From Barley Field to Beer: Molson Coors Celebrates Growers During Annual Field Days

June 26, 2026

The 2026 Molson Coors Field Days are officially underway, bringing together barley growers, company leaders, and industry partners to celebrate the farmers who serve as the foundation of one of America's best-known brewing companies.

This year's field days kicked off near Worland, Wyoming, and Huntley, Montana, continuing a longstanding tradition that highlights the importance of collaboration throughout the entire Molson Coors supply chain—from the producer growing barley in the field to the consumer enjoying a finished product.

For longtime barley breeder Bob Brunick, the annual events are about much more than crop tours.

"I've been with Molson Coors 20 years, starting in 2006, and it's been a real blessing to see how these field days impact both the people at the company and the growers," Brunick said.

"It's obvious we couldn't do what we do without the growers. These field days give us an opportunity to simply say thank you and recognize their contribution to our supply chain."

Partnership Built in the Field

This year's Wyoming event was hosted by the Vigil family, longtime Molson Coors barley growers who have worked closely with the company to evaluate and develop new malting barley varieties.

"It's great to have their people come out and see what it's like in the field and learn from the bottom up," Bryce Vigil said. "Molson Coors has always been great about working alongside us to develop barley varieties that work both on the farm and in the malt house."

That collaboration, he says, has helped ensure growers remain an integral part of producing high-quality malt barley for generations.

Great Beer Starts with Great Barley

Molson Coors Chief Supply Chain Officer Brian Erhardt emphasized that producing premium beer begins long before brewing—it starts with exceptional barley grown by dedicated farmers.

"Without great barley, we can't make great beer," Erhardt said.

"We have more than 6,000 employees throughout our supply chain, but it really starts right out here in our barley fields. That's where we grow the highest-quality barley, send it to our malt house to produce premium malt, and ultimately provide our brewers with the ingredients needed to make brands like Coors Banquet."

A Rewarding Connection for Growers

For Wyoming barley producer Robert Shelton, there's a special sense of pride knowing his crop eventually becomes a product enjoyed across the country.

"It's a pretty good feeling," Shelton said. "You watch something grow in your field, and six to eight months later you're enjoying it in a beverage can—and so is everybody else across the country."

He says it's rewarding to see the direct connection between the work done on the farm and the finished product consumers recognize nationwide.

Continuing the Tradition

Additional Molson Coors Field Days are scheduled for Alberta, Canada, and Monte Vista, Colorado in July, with the final event of the season planned later this year in Idaho.

Together, those regions represent the heart of Molson Coors' North American barley production.

And for beer lovers across the country, it serves as a reminder that every Coors Banquet and Coors Light begins with the dedication of barley growers in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Alberta—whose work in the field remains essential to every can brewed.

Source: Western Ag Network