American Malting Barley Association, Inc. The American Malting Barley Association (AMBA) is a nonprofit trade association of brewing and malting companies based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its mission is to encourage and support an adequate supply of high-quality malting barley for the malting and brewing industry and increase our understanding of malting barley. AMBA addresses this mission by aiding the development of new malting barley varieties and through the encouragement of a suitable farm policy safety net for barley producers.

New malting barley varieties require improved agronomic and quality characters to keep malting barley competitive with other crops so that growers continue to plant and produce an adequate supply of suitable quality for the industry. A national barley research infrastructure of personnel, facilities, and operating funds to conduct appropriate research is necessary to develop malting barley varieties that fit the needs of its members, from adjunct to all malt brewing. AMBA provides direct support to the national barley research infrastructure through its University Grant Program (about $400,000 per year) for applied barley breeding and related support programs, including basic malting quality research. In addition, AMBA manages the National Barley Improvement Committee, which prioritizes national needs and lobbies the federal government for funding of barley research.

Agricultural policies are addressed in cooperation with the National Barley Growers Association and individual state barley organizations. Efforts to ensure equity with competing crops and providing the greatest return possible for barley producers drives agricultural policy.