ofhanging on, CDC Copeland will eventually 16/ SEEDWORLD.COMJANUARY 2020'